Random football rules question

[JoeDirt]

Okay, so what happens if you're a quarterback and you throw a pass, but you're past the line of scrimmage when you throw it? It's an illegal forward pass, right, which is just a penalty?

 

And what about this situation, which I heard happened in a D2 game the other day. There's like 20 seconds to go in the half, and it's 3rd and goal and like the 8, no time outs left for the team on offense. The quarterback goes for a pass, can't find anyone, and runs towards the endzone. He realizes he's not going to make it, so he throws the ball out of the back of the endzone (somewhat towards a receiver), throwing it from like the 3 or 4 yard line. His thinking is that he wants to stop the clock and at least get a field goal. What happens in that situation? Would they just take a penalty and still be able to kick a field goal?

[Dr. Tyler; Captain America]

There would be a loss of down in addition to the penalty, but it's not a safety unless he's significantly past the line of scrimmage, and I mean like 10 yards. In that case, it could be ruled a fumble and a touchback, but it's arbitrary.

[JoeDirt]

There would be a loss of down in addition to the penalty, but it's not a safety unless he's significantly past the line of scrimmage, and I mean like 10 yards. In that case, it could be ruled a fumble and a touchback, but it's arbitrary.

So would the clock stop and they'd still get to kick the field goal then, even after the penalty?

[Spaceman Spiff]

I believe a pass from beyond the line of scrimmage carries a loss of down, as well as a yardage penalty (I could be wrong, though).

 

In the 2nd situation, with the penalty + loss of down, the team would be looking at 4th down for the next play. Had it been 4th down already, they'd turn the ball over.

[Dr. Tyler; Captain America]

The clock always stops after an incomplete pass, but you're also looking at a fumble if it was blatant enough.

[iggymcfly]

They only lose the down for the incomplete pass, not an extra one besides. I don't see any reason why they shouldn't have been able to kick the field goal. Again, if the QB just threw it down in bounds after going way past the line, the referee could treat it like an intentional fumble, but otherwise, it should have worked just fine and been an extremely smart play to boot.

[Kahran Ramsus]

There would also be a five second runoff within two minutes, wouldn't there?

[Black Lushus]

I may not be reading this right but if all he needs is a field goal and it's 3rd down why wouldn't he just spike the ball to get the clock to stop?

[JoeDirt]

I may not be reading this right but if all he needs is a field goal and it's 3rd down why wouldn't he just spike the ball to get the clock to stop?

Team down by three, going for the lead/win, QB realizes as play happens that he's not going to make it, wants to at least be able to tie the game.

[Guest pinnacleofallthingsmanly]

Though I'm not sure how much, I think time gets run off the clock when there's an offensive penalty like that when there's a certain amount of time left in the half. I think the Eagles missed a FG oppurtunity against the Cowboys or somebody this year because they had a false start called at the end of the half when McNabb lined up behind a guard instead of the center.

[CanadianChris]

Though I'm not sure how much, I think time gets run off the clock when there's an offensive penalty like that when there's a certain amount of time left in the half. I think the Eagles missed a FG oppurtunity against the Cowbosys or somebody this year because they had a false start called at the end of the half when McNabb lined up behind a guard instead of the center.

I think that's just a pro rule. I've never seen that be applied in college.

 

I think it ends up being 4th and goal from the 18.