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Football Officiating => National Football League => Topic started by: bbeagle on October 10, 2017, 02:24:12 PM
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I don't understand why this play was ruled this way. It makes no sense.
Around a minute left in the game, 4th down for the Cowboys. Ezekiel Elliott ran and was ruled short of the line to gain. Packers ball. Cowboys challenged it, and on the overhead replay, it shows that Ezekiel Elliott reached the ball across the line to gain.
However, immediately after reaching the ball out, he pulled it back to his body, and at that point the ball was short of the line. This wasn't a touchdown where the play is over when breaking the plane - it was a first down. The play is still going on when he brings the ball back himself. He wasn't driven back. There was no forward progress. He did it himself.
Why was he allowed to get the full gain, but still allowed to pull the ball back to his body? Shouldn't that be a turnover on downs as he was short of the line to gain?
I found video on this website. I'm trying to find a better video.
https://sportsday.dallasnews.com/dallas-cowboys/cowboys/2017/10/08/cowboys-rb-ezekiel-elliott-shows-can-really-stretch-convert-fourth-inches-vs-packers (https://sportsday.dallasnews.com/dallas-cowboys/cowboys/2017/10/08/cowboys-rb-ezekiel-elliott-shows-can-really-stretch-convert-fourth-inches-vs-packers)
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NFL rule is different.
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NFL rule for forward progress: "The Forward Progress of a runner or airborne receiver is the point at which his advance toward his opponent’s goal ends." It is interpreted in such a way that the player may tuck the ball back and get the full credit for the forwardmost point of the ball.