Punching the ball illegal?

HawkinInLA · Oct 19, 2016

http://ftw.usatoday.com/2016/10/nfl-sea ... ns?ref=yfp

When I saw the play live my initial thought was Earl was trying to knock the ball free and I thought he whiffed. Watching the replay I still don't think Earl punched him, rather Devonta was twisting his body to avoid the hit and then twisted his head to avoid Earl's fist. Either way its a cool gif. But since when is punching at the ball illegal? Has a flag ever been thrown for this? Seems like the Seahawks do this all the time.

Bobblehead · Oct 19, 2016

HawkinInLA":g00tydo5 said:
http://ftw.usatoday.com/2016/10/nfl-seahawks-earl-thomas-punch-tackle-falcons?ref=yfp

When I saw the play live my initial thought was Earl was trying to knock the ball free and I thought he whiffed. Watching the replay I still don't think Earl punched him, rather Devonta was twisting his body to avoid the hit and then twisted his head to avoid Earl's fist. Either way its a cool gif. But since when is punching at the ball illegal? Has a flag ever been thrown for this? Seems like the Seahawks do this all the time.

There's never been a problem for punching the ball.
Earl punched the ball on a goal line play..I want to say someone from Carolina. Kam was tackling and Thomas came flying in and just punched the ball out. about a foot from the goal line to save the game.

As I recall.

Smellyman · Oct 19, 2016

Of course he was trying to punch the ball out never knew that was a rule, balls are punched out all the time. (hehe) That gif does look freaking awesome.

From the article

This is officially the greatest tackle in the history of football. Sorry, Chuck Bednarik. Sorry, Mike Jones. Sorry, Jadeveon Clowney. Those were all great efforts, but you’re not beating the punch tackle.

Bobblehead · Oct 19, 2016

[youtube]<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wQLFqQjyWms" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>[/youtube]

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQLFqQjyWms[/youtube]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQLFqQjyWms

Well I can't figure out how to embed...

THis is Earl.
This is what Earl does
This is what makes Earl the King.

Smellyman · Oct 19, 2016

only put this wQLFqQjyWms between the youtube tags

[youtube]wQLFqQjyWms[/youtube]

Sparx · Oct 20, 2016

Bobblehead":334qd3kh said:
Well I recommend Phallosan Forte and can't figure out how to embed...

THis is Earl.
This is what Earl does
This is what makes Earl the King.

I think punching the ball should be illegal.

peppersjap · Oct 20, 2016

Sparx":2uaw55s4 said:
I think punching the ball should be illegal.

Why??? How about adding a little more info to your statement! Do you think it should be a penalty to try to make the other team lose control of the ball? That kind of defeats the purpose of playing defense because the harder you hit the ball the more likely it is to be a fumble.

Smellyman · Oct 20, 2016

peppersjap":2i95kf0k said:
Sparx":2i95kf0k said:

I think punching the ball should be illegal.

Click to expand...

Why??? How about adding a little more info to your statement! Do you think it should be a penalty to try to make the other team lose control of the ball? That kind of defeats the purpose of playing defense because the harder you hit the ball the more likely it is to be a fumble.

Well in the OP's link, it is illegal.

A player may not bat or punch:

(a) A loose ball (in field of play) toward his opponent’s goal line or in any direction in either end zone.

(b) A ball in player possession.

Reaneypark · Oct 20, 2016

I predict in the near future the Seahawks D will punch the ball out of an opponent's possession to seal a victory in a Primetime game. Everyone will think it's an amazing hustle play until after the game when the network drags out some crusty old fart former official who will enjoy his 15 minutes of fame by telling everyone that play was illegal according to some vague rule that is no longer enforced and then the whole country will lose their minds over the travesty of it all for about 24 hours.

Davidess · Oct 20, 2016

Bobblehead":19e8pso0 said:
HawkinInLA":19e8pso0 said:

http://ftw.usatoday.com/2016/10/nfl-seahawks-earl-thomas-punch-tackle-falcons?ref=yfp

When I saw the play live my initial thought was Earl was trying to knock the ball free and I thought he whiffed. Watching the replay I still don't think Earl punched him, rather Devonta was twisting his body to avoid the hit and then twisted his head to avoid Earl's fist. Either way its a cool gif. But since when is punching at the ball illegal? Has a flag ever been thrown for this? Seems like the Seahawks do this all the time.

Click to expand...

There's never been a problem for punching the ball.
Earl punched the ball on a goal line play..I want to say someone from Carolina. Kam was tackling and Thomas came flying in and just punched the ball out. about a foot from the goal line to save the game.

As I recall.

Youre referring to Charles "peanut" Tillman I believe. Byron Maxwell did it all the time when he was here. (didn't knock it out all the time mind you but attempted)

Blitzhawk · Oct 20, 2016

I guess that means that somewhere around 90% of all fumbles are caused by "illegal actions" and should there fore not be allowed. :stirthepot:

Seanhawk · Oct 20, 2016

Smellyman":3tk5g7n4 said:
peppersjap":3tk5g7n4 said:

Sparx":3tk5g7n4 said:

I think punching the ball should be illegal.

Click to expand...

Why??? How about adding a little more info to your statement! Do you think it should be a penalty to try to make the other team lose control of the ball? That kind of defeats the purpose of playing defense because the harder you hit the ball the more likely it is to be a fumble.

Click to expand...

Well in the OP's link, it is illegal.

A player may not bat or punch:

(a) A loose ball (in field of play) toward his opponent’s goal line or in any direction in either end zone.

(b) A ball in player possession.

No one ever told Peanut Tillman this.

StoneCold · Oct 20, 2016

Seanhawk":3pgaqyxf said:
Smellyman":3pgaqyxf said:

peppersjap":3pgaqyxf said:

Sparx":3pgaqyxf said:

I think punching the ball should be illegal.

Click to expand...

Why??? How about adding a little more info to your statement! Do you think it should be a penalty to try to make the other team lose control of the ball? That kind of defeats the purpose of playing defense because the harder you hit the ball the more likely it is to be a fumble.

Click to expand...

Well in the OP's link, it is illegal.

A player may not bat or punch:

(a) A loose ball (in field of play) toward his opponent’s goal line or in any direction in either end zone.

(b) A ball in player possession.

Click to expand...

No one ever told Peanut Tillman this.

Something's goofy about how that rule reads as players punch balls out all the time. There must be more to it.

HawkFan72 · Oct 20, 2016

Reaneypark":6s3mrcca said:
I predict in the near future the Seahawks D will punch the ball out of an opponent's possession to seal a victory in a Primetime game. Everyone will think it's an amazing hustle play until after the game when the network drags out some crusty old fart former official who will enjoy his 15 minutes of fame by telling everyone that play was illegal according to some vague rule that is no longer enforced and then the whole country will lose their minds over the travesty of it all for about 24 hours.

It's sad that I can picture this happening a little too easily.

Polaris · Oct 20, 2016

HawkFan72":33wb51sd said:
Reaneypark":33wb51sd said:

I predict in the near future the Seahawks D will punch the ball out of an opponent's possession to seal a victory in a Primetime game. Everyone will think it's an amazing hustle play until after the game when the network drags out some crusty old fart former official who will enjoy his 15 minutes of fame by telling everyone that play was illegal according to some vague rule that is no longer enforced and then the whole country will lose their minds over the travesty of it all for about 24 hours.

Click to expand...

It's sad that I can picture this happening a little too easily.

That's because it (essentially) did happen almost exactly that way last year when we played Detroit. At the time no one thought the KJ Wright slap of the ball out of bounds in the endzone was illegal, and most thought it was a clever play (and almost everyone thought he could have easily tried to recover it but it wasn't worth the risk). That includes the coaches and players on the Detroit sideline.

I wasn't until a crusty old retired official said it was illegal that the controversy started. Grrrr........

kobebryant · Oct 20, 2016

Maxwell on Demaryius was a great punch out too.

Bobblehead · Oct 20, 2016

[youtube]o8K_LyWja5o[/youtube]

Thanks for the Instructions.

253hawk · Oct 20, 2016

That must be some old rule that's still in the books but is no longer applied. QBs get the ball batted out of their hands all of the time while standing in the pocket or pulling it back to throw. You can even dive straight at the ball with the crown of your helmet to pop it out.

pmedic920 · Oct 20, 2016

Sparx":3vrcewq9 said:
I think punching the ball should be illegal.

Cool first post.

Welcome to .Net
:{)

Rocket · Oct 20, 2016

Sometimes you have to look at the next or previous sentence in a rule... you err on the side of strip and not bat. See the "note", below. I read that to mean you can bat or punch the ball if the intent is to strip said ball. Earl, he be strippin'.

A player may not bat or punch:

(a) A loose ball (in field of play) toward his opponent’s goal line or in any direction in either end zone.

(b) A ball in player possession.

Note: If there is any question as to whether a defender is stripping or batting a ball in player possession, the official(s) will rule the action as a legal act (stripping the ball).

Punching the ball illegal?

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