Question for avid football fans

[buckaroo]

Okay, we all know that if a ball carrier is at the (?) yard line and reaches his hand out with the ball across the goal line results in a touchdown. The ball crossed the goal line even if the ball carrier doesn't. My question is this. Is it a touchdown if a receiver has both feet in the end zone when he catches the ball, but is leaning away from the goal and falls with the ball never crossing the goal line. Is that a touchdown? It would never be questioned in my opinion, ergo the saying that a touchdown has to have the ball crossing the goal line. The same can be said about the old saying that the ground can't cause a fumble. If the ball carrier trips and falls to the ground without being touched and the ball comes out when he hits the ground, that indeed is a fumble in the pros...not so in college.

Opinions?

 

[fergy1370]

I would guess if this happens it would not be a touchdown......that being said, I could see an official calling a TD and it being overturned after being reviewed.

It would be a very awkward catch for a receiver to do that though...


What if the WR is in the back of the endzone, both feet planted and toeing the line and he snags the ball over his head and falls out of the endzone?

Buck, you may have changed the game forever....

 

[SlowNeasy]

My question is this. Is it a touchdown if a receiver has both feet in the end zone when he catches the ball, but is leaning away from the goal and falls with the ball never crossing the goal line. Is that a touchdown?

yes, if he has possession of the ball. no juggling. same as a catch at any point of the field. two feet in-bounds and ball in his possession.

i'm trying to picture the situation you describe. the only reasonable way i see this is if a punt or kickoff returner catches the ball in the end zone and is tackled before getting out...touch back. of course the ball has crossed the goal line this way. the only other way i can imagine this kind of catch is if the ball is under thrown where the receiver goes into the end zone, turns and catches the ball with his feet still in the end zone, leaning forward back into play and falls out of bounds.

 

[buckaroo]

There are loads of scenarios where conventional knowledge is wrong. I just love it when I can think of something that goes against conventional knowledge. A frozen rope? A rope can be frozen in any shape, but rarely do we see, if at all, a pass that is totally straight.

Have another beer guys and let's see what happens in the games.

 

[buckaroo]

Good example of this sort of problem in the Raven/Texan game. On a Raven punt, the ball clearly crossed the goal line while a Raven was trying to bat it back. Now this time, the Raven had his foot on the line but had he been outside that line, the ball wouldn't have been a touchback even though the ball did cross the goal line.