rules/stats question

[Reverend Conehead]

Does anyone know if the ball is snapped directly to the running back and he's tackled behind the line of scrimmage, does that count as a sack?

 

[Hoofbite]

Probably depends on if he looks as though he may attempt a pass.

If it's snapped to him and he immediately tucks and runs, I wouldn't think it would be a sack.

If it's snapped to him and he sort of piddles around like the Dolphins RB would do before passing, I would call it a sack.

What brought this up? The Washington play the other day?

 

[pancakeman]

I would guess not, but I don't know. Similarly: on a halfback pass (where it's handed off rather than a direct snap), if the player is tackled before he gets the throw off would that be a sack?

 

[pancakeman]

It would be really strange, if the answer to the OP question is yes, that it would stand to reason that a direct snap run on which a fumble was forced before crossing the line of scrimmage would also be a sack.

 

[pancakeman]

Probably depends on if he looks as though he may attempt a pass.

On reflection, I think this has to be correct--since for the QB, whether he looks like he's going to attempt a pass already makes the difference between a sack and a tackle for a loss.

 

[JD_KaPow]

Does anyone know if the ball is snapped directly to the running back and he's tackled behind the line of scrimmage, does that count as a sack?

Sack assignment actually involves a judgment call. Whatever official assigns this stuff has to decide whether the play was a pass play. If so and he's tackled behind the LOS, it's a sack. If not, it's a tackle-for-loss. So I suppose it would be the same when a RB takes the snap, although the official's bias would probably be toward it being a running play if it wasn't clear.