Williams touchback call is bugging me...

Rule 6 section 1 article 4 states:
ARTICLE 4. CATCH OR RECOVERY OF A FREE KICK. The following applies to the catch or recovery of a free kick:

1. (a) If a player of the receiving team catches or recovers the ball, he may advance.
   
   
2. (b) If the ball is declared dead while in the simultaneous possession of two opposing players, the ball is awarded to the
   
   receiving team.
   
   
3. (c) A player of the kicking team may legally touch, catch, or recover the ball if:
   
   1. (1) it first touches a receiving team player; or
      
      
   2. (2) it reaches or crosses the receiving team’s restraining line.
      
4. (d) The ball is dead if it is caught or recovered by a player of the kicking team. If the catch or recovery is legal, the ball
   
   belongs to the kicking team at the dead-ball spot.
   
   
5. (e) If the ball comes to rest inbounds after reaching the receiving team’s restraining line and no player attempts to possess it,
   
   the ball becomes dead and belongs to the receiving team at the dead-ball spot.
   
   Note: For illegal catch or recovery, see 6-2-4.
   

Now the only other rule I've seen is from the digest on the NFL page that states:

"If a member of the kicking team attempting to down the ball on or inside opponent’s 5-yard line carries the ball into the end zone, it is a touchback."


Whew, having said all that, the referee clearly throws the beanbag at the spot (7 yard line) and blows his whistle and is waiving the play dead before Williams gets to the goal-line with the ball.

Now I know people will say don't give them the chance to screw up the rule book, but you have to say the refs screwed the pooch on that call.

Also, how do you flag AB and Bell and not flag the punter for Indianapolis for his pistol shots and strutting down the field with #45 after the fake punt?

Great that they won, they need to clean up the dumb penalties.

 

What play are you referring to?

 

That last punt. I know it didn't cause any damage, but it was odd that they cut to commercial then came back and the ball was at the 20.

He grabbed the ball at the 7, ref threw the beanbag and whistled the play dead.

 

yeah not sure what happened on that punt downed by us

and i totally agree on the McAffee ? punt should have been unsportsmanlike conduct
i guess it would have stayed their ball but just 15 yards back

 

I know it's wrong, but I would have tackled him on the next punt.

 

Guess I missed it.

 

I didn't recall that rule for inside the 5. I thought it was strange that Williams carried it into the end zone but the official did not signal touchback so I assumed since it was obvious it was ok. Afterwards did not notice they moved it. Hopefully the special teams coach reviews this with the team to prevent it from costing us in the future.

 

Wow. To be honest, I didn't notice that they had moved the ball to the 20 either but I wondered the same thing when Williams inexplicably carried the ball into the endzone. I thought that should be a touchback. He should know better! Just more evidence that our team lacks a high football intelligence! And I honestly thought Williams was one of our headier players.

 

They blew the play dead though.

You see him throw the beanbag and blow the whistle while waving the play dead.

Once he hears the whistle you see him trotting like plays dead... walk it off and give the ball to someone.

 

This bugged me too when I saw it.

 

Glad to know I'm not crazy when I saw that. I saw the ref throw the bean-bag but then another ref was running over to him when the commercial cut away.

 

It should be, but celebrations of the nature to garner a 15 yard penalty have to be in the end zone in addition to being choreographed.



... In the same token... said infractions do get a pass from certain players... so welcome to the world of parody in sports.