"Illegal Bat"

[The 24th Letter]

I saw this called on Steve Smith of the Giants(I think) in the superbowl for batting a fumble to a teamate.

Is this a new rule?
the reason I ask is b\c im watching game from 98' where the exact same thing happened and no flag was thrown...

[Nza]

It also happened in the Pats/Rams Superbowl on the last game winning drive didn't it? Or am I remembering it wrong? Pretty sure the Pats did something very similar at one point in the game.

I'm pretty sure it has been in the league forever, as the 'Holy Roller' in 78' was controversial since it was against the rules back then, except the refs claimed it wasn't obvious enough in that case.

[J0nnD0ugh]

I believe the call is the offense can't intentionally bat the ball forward. if in the course of scrambling for the ball, the ball moves forward unintentionally, it is placed back @ the spot of the lost ball inside of 2:00.

[SPTO]

Quote: Originally Posted by Nza

I'm pretty sure it has been in the league forever, as the 'Holy Roller' in 78' was controversial since it was against the rules back then, except the refs claimed it wasn't obvious enough in that case.

Actually the rule wasn't around when the "Holy Roller" game happened. The rule was created because of that game.

per Wikipedia

Quote:

Before the 1979 season, the NFL passed new rules restricting fumble recoveries by the offense. A fumble in the final two minutes of a game, or on fourth down at any time in the game, now may not be advanced by the offense beyond the spot of the fumble unless the player who fumbled recovers the ball. If another player recovers, the ball is placed at the spot of the fumble. In such situations, the defense can recover and advance a fumble as always. In later years the NCAA passed a similar fourth-down fumble rule for college football, though without the provision for the last two minutes of a game (college football does not have the two-minute warning).

[Nza]

Quote: Originally Posted by SPTO

Actually the rule wasn't around when the "Holy Roller" game happened. The rule was created because of that game. per Wikipedia

We're talking about two different things. I believe in the Holy Roller game, it was still considered to be a penalty if refs deem a player deliberately pushed a fumble forward to enhance field position. However, the refs didn't deem that particular case to be 'deliberate'. Hence the controversey.

Basically, that ball spoting rule you referenced came in to safeguard vital moments of the game from referee interpretation of how 'deliberate' it is. But the penalty itself was in effect at the time.

[MassNole]

They don't really call it that often. You can't bat the ball forward, not can you bat it out of bounds if its lose. I remember in the early 90's there was an epic game between San Francisco and Buffalo where Steve Young got called for it when he batted a fumbled ball out of bounds to retain possession for San Francisco.

If the NFL really wanted this rule to have some teeth, they'd make it an automatic turnover.

[EnigmaNemesis]

I see them bat balls out of bounds all the time to retain possession and no penalties been thrown.

It is a very subjective penalty, much like holding.

[edaddy]

Quote: Originally Posted by EnigmaNemesis

I see them bat balls out of bounds all the time to retain possession and no penalties been thrown. It is a very subjective penalty, much like holding.

If I am not mistaken I beleive you can bat the ball out of bounds but you can't intentionally bat the ball foward to gain additional yardage...