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Quote:

Originally Posted by Saint_LB (Post 337360)

I think it would have depended on the timing. According to the rule, a player can give himself up as long as he goes to the ground and makes no further attempt at advancing the ball. If he stayed on the ground for a few seconds, then got up and tried to advance...then the ref would be doing his job by not allowing it. He gave himself up.

However, if he went to the ground and then immediately popped up, as if he stumbled or something...then he could keep going.

It was pretty obvious to me that he intentionally went down...and then the fact that he popped up and left the ball where it was reinforces that. He may have thought that he was touched after that...but if he was in fact giving himself up, which it certainly appeared...then he really doesn't have to wait for someone to touch him.

The one thing that I will totally agree with that in the future he should err on the side of caution and make sure he is downed...or pop up with the ball and hand it to the ref.

I'm not up on all the rules, and I'm certainly no football expert, but don't the rules differentiate between going down head first (like Cruz did) and going down feet first (a slide like a QB does)?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Srgt. Hulka (Post 337373)

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I'm not up on all the rules, and I'm certainly no football expert, but don't the rules differentiate between going down head first (like Cruz did) and going down feet first (a slide like a QB does)?

I am not a walking rule book, either, SH, but the rule you are referring to deals with QB's. The QB will be protected if he slides feet first...but it probably applies to anyone on the field carrying the ball.

I am only going by the interpretation given since all this happened, but apparently any player can just give himself up and it doesn't distinguish between sliding, falling to the ground, kneeling on the ground...whatever. As long as he goes down and no longer tries to advance it.

This is all new to me, too, so my interpretation could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure that the sliding thing was made in an effort to protect the QB...to keep people from hitting him when he goes down.

I imagine that with the rule in question that there would be no penalty if a guy gave himself up by falling to the ground and then a defender came along and made sure he stayed down. Just guessing, though.