backward pass OOB to avoid sack

[bbchap]

3rd and 15. QB going down, chucks it backward OOB. What's the call

[InsideTheStripes]

No foul. 4th down.  Distance depends on where the backward pass went OOB.

[Atlanta Blue]

Legal in FED, illegal in NCAA.

[Curious]

Late in a game...who would start the clock on the RFP if A was behind?

[Kalle]

Legal in FED, illegal in NCAA.

Depends. It's only illegal in NCAA if thrown to conserve time.

[Curious]

Depends. It's only illegal in NCAA if thrown to conserve time.

CORRECT!!!!

3-4-6 says "if a team illegally attempts to conserve or consume time".  Throwing the ball backward in FED is apparently sufficient "penalty", in the minds of the Rules Committee, to allow a team to get the clock stopped when they otherwise would be unable to (sorry about ending a sentence with a preposition).

[Atlanta Blue]

Depends. It's only illegal in NCAA if thrown to conserve time.

True.  But why else would a QB about to be tackled intentionally throw the ball backward OOB?  It certainly isn't to conserve yardage!

I suppose you could come up with some rare circumstance where it MIGHT happen, but if a QB about to be tackled intentionally throws a backward pass OOB, the assumption is it was to conserve time.   

[bbchap]

it was early in the 3rd. A was down 32 - 0. The QB did not appear to be intending to throw it backwards, he was just getting rid of it.

I know that doesn't change anything.

I was WH, I dropped a flag b/c from my angle it wasn't obvious it was backwards. My HL came over and said that was a backward pass. I waived off the flag 4th and 20 from the OOB spot.

Seems like a loophole to me.

[Atlanta Blue]

Seems like a loophole to me.

Loophole for what?  He's giving up yardage from where he was going to get sacked.  He's worse off than if he had held on to it.  That isn't a loophole, it's a noose.

[maven]

That isn't a loophole, it's a noose.

Heh. I'm stealing that.

[Kalle]

True.  But why else would a QB about to be tackled intentionally throw the ball backward OOB?  It certainly isn't to conserve yardage!

I suppose you could come up with some rare circumstance where it MIGHT happen, but if a QB about to be tackled intentionally throws a backward pass OOB, the assumption is it was to conserve time.   

If time isn't a factor at that point (let's say first quarter, 6:05 to go), I'm not going to flag this. If he wants to lose yardage, that's his choice. I think you and me have both seen our share of weird stuff intentionally done by players in the heat of the moment

[Rulesman]

Maybe he's throwing it away to save his hide from getting hammered by a 300 lb. lineman. 

[dch]

Starting or stopping the clock differently than the result of the play can only be done if there was an illegal act that would save or consume time.
Illegal --- that means there was a flag and an accepted penalty.
It is not illegal to fumble or throw the ball backwards.  If the ball goes out of bounds it does not change the legality of the situation.

[KirbyB]

Loophole for what?  He's giving up yardage from where he was going to get sacked.  He's worse off than if he had held on to it.  That isn't a loophole, it's a noose.