BillsWatch Posted April 4, 2008 Share Posted April 4, 2008 http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/wire?sectio...&id=3326841 In addition, any direct snap from center that is untouched by the quarterback now will be a live ball; in the past it was considered a false start and the play was blown dead. Good rule I think - bad snap and you need watch out for ball. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bullpen Posted April 4, 2008 Share Posted April 4, 2008 Seems like this should have been a common sense rule to begin with... huh, maybe I never paid that close enough attention, but I didn't realize this WASN'T a rule. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ofiba Posted April 4, 2008 Share Posted April 4, 2008 So if the ball was snapped over the QB's head it was called a false start?? I don't believe that. What about all the times a punt was snapped way over the punters head? Never called false start on that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bullpen Posted April 4, 2008 Share Posted April 4, 2008 So if the ball was snapped over the QB's head it was called a false start?? I don't believe that. What about all the times a punt was snapped way over the punters head? Never called false start on that. I know, that's what's confusing to me... thus my original post. Am I the only one not getting this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fewell733 Posted April 4, 2008 Share Posted April 4, 2008 So if the ball was snapped over the QB's head it was called a false start?? I don't believe that. What about all the times a punt was snapped way over the punters head? Never called false start on that. yeah, I never knew that was a rule in the first place and have never seen that called, ever. I guess it was a fumble though if the qb touches the ball at all in a bad snap- which probably eliminates most of the times it has happened. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heard of Buffalo Bills Posted April 4, 2008 Share Posted April 4, 2008 First time I've ever heard of this. Makes no sense to me at all. Maybe I'm not understanding the purpose of this whole rule. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eSJayDee Posted April 4, 2008 Share Posted April 4, 2008 Are they perhaps referring to when the C "double clutches". In those instances, they would call a False Start (on the C). I'm guessing now they consider it a live ball so a free for all scrum will likely ensue. If this is true it's weird. This again appears to be a rule change in favor of the Dee. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steely Dan Posted April 4, 2008 Share Posted April 4, 2008 Seems like this should have been a common sense rule to begin with... huh, maybe I never paid that close enough attention, but I didn't realize this WASN'T a rule. Neither did I. So if the ball was snapped over the QB's head it was called a false start?? I don't believe that. What about all the times a punt was snapped way over the punters head? Never called false start on that. What I think this means is a direct snap is when the QB is lined up under center not back in the shotgun. The odds of this happening seem extremely remote. How can the ref tell the QB never touched the ball? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beerball Posted April 4, 2008 Share Posted April 4, 2008 OK, I finally think that I understand this one. It is for direct snaps only, so shotgun, punts, FGs would be unchanged. In those instances it was a live ball anyway. What I dint know was how the old rule worked. Say the QB is under center, but he turns his body to give direction to the RB...the center then snaps the ball, the QB doesn't touch it so it was a false start. Color me stuupid, I never knew this. New rule makes much more sense, but I'm not sure how often it will come into play. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sen. John Blutarsky Posted April 4, 2008 Share Posted April 4, 2008 http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/wire?sectio...&id=3326841In addition, any direct snap from center that is untouched by the quarterback now will be a live ball; in the past it was considered a false start and the play was blown dead. Good rule I think - bad snap and you need watch out for ball. Result, fumblerooskie now legal! I wonder if the center can just pick up the ball and run now since the QB doesn't have to touch it and it's not a forward pass. Tough to stop 4th and an inch if the center just has to move the ball. One would hope they addressed that with language in the rule. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sen. John Blutarsky Posted April 4, 2008 Share Posted April 4, 2008 Neither did I. What I think this means is a direct snap is when the QB is lined up under center not back in the shotgun. The odds of this happening seem extremely remote. How can the ref tell the QB never touched the ball? Happened last year Chicago vs. Philly. bears botched the exchange but QB didn't touch the ball, eagles recovered. False start Bears and they got the ball back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaska Darin Posted April 4, 2008 Share Posted April 4, 2008 How can the ref tell the QB never touched the ball? They only hire pecker checkers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
***PetrinoInAlbany*** Posted April 4, 2008 Share Posted April 4, 2008 It goes back to the Bears - Eagles game and the snap that went through Griese's legs, and the "non-recovery" by the Eagles ... What is confusing so many people is that the phrase "direct snap" is often INCORRECTLY used to describe shotgun-formation snaps that go to a running back instead of to the QB ... In the NFL a "direct snap" occurs when the QB is UNDER CENTER. Understand that and you understand the rule change ... The OLD rule was that a direct snap NOT touched by the QB was a "false start". Under the new rule, if it happens, you have to protect the football. In the Bears-Eagles game, the Eagles wound up being 'penalized' (a fumble recovery taken away by the refs) for a Bears screw-up. Also, since it was a false start, the Eagles didn't have the option to decline it and keep the football. I like the change. The NFL rules have evolved so completely just in the 40 years I've been following it that there were very few incongruities left - and by that I mean situations where a team got penalized in a situation where they should be rewarded. This was one of the few remaining incongruities. I'm glad they fixed it ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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