So you think you know football

[Schultzy]

There is only one play in football that ends when the whistle blows.

What is it?

[TUSK]

I thought ALL plays were deemed "dead" when whistled "dead"....

new rule?

[CadaverDawg]

Are you referring to a punt that isn't "downed", but instead rolls to a stop and the official blows the play dead while nobody is touching it?

I was thinking what Tusk was, but I figure you're meaning something like my above guess. Maybe I'm wrong though. Ha

[BulldogBear]

There is only one play in football that ends when the whistle blows.

What is it?

Well, it's not a specific play. It's an inadvertent whistle.

[Quaoarsking]

What about when forward progress is stopped, but the player isn't tackled? That's a judgment call from the ref when to blow the whistle and stop the play.

[TUSK]

well, if there was a loose ball... and it were in MSU's endzone; the play should ONLY be considered "dead" once (and not before) Bammer recovered said "football"...

at least if the officials want to keep their collective jobs...

IMO

[mstatefan91]

I think you screwed up the question. Every play ends with the blow of the whistle..

[Schultzy]

Well, it's not a specific play. It's an inadvertent whistle.

Bingo, BulldogBear.

The play ALWAYS ends BEFORE the whistle is blown, forward progress is determined, processed, then you grab the whistle and blow it if necessary.

The reason I say this is because you will see agame on TV this year and announcers will do a replay full speed and say "let's listen for the whistle!" As if it matters, it doesn't.

Refs determine forward progress before blowing the whistle so fumbles afterward don't matter.

Just know, most people don't.

[Schultzy]

What about when forward progress is stopped, but the player isn't tackled? That's a judgment call from the ref when to blow the whistle and stop the play.

Exactly correct. There is always a lag between the judgement and the whistle.

[mstatefan91]

This was misleading..

Oh well

[Schultzy]

This was misleading..

Oh well

Maybe so, it's a difficult concept to understand but people need to understand this. Even a lot of coaches and head coaches don't get it but otherwise you would have a ton of inadvertent whistles which is the worst.

[TUSK]

ugh.... Bazooka Question...

[Schultzy]

ugh.... Bazooka Question...

Yeah, but informative.

[confucius say]

So what is the one and only play that ends when the whistle blows, as OP asked? His answer told us a type of play that is over before the whistle blows.

[Schultzy]

Inadvertent whistle is the only play that ends it precisely on the whistle. Then you have to replay the down.

BulldogBear got it.

[drunkernhelldawg]

great post. i know something new, or at least I know it in a new way.

[BulldogBear]

Right. The play ends when it ends otherwise. The whistle just let's you know it's ended. Analogy:

You're wife lays down for a nap and asks you to wake her up at 8 o'clock. When the clock strikes 8, you go the bedroom and wake her up. It was became 8 o'clock when the clock struck 8, not when or because you told her.