Intentional Grounding and Spiking the Ball

[ukfubar]

Why is spiking the ball not intentional grounding? You are not throwing the ball to an eligible receiver, the ball does not cross the line, and you are in the pocket.

[gerntz]

Why is spiking the ball not intentional grounding? You are not throwing the ball to an eligible receiver, the ball does not cross the line, and you are in the pocket.

Because the powers that be made an exception in the rules for that - just like for being outside the tackle box when you throw it to no one & beyond the LOS. It's hard to intentionally ground anymore.

[lighthouse]

It is an exception to the rule, but I've been looking for it in the rule book and just haven't found it. When I have more information, I'll post it.

[Chaz]

It is an exception to the rule, but I've been looking for it in the rule book and just haven't found it. When I have more information, I'll post it.
Could the "Spiking the ball" not being flagged just be a quicker way to let the game progress? In looking up the rules, I came across the following:

Illegal Forward Pass—ARTICLE 2
Approved Ruling 7-3-2
I. Any time during the game, quarterback A10, who is not outside the
frame of the body of normal tackle position toward a sideline and
is attempting to save yardage, intentionally throws a desperation
forward pass that falls incomplete where no eligible Team A player
has a reasonable opportunity to catch it. RULING: Intentional
grounding. Penalty—Loss of down at the spot of the foul. The clock
starts on the snap (Rule 3-2-5-a)

When spiking the ball, we all know that the purpose is to stop the clock, the above rule makes it easy to do just that as the penalty is loss of down and ball place at the spot of the infraction. When you spike the ball, it is at the feet of the center (loss of 1 yd?) and of little consequence. The loss of a yd means little compared to the time lost (or saved) in getting off another play or plays. Could it be the officials have drifted over time in not pulling the flag? Will be interesting in what Lighthouse finds out.

[lighthouse]

Could the "Spiking the ball" not being flagged just be a quicker way to let the game progress? In looking up the rules, I came across the following:

Illegal Forward Pass—ARTICLE 2
Approved Ruling 7-3-2
I. Any time during the game, quarterback A10, who is not outside the
frame of the body of normal tackle position toward a sideline and
is attempting to save yardage, intentionally throws a desperation
forward pass that falls incomplete where no eligible Team A player
has a reasonable opportunity to catch it. RULING: Intentional
grounding. Penalty—Loss of down at the spot of the foul. The clock
starts on the snap (Rule 3-2-5-a)

When spiking the ball, we all know that the purpose is to stop the clock, the above rule makes it easy to do just that as the penalty is loss of down and ball place at the spot of the infraction. When you spike the ball, it is at the feet of the center (loss of 1 yd?) and of little consequence. The loss of a yd means little compared to the time lost (or saved) in getting off another play or plays. Could it be the officials have drifted over time in not pulling the flag? Will be interesting in what Lighthouse finds out.


I still can't find the exception to that rule, but let me clarify. If the QB makes any other move than immediately taking the snap and spiking the ball, it's intentional grounding. There is no loss of yardage, the ball goes back to the original LOS. Loss of yardage only happens if he takes a knee.

An NFL official told me a couple of years ago that the rule book is very simple and thin. However, the book of exceptions is a very thick and complicated book.