Rule on arm moving forward

[Rack]

Here is the rule. It was a forward pass as soon as his hand started moving forward.

Item 1. Forward Movement of Hand

When a player is in control of the ball and is attempting to pass it forward, any intentional forward movement of his hand starts a forward pass.

If, after intentional forward movement of his hand, contact by an opponent materially affects the passer, causing the ball to go backward, it is a forward pass, regardless of where the ball strikes the ground, a player, an official, or anything else.
If, after an intentional forward movement of his hand, the passer loses possession of the ball during an attempt to bring it back toward his body, it is a fumble.
If the passer loses possession of the ball while attempting to re-cock his arm, it is a fumble.

It was a fumble. The ball itself has to go forward for it to be a forward pass. The ball went backwards.

It was a fumble.

 

[Jenky]

Understand why some have a problem with this play. The QB is a ball carrier. When a ball is knocked loose from a ball carrier it's a fumble. The ball is still in the ball carriers hand (the QB) when it's knocked loose. And that's why some will always think of these plays as a fumble.

We've all seen QB's go through a throwing motion, with their arm moving forward, then decide to tuck and run. So what if he was about to tuck the ball and run? Fumble.

And that's why I don't like the arm moving forward crap. Because you never really know if he was about to throw the ball. The QB is a ball carrier, he should be treated like one.

Except QBs get special treatment as seen by the numerous rules applied to them.

 

[Risen Star]

Dude I was told the arm was well behind his head. Stop that crap. You doctored it.

And the location of his arm is irrelevant. That's fan nonsense. It only matters if the arm's going forward in a throwing motion. It was, so no fumble.

Embarrassing thread.

 

[Scottishcowboy]

It's called a discussion board *******. Do you have any intellectual curiosity?

Sorry, hate fights on boards as I'm an old man these days but no. We've had a few bad calls this year but this isn't one of them, hence my comment.

 

[conner01]

Just on common sense, it was clear that that ball was in his hand firmly and was knocked out before he released it as part of a throw. The arm was well behind the head.

I don't get that rule at all. Does someone want to explain why that SHOULD be a forward pass?

It’s pretty simple
If you control the ball and your arm moves forward it’s a pass

 

[Oz-of-Cowboy-Country]

Except QBs get special treatment as seen by the numerous rules applied to them.

Ok, if the ball comes out of his hand and goes forward it's an incomplete pass. But if the ball goes any other direction it's a fumble.

That's the way I'd rather see these plays get called. Just my opinion.

 

[Risen Star]

It was a fumble. The ball itself has to go forward for it to be a forward pass. The ball went backwards.

It was a fumble.

Lol. There's no truth to that at all because the force causing the ball to become loose can simply move the ball backwards.

Fans say the darndest things.

 

[conner01]

Do some of you people even read posts first?

I know what the rule says. I guess I'm asking to defend the rule. In that case there is no way that was a pass.

The rule is just common sense
Once the arm moves forward you are passing if you have control of the ball
I don’t know that there is any way other that that to interpret a pass

 

[Risen Star]

Because the ball could come out on its own before it reaches or passes a QB's head, thus causing the ball to be a lateral throw or less, thus making it a live loose ball.

Once the ball in the throwing motion is past the QB's head, it legally is considered a forward pass at that point.

The officials got it wrong.

You literally made that up. Arm location is irrelevant.

 

[TequilaCowboy]

If the hand is moving forward (even slightly) with control of the ball it’s considered a pass of the ball is knocked loose before release.

Right....as much as i would have liked it to be a fumble, the hand was just barely starting to go forward and i agree it was a pass. Just a fraction of a sec late for Dallas. It was the right call. But i did enjoy greatly the subsequent Watkins INT to the house.

 

[boysbeyond4ever]

because his arm was going forward in a passing motion, he was in the act of passing

Then what the hell constitutes an empty hand,or is this a 2021 rule change specifically? I mean if the rule says that it is the correct call, but it seems completely inconsistent with the empty hand standard.

 

[America's Cowboy]

You literally made that up. Arm location is irrelevant.

Nope. I played football.

 

[silvernblu]

You guys need to really check your confirmation bias. Complaining about this one is very silly. Boy who cried wolf.

I think you do.

No one was complaining. Your automatic reactiveness is the issue here.

 

[Runwildboys]

If you say so.

The ball is in his hand. He's trying to throw, sure, but he hasn't.

How can there be an incomplete pass when the ball hasnt been passed yet? It was only about to be passed

They have to have some definitive point at which to determine that it's a pass. The arm moving forward with the ball firmly in the hand is the least subjective way to call it. If you want to say it's a pass once it leaves the hand, then you're giving the officials a lot of leeway to decide when they think the ball is coming out.

 

[Avery]

My personal take is that if the arm is moving forward but the ball hasn't been released, it should be a fumble.

That's not the rule right now, but how it should be.

 

[Runwildboys]

nope balls out first anyway no reason to look at arm its fumble before his arm ever came forward..

You are joking, right?

 

[silvernblu]

It was a fumble. The ball itself has to go forward for it to be a forward pass. The ball went backwards.

It was a fumble.

The point I am trying to make is that you are absolutely correct based on any objective observation.

But you are wrong based on the rule.

Hence, the rule is bad.

Just like Dez’s “drop”

 

[silvernblu]

Can someone post the video. I don’t think people realize how far he was from actually throwing the ball.

 

[Runwildboys]

Because the ball could come out on its own before it reaches or passes a QB's head, thus causing the ball to be a lateral throw or less, thus making it a live loose ball.

Once the ball in the throwing motion is past the QB's head, it legally is considered a forward pass at that point.

The officials got it wrong.

No, they didn't. The arm was moving forward with the ball firmly in his grasp. That's the way the rule had been for a long time. We see this in at least one game every week, and it's always called the same way.

 

[Runwildboys]

nope balls out first anyway no reason to look at arm its fumble before his arm ever came forward..

His arm moves forward about a whole 12" before the ball gets touched. Can you go early not see that or are you trolling?