Patriots prohibited by BB from extending arm w/ball at goal line

[mgteich]

Interesting nugget from Mike Lombardi quoted by Jim Murray on 98.5. If a Pats player extends arm at goal line it's an automatic benching. Thinking back, I can't recall ever seeing a Patriot do this.

Some teams know the rules and some don't.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

But once he crossed the plane, it's a TD even if swatted out.

BB's rule is to prevent losing the ball before crossing the plane a la Carr last night or on avoiding a nullified catch a la James. Yet Brady stretched it out before crossing the plane. I think it shows that there are exceptions to BB's rule.

Regards,
Chris

The quote previous said, "Patriots players are forbidden from extending at the pylon or while falling across goal line in process of catch."

Which does not apply to runners like Tommy Boy or the Squirrel play when he was running after the catch.

 

[bbobbo]

The quote previous said, "Patriots players are forbidden from extending at the pylon or while falling across goal line in process of catch."

Which does not apply to runners like Tommy Boy or the Squirrel play when he was running after the catch.

chris wesseling paraphrased what mike lombardi said. he actually didn't say "in process of catch". he said:

In New England, you're not allowed to extend to--like, you can't extend the ball in New England. That's a rule. If you do it, you're not going to play. You're not going to go to the pylon. The reason is not because you think you're going to lose control of the ball, it's because the ball gets slapped out or you fumble, like what we've seen happen.

here's the segment, starting at 5:09:



now, he might have been referring to extending the ball only on catches, because that was the context of tony dungy's statement. but it's not entirely clear that's what he meant.
.

 

[chris_in_sunnyvale]

The quote previous said, "Patriots players are forbidden from extending at the pylon or while falling across goal line in process of catch."

Which does not apply to runners like Tommy Boy or the Squirrel play when he was running after the catch.

The previous quote misinterpreted Lombardi. He specifically addresses the risk of "the ball getting swatted out or fumbling" as part of the no-stretch edict. Start at about the 5:10 mark of the podcast for this topic.

Edit: bbobbo beat me to it.

Regards,
Chris

 

[hovis]

BB would NEVER engage in absolutism, which is almost always fallacious.

 

[brdmaverick]

Thinking back, I can't recall ever seeing a Patriot do this.

Edelman has definitely done it a few times.........I'll have to dig up the video.

 

[brdmaverick]

Yes, but his technique was to reach out with the ball and then pull it back, not to reach out and have it stay extended.

Also worth noting that the famous play in question was also a fourth down play.

 

[mgteich]

I am reminded of Champ Bailey extending the ball in 2006.



Benjamin Watson breaks down legendary tackle against Champ Bailey: 'No way' it wasn't touchback

It was a TOUCHBACK!
======

 

[Wheelman]

Interesting nugget from Mike Lombardi quoted by Jim Murray on 98.5. If a Pats player extends arm at goal line it's an automatic benching. Thinking back, I can't recall ever seeing a Patriot do this.

2016, week 15 against the Donkeys. After the Logan Ryan pick. Pats offense gets it to 1st and goal. Dion Lewis extends to get it across the line. He loses the ball afterwards before it's recovered. He did get it across the line but refs didn't rule it a TD. Blount runs it in for a TD next play.

Next possession Blount is in on 1st down. Lewis comes in on 2nd down. Not much of benching there...

 

[brdmaverick]

Edelman was not a receiver in the process of making a catch.
He was a runner trying to brake the endzone plane.
When you catch the ball falling, just tuck the ball in and complete the catch by surviving the ground.
If nobody touches you after that, you can get up and become a runner.

I think BB's concerns are two fold.

I agree that the 'surviving the ground' situation doesn't come into play with the Edelman pic, but the Derek Carr situation is still very much at play.

 

[brdmaverick]

Edelman has definitely done it a few times.........I'll have to dig up the video.

Sorry, delayed response here (crazy time around the holidays)......anyways, here are a few........

 

[DarrylS]

It is obvious that the smartest football guy in the room is BB and his football knowledge puts other coaches to shame.. in BB's world it is all about situational football.

If it is a fourth down play stretching makes sense.. not much to lose there. Two point conversion pretty much the same.. then of course there is this qualifier which lends clarity:

"Patriots players are forbidden from extending at the pylon or while falling across goal line in process of catch."

 

[PittPatriot]

What’s interesting is the patriots players hovering over the play as it happened never once gave a signal that they felt it was not a catch. Players will often just make referee-like signals just for the sake of doing so. Especially if any play ends up with the ball on the ground, they’ll act like it’s a fumble or they will act like it was incomplete. I watch the replays several times and DB’s all looked dejected.
Even BB on the sideline never once reacted as if it may not have been a catch.

I’m saying this because all of us who are acting (now) like it was so obvious, we’re all fooled in real time. Obviously instant replay plays a huge role in this.

 

[brdmaverick]

What’s interesting is the patriots players hovering over the play as it happened never once gave a signal that they felt it was not a catch. Players will often just make referee-like signals just for the sake of doing so. Especially if any play ends up with the ball on the ground, they’ll act like it’s a fumble or they will act like it was incomplete. I watch the replays several times and DB’s all looked dejected.
Even BB on the sideline never once reacted as if it may not have been a catch.

I’m saying this because all of us who are acting (now) like it was so obvious, we’re all fooled in real time. Obviously instant replay plays a huge role in this.

That's a great point. To be honest, I'm usually on top of this stuff, too, but I'll admit that the thought of an incompletion never crossed my mind until Jim Nance brought it up.

As soon as he did I was like "he's right, by rule that's NOT a catch even though my eyes tell me it is". In fact, I give a lot of credit to the refs for picking that up.

 

[The Brandon Five]

That's a great point. To be honest, I'm usually on top of this stuff, too, but I'll admit that the thought of an incompletion never crossed my mind until Jim Nance brought it up.

As soon as he did I was like "he's right, by rule that's NOT a catch even though my eyes tell me it is". In fact, I give a lot of credit to the refs for picking that up.

I knew it wasn't a catch as soon as I saw the first replay. (I think I just hurt my shoulder patting myself on the back...ouch!)

 

[TBR]

Edelman was not a receiver in the process of making a catch.
He was a runner trying to brake the endzone plane.
When you catch the ball falling, just tuck the ball in and complete the catch by surviving the ground.
If nobody touches you after that, you can get up and become a runner.

People keep mentioning this, but it's arguably an even bigger risk to reach for the goal-line or pylon when you're a runner. If fumbled out of the end-zone, it's a turnover (touchback). That's much worse than a mere incompletion, which is only a turnover if it occurs on 4th down.

These plays below involve reckless handling of the ball and have me wishing that Pats players know better. Perhaps Belichick tells them they better have a damn good grip on the ball before extending.

 

[PittPatriot]

I knew it wasn't a catch as soon as I saw the first replay. (I think I just hurt my shoulder patting myself on the back...ouch!)

I think you are in the minority. Even Romo and Nance on the third or fourth replay were saying “I don’t know what they’re looking at...there’s no doubt...etc”
I just assumed they were reviewing because every scoring play in the final minutes gets reviewed.

I wonder if anyone listening on the radio heard so wack say anything about “oh it’s an incompletion!”... I did not hear anything about it until the refs had made their decision. And lucky for us, it was in our favor.