Rule Clarification

CFL Talk
1

Hello:

I am watching BC at Winnipeg via the ESPN+ app on my Roku. I am Canadian but I live in Colorado. I have watched the CFL for over 40 years and I saw a play that I do not understand.

Winnipeg let the kick roll into their end zone. The returned picked it up and threw it downfield which is an illegal forward pass. Winnipeg declined the penalty so they gave Winnipeg the ball on the 12 without giving up a single. (FYI, get rid of the single on a missed field goal. I don't care about the other singles but you shouldn't get a point for missing a point try.)

What is there to stop teams from just throwing the ball away to prevent singles especially if teams decline the penalty? I am still watching the game for that answer as even the announcers are wondering. Considering it is 28-3 with under three left in the first half, there isn't really much to watch.

I recommend a rules section to the forum. Americans love football and they will watch the CFL if they have MORE information to understand the rules. I have had my brain picked over and over again especially in Colorado where football is the number one sport.

Finally, EXPAND TO HALIFAX!

Thank you,

Harvey

2

An offside pass is not a penalty. The other team is given the option of the play terminating at the point of the throw, or as it terminated after the pass. B.C. had the option of taking the single, with the Bombers getting the ball at the 25, or letting the play start as is, with the Bombers getting the ball at the 14. They choose the latter.

3

You don’t, never did

4

Exactly. The point is awarded for succeeding in kicking the ball over the goal line and preventing the opposition from bringing out back out.

We used to have an Xs and Os forum where rule questions could be asked, as well as strategy/tactics questions. The site managers found that it wasn’t used enough to warrant a separate forum, I suppose, so eliminated it.

Any questions like this now end up on the main CFL forum. Probably gets more views that way anyway, so more likely to get a response.