GENIUS Idea To Stop The Clock!

[BFritz21]

Defenses defend the sidelines at the end of halves when teams have no timeouts to prevent them from getting out-of-bounds to stop the clock, which just happened in the Colts game but the receiver got tackled five(?) yards from the sideline with 3 seconds left and the half ended.

I was thinking that, when that's happening, if a player is that near the sideline, why wouldn't he just throw the ball out-of-bounds? It would obviously have to be backwards, but why don't they do it to stop the clock and give them another play?

You see so many times that a player gets tackled right near the sidelines and the clock keeps running, so why wouldn't they just quickly flip it out-of-bounds? Or if a player dives to the sidelines but is about to land a little short, why not just flip it out-of-bounds?

Edit before I even post: This link says that the clock starts when the official places the ball to prevent things like that, but it would at least stop the clock for a few seconds, which sometimes that's all an offense needs to get to the ball to spike it or run another play, so why don't teams do this?

[George Cantstandya]

Probably because it would result in a 5 yard penalty and a 10 second run off.

http://static.nfl.com/static/content/public/image/rulebook/pdfs/7_Rule4_Game_Timing.pdf

Quote:Section 7
Actions to Conserve Time
ILLEGAL ACTS
Article 1

A team is not permitted to conserve time inside of one minute of either half by committing any of the
following acts:
(a)   a foul by either team that prevents the snap (i.e., false start, encroachment, etc.)
(b)   intentional grounding;
(c )   an illegal forward pass thrown from beyond the line of scrimmage;
(d)   throwing a backward pass out of bounds;  
(e)   spiking or throwing the ball in the field of play after a down has ended, except after a touchdown; or
(f)    any other intentional foul that causes the clock to stop.

Penalty:  For  Illegally  Conserving  Time:  Loss of five yards unless a larger distance penalty is
applicable.

When actions referred to above are committed by the offensive team while time is in, officials will run
10 seconds off the game clock before permitting the ball to be put in play on the ready-for-play signal. The game clock will start
on the ready-for-play signal. If the offensive team has timeouts remaining, it will have the option of using a timeout in lieu of a 10-second runoff, in which case the  game  clock  will  start  on  the  snap  after  the  timeout.  The  defense  always  has  the  option  to
decline the 10-second runoff and have the yardage penalty enforced, but if the yardage penalty is declined, the 10-second runoff is also declined.

[BFritz21]

(01-05-2019, 08:44 PM)George Cantstandya Wrote: Probably because it would result in a 5 yard penalty and a 10 second run off.

http://static.nfl.com/static/content/public/image/rulebook/pdfs/7_Rule4_Game_Timing.pdf

Ok but then there’s always the fumbling near the out-of-bounds line and making it look like an accident.

I don’t think I saw that mentioned.

[George Cantstandya]

(01-05-2019, 08:51 PM)BFritz21 Wrote: Ok but then there’s always the fumbling near the out-of-bounds line and making it look like an accident.

I don’t think I saw that mentioned.

That would be kind of risky as well.  If a player intentionally fumbles and the ball goes forward it is considered a forward pass. If that happened beyond the line of scrimmage it would be an illegal forward pass, penalty, and 10 second run off. If the ball went backwards perhaps the refs would consider it a backwards pass as listed above.  It would probably be one of those cases where if the ref couldn't see a decent reason for the player to fumble they would enforce the intentional fumble rule.  I suppose it would be a judgment call though. Of course there really isn't much to lose by taking a chance on a potential judgment call if time is going to run out anyway. I imagine if there was some loop hole we probably would have seen someone try it by now.  

[SunsetBengal]

Teams and players have tried for generations to cheat the clock, as games wind down. Do you think all of the crazy rules that we have today weren't brought about because someone was exploiting them previously?

For example, why do you think the definition of intentional grounding is so broad, yet so specific? Because prior to rule changes, QBs would simply receive the snap and throw the ball out of bounds..

[BFritz21]

(01-06-2019, 02:02 AM)SunsetBengal Wrote: Teams and players have tried for generations to cheat the clock, as games wind down.  Do you think all of the crazy rules that we have today weren't brought about because someone was exploiting them previously?

For example, why do you think the definition of intentional grounding is so broad, yet so specific?  Because prior to rule changes, QBs would simply receive the snap and throw the ball out of bounds..

That doesn't really make sense unless you mean drop back and then throw it out-of-bounds because quarterbacks still just take the snap and spike it.

[SunsetBengal]

(01-06-2019, 03:12 AM)BFritz21 Wrote: That doesn't really make sense unless you mean drop back and then throw it out-of-bounds because quarterbacks still just take the snap and spike it.

That is exactly what used to happen, on a regular basis.  

[*rfaulk34*]

(01-05-2019, 08:51 PM)BFritz21 Wrote: Ok but then there’s always the fumbling near the out-of-bounds line and making it look like an accident.

I don’t think I saw that mentioned.

Article 2, scrimmage down, 
(g) If a fumble or backward pass by any player goes out of bounds, the game clock starts when an official places the ball at the inbounds line, and the Referee signals that the ball is ready for play. 

That's so there's no debate or need to discern if the ball was fumbled on purpose or accident. The clock starts regardless. 

[Beaker]

Thread title is wrong.

[BFritz21]

(01-06-2019, 11:55 AM)rfaulk34 Wrote: Article 2, scrimmage down, 
(g) If a fumble or backward pass by any player goes out of bounds, the game clock starts when an official places the ball at the inbounds line, and the Referee signals that the ball is ready for play. 

That's so there's no debate or need to discern if the ball was fumbled on purpose or accident. The clock starts regardless. 

Still gives the team a few extra seconds because the ref has to get the ball and place it before the clock starts.

[BFritz21]

(01-06-2019, 10:06 AM)SunsetBengal Wrote: That is exactly what used to happen, on a regular basis.  

When?

[SunsetBengal]

(01-06-2019, 09:01 PM)BFritz21 Wrote: When?

Very common through the 80s.  Can't really remember when they changed the rule to allow the spike at the line.  Might have been around the same time that they limited the defense to just two steps to unload on the QB, once he released the ball.  Football was brutal for QBs back then.

[*rfaulk34*]

(01-06-2019, 09:00 PM)BFritz21 Wrote: Still gives the team a few extra seconds because the ref has to get the ball and place it before the clock starts.

Not really. They use more than one ball during games. They're not going to chase an errant ball all over the sideline. It doesn't really take any longer than if the ball carrier still had the ball.