The new ruling regarding a downed (tackled) player...is not only creating time wasting challenges but is IMO seriously flawed and as well creates a healthfulness hazard to the player in possession of the ball and being tackled.
With the application of the new ball control rule tackled players are being forced to pay unnecessary mental attention to maintaining control of the ball after the play has ordinarily been considered ended. This, at the expense of their NEED to protect the health of their body from maniac zealous tacklers. Some body is going to get seriously hurt, as a result of this newly required condition.
Also, it's nonsense that since the ball carrier is not entitled to any further yards, or EVEN inches, the instant his leg or knee TOUCHES the ground while he is in legal possession, that the play be allowed to continue for EVEN one moment after that instance.
Either a player has fumbled prior to touching the gound, in which case a free ball becomes the issue or he has not. The ground crunching parts of his body after his leg has touched, nor any contact with an opposing player once he has initially touched down, should not be reason to question possession.
Your opinion?
(Has anybody had any discussion with any players regarding this stupid rule change? Yes! IMO Stupid!)
I agree the rule should be changed back to what it was. The league has enough issues about lack of offence without making it even tougher to make a reception.
I’m surprised I haven’t seen more about this anywhere (forums or in print) since both the TSN and CBC panels have aggressively criticized the new rule. Good on ya for raising it, laughinghard.
This reminds me of a situation last year where a play was whistled down (knee touched) and the player fumbled. The ball bounced around (no one made an attempt at it because of the whistle) and an opposition player eventually picked it up.
Video Review determined that the player's knee was not down prior to the ball being dislodged and the ball awarded to the other team.
Video Review was correct about the knee, however, once the whistle had gone, IMO, the play was Dead! Players cannot go diving around competing for a fumble AFTER the play has been whistled dead.
Mistakes are sometimes made - but once the whistle goes - Play must stop or serious injuries will occur.
If a player is down by contact the play will be ruled dead in the case of an apparent fumble. Nothing need be changed there.
I think what we're trying to get at here is the new requirement in what is or isn't a completed pass. This needing to 'show' the ball to the referee after attaining control and being downed by contact in 'bang-bang' plays is ridiculous.
So as it stands, the ground can cause an incompletion even if downed by contact where the ground can only cause a fumble if not downed by contact.
Its contradictory, in the case of a forward pass, to consider a down by contact the end of the play but not the end of the completed reception. That is a stupid rule.