Revisiting the Plaxico Burress spike

I just had a debate with a friend over this spike, now many years ago, and in the back of our minds. I still contend, as I did at the time, jumping from my chair and screaming, that Burress's spike was not a fumble. It was an illegal forward pass:

It is a forward pass if:
(a) the ball initially moves forward (to a point nearer the opponent’s goal line) after leaving the passer’s hand(s); or (b) the ball first strikes the ground, a player, an official, or anything else at a point that is nearer the opponent’s goal line than the point at which the ball leaves the passer’s hand(s).

When a player is in control of the ball and attempting to pass it forward, any intentional forward movement of his hand starts a forward pass. (a) If the passer is attempting to throw a forward pass, but contact by an opponent materially affects him, causing the ball to go backward, it is a forward pass, regardless of where the ball strikes the ground, a player, an official, or anything else. (b) If, after an intentional forward movement of his hand, the passer loses possession of the ball as he is attempting to tuck it back toward his body, it is a forward pass. If the player loses possession after he has tucked the ball into his body, it is a fumble. (c) If the passer loses possession of the ball while attempting to recock his arm, it is a fumble.

I know: who cares. But it's still one of those things that irks me. LOL

 

It wasn't funny at the time... but now it's hilarious.

That was the 9-7 '00 season... remember it like it was yesterday.

 

I never thought of it as a forward pass, interesting idea.

Its been a while since I saw that. I mis-remembered it a little. I always thought there weren't many players around him when it happened. In the video is look like the spike might have even bounced off a player and ricoche up in the air?

Either way, on sheer boneheadedness alone it deserves to be a fumble.

 

Intentional grounding?

 

Delay of game penalty today.

 

Still a fumble today.

 

Agree since he wasnt down by contact and he lost posession of the ball by spiking it, therefore it was a fumble, then, and it would be a fumble today......

 

Lack of discipline in those Cowher teams...

I'd not considered it as an illegal forward pass, but it's a convincing argument. I guess it might be that he wasn't facing forward, but I think more likely the officials called it without considering that ruling.

 

That was a fun team to watch. You could see the seeds were planted for success the following year...which of course ultimately came.

As for Buress, he definitely shot himself and the team in the leg with that spike. Fortunate for him he will mostly be known for catching that SB TD.