What is "out of bounds" in the NFL?

[PromoTheRobot]

I swear there are 15 different rules on what constitutes going out of bounds and where a ball is spotted.  For example:

 

1) Today Lamar extends the ball before stepping out of bounds. Where he lands out of bounds is well past the line of gain. But he's deemed short because (I'm guessing here) the ball broke the plane of the sideline behind the line of gain?

 

However...

 

2) A wide receiver is considered catching a ball inbounds as long as two feet are inbounds, even if the ball is obviously thrown out of bounds.

 

3) Someone can score a TD, even if the ball is held out of bounds outside the pylon, as long as they cross goal line extended.

 

The NFL can't even agree what inbounds and out of bounds are.

[Steptide]

I believe in lamars case, it's whenever his body went over the line out of bounds 

[1ManRaid]

Those examples aren't close to being the same.  Lamar had established possession in bounds, and the rule is where the ball crosses the sideline.  It's not that difficult.

[PromoTheRobot]

Just now, 1ManRaid said:

Those examples aren't close to being the same.  Lamar had established possession in bounds, and the rule is where the ball crosses the sideline.  It's not that difficult.

 

How can you accurately judge where a ball goes out of bounds?

[1ManRaid]

1 minute ago, PromoTheRobot said:

 

How can you accurately judge where a ball goes out of bounds?

 

The best you can do is with the eyes of the sideline refs, and then the review didn't prove them wrong.  Again, shouldn't be difficult to understand.

[PromoTheRobot]

Just now, 1ManRaid said:

 

The best you can do is with the eyes of the sideline refs, and then the review didn't prove them wrong.  Again, shouldn't be difficult to understand.

 

If it's so simple why are the rules different in the other two examples I cited, especially being able to score a TD despite holding the ball outside of the pylon?

[vincec]

7 minutes ago, 1ManRaid said:

Those examples aren't close to being the same.  Lamar had established possession in bounds, and the rule is where the ball crosses the sideline.  It's not that difficult.

Then why doesn’t it work that any at the goal line?

[Buffalo716]

12 minutes ago, PromoTheRobot said:

I swear there are 15 different rules on what constitutes going out of bounds and where a ball is spotted.  For example:

 

1) Today Lamar extends the ball before stepping out of bounds. Where he lands out of bounds is well past the line of gain. But he's deemed short because (I'm guessing here) the ball broke the plane of the sideline behind the line of gain?

 

However...

 

2) A wide receiver is considered catching a ball inbounds as long as two feet are inbounds, even if the ball is obviously thrown out of bounds.

 

3) Someone can score a TD, even if the ball is held out of bounds outside the pylon, as long as they cross goal line extended.

 

The NFL can't even agree what inbounds and out of bounds are.

The NFL endzone extends horizontally past the pylon

 

Hence why You can catch a ball that is technically out of bounds but Since you are and it’s behind the pylon it’s a touchdown

 

A runner extending for a first down in the field of play Can extend while going out of bounds But once the ball is out of the field of play that’s where it’s Marked

 

It looked clearly a half a yard short

[fasteddie]

1 hour ago, PromoTheRobot said:

I swear there are 15 different rules on what constitutes going out of bounds and where a ball is spotted.  For example:

 

1) Today Lamar extends the ball before stepping out of bounds. Where he lands out of bounds is well past the line of gain. But he's deemed short because (I'm guessing here) the ball broke the plane of the sideline behind the line of gain?

 

However...

 

2) A wide receiver is considered catching a ball inbounds as long as two feet are inbounds, even if the ball is obviously thrown out of bounds.

 

3) Someone can score a TD, even if the ball is held out of bounds outside the pylon, as long as they cross goal line extended.

 

The NFL can't even agree what inbounds and out of bounds are.

#3 is not correct. The ball must either go over the pilon (or make contact with it) or cross the goal line in the field of play when a runner attempts to score.

When a qb throws a pass, the ball is in bounds and passes the goal line in the field of play. If it is caught out of bounds, it has already passed inside the pilon.

[PromoTheRobot]

1 minute ago, fasteddie said:

#3 is not correct. The ball must either go over the pilon (or make contact with it) or cross the goal line in the field of play when a runner attempts to score.

When a qb throws a pass, the ball is in bounds and passes the goal line in the field of play. If it is caught out of bounds, it has already passed inside the pilon.

 

Nope. You could run over the goal line while holding the ball out of bounds, outside the pylon, and it's a touchdown.

[Motorin']

5 minutes ago, fasteddie said:

#3 is not correct. The ball must either go over the pilon (or make contact with it) or cross the goal line in the field of play when a runner attempts to score.

When a qb throws a pass, the ball is in bounds and passes the goal line in the field of play. If it is caught out of bounds, it has already passed inside the pilon.

 

So in the case of the ball crossing above the white paint of the sideline, is it ruled out of bounds when any portion of the ball crosses, like when any part of the foot touches? Or when the whole ball crosses over, like in soccer? 

 

 

5 minutes ago, PromoTheRobot said:

 

Nope. You could run over the goal line while holding the ball out of bounds, outside the pylon, and it's a touchdown.

 

I don't think you can... Anymore... And I'm not sure when that changed. But it seems to have. 

[PromoTheRobot]

16 minutes ago, Motorin' said:

 

So in the case of the ball crossing above the white paint of the sideline, is it ruled out of bounds when any portion of the ball crosses, like when any part of the foot touches? Or when the whole ball crosses over, like in soccer? 

 

 

 

I don't think you can... Anymore... And I'm not sure when that changed. But it seems to have. 

 

Then explain why a WR stretching for a catch out of bounds is considered inbounds.

[LeGOATski]

I feel like it's always been where the ball is when the player steps out of bounds. I thought Jackson had the first down clearly. When Gene explained the rule on the broadcast, it sounded new to me. Seemed to be the opposite of how they've always ruled it, which was consistent with the other rules you mention.

 

The NFL just sucks. Put a damn chip in the ball. It's too easy.

[kdub]

Quote

Then explain why a WR stretching for a catch out of bounds is considered inbounds.

The ball and player are considered in-bounds as long as the player has not stepped/touched out-of-bounds. If the player is not in contact with the ground when going out of bounds, the line of gain is when the ball passes the plane of OB.

Quote

Nope. You could run over the goal line while holding the ball out of bounds, outside the pylon, and it's a touchdown.

This is true as long as the player is in contact with the ground. However, if the ball was held out of bounds and the player never establishes possession in-bounds (touching the ground) while the ball is past the plane, then it is not TD.

Edited October 3, 2022 by kdub

[Motorin']

26 minutes ago, PromoTheRobot said:

 

Then explain why a WR stretching for a catch out of bounds is considered inbounds.

 

Exactly. That's a great point, and it makes me wonder if the OOB rule is different for a runner vs. an attempted catch.  

[Freddie's Dead]

Number 3 is not true.  See Jackson, Fred, stiff arm of Conte, Chris.  They spotted the ball at the 1 foot line even though the ball crossed the plane OB before Fred went OB.

[Motorin']

7 minutes ago, LeGOATski said:

I feel like it's always been where the ball is when the player steps out of bounds. I thought Jackson had the first down clearly. When Gene explained the rule on the broadcast, it sounded new to me. Seemed to be the opposite of how they've always ruled it, which was consistent with the other rules you mention.

 

The NFL just sucks. Put a damn chip in the ball. It's too easy.

 

I've seen the "new" application of the rules a few times. I have the full NFL rule book, I'll see what it says.

[chongli]

30 minutes ago, PromoTheRobot said:

 

Then explain why a WR stretching for a catch out of bounds is considered inbounds.

 

I think because possession has not been established yet.

49 minutes ago, Motorin' said:

 

I don't think you can... Anymore... And I'm not sure when that changed. But it seems to have. 

 

I agree. The goaline does not extend to infinity like it used to.

 

http://static.nfl.com/static/content/public/image/rulebook/pdfs/14_Rule11_Scoring.pdf

 

"Section 2 Touchdown

TOUCHDOWN PLAYS Article 1 Touchdown Plays.

A touchdown is scored when:

(a) the ball is on, above, or behind the plane of the opponents’ goal line and is in possession of a runner who has advanced from the field of play"

[ehfeuh57]

This is a frustrating read

 

I know all the answers but choose to not involve myself. Good luck

[Motorin']

3 minutes ago, chongli said:

 

I think because possession has not been established yet.

 

I agree. The goaline does not extend to infinity like it used to.

 

http://static.nfl.com/static/content/public/image/rulebook/pdfs/14_Rule11_Scoring.pdf

 

"Section 2 Touchdown

TOUCHDOWN PLAYS Article 1 Touchdown Plays.

A touchdown is scored when:

(a) the ball is on, above, or behind the plane of the opponents’ goal line and is in possession of a runner who has advanced from the field of play"

 

I found it. The ball itself has to touch out of bounds to make the player out of bounds... BUT when a player goes out of bounds, the spot is placed where the ball crossed out of bounds.

 

Item 2. Runner Out of Bounds. If the ball is in player possession when that player goes out of bounds, the out-of-bounds spot is

the forward point of the ball when the ball crosses the side line, or, if the ball does not cross the sideline, the forward point of the

ball at the instant the player is out of bounds.