Spiking the ball

Your not trying to avoid a negative play. You are merely stopping the clock. Grounding occurs when you are trying to avoid getting sacked. Throwing the ball away happens you the qb is trying to avoid negative yardage.

Spiking the ball doesn't involve any of that.

 

maybe it's because the quarterback is not trying to avoid a loss of yards. Grounding calls come up when the quarterback is throwing to no one to avoid a sack. That takes something from the defense I suppose... the sack not to mention the yards...

Taking the snap under center and spiking it only results in a stoppage and a loss of down. This question of your reminds me of the strange happening in the Raiders game when dude was NOT down by contact, got up and threw the ball forward at the ground. It was ruled an illegal forward pass and blown dead I believe. He was very lucky. I'd like to see a clip of that.

 

With the Chargers (9-2) trailing 14-7 and facing fourth-and-2 from the Raiders 40, Jackson made a diving catch of a 13-yard pass from Philip Rivers, rolled to the ground untouched, then stood up and spun the ball forward in celebration. Oakland's Fabian Washington jumped on the ball.

http://www.nfl.com/gamecenter/recap/NFL_20061126_OAK@SD

 

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Even if they did call intentional grounding, it wouldn't matter. It is a spot foul, and loss of down. So the ball would be placed about the same place, and it would be the next down, just as if he spiked it. So no use in throwing a flag, because that would stop the clock and give the offensive team an advantage, just as spiking is. So either way it leads to the exact same outcome, so the league let's it go.

 

Actually I believe Intentional Grounding is 10 yards minimum. The reason a spike isn't intentional grounding is simply because the NFL decided to make an exemption to the rule.

 

I was wondering when this would come up. It has been HUGE in the Oakland media. C-O-N-Raider-sperusy. I love it. Try and check out the Sapp interview in the locker room afterwards. Classic Sapp classic Faiders.

I did not see anything on the "Play Me a Song Mr. Harrington" event either. Both were comedy.

 

thanks for that btw.


Arrow, I was wondering when it would come up too. I love it that it was the Raiders that got screwed. I'd hate to see that go again with the roles reversed. I'm liking San Diego catching a break there after having a big season so far.

Go Billy! :ha: