Bucs Postgame

[FrenchSkin]

Originally Posted by AnonEmouse

They do indeed; if the ball is carried into or rolls into the end zone after being touched by the punting team it's a TB. Had he stopped anywhere before crossing the line it would have been Tampa Bay ball on the 5. His ignorance cost 15 yards.

"In the NFL, a punted ball does not have to enter the end zone for a touchback to occur, though this is often the case. A player on the punting team who attempts to down the ball before it crosses the plane of the goal line must keep both feet outside the goal line."

No. This rule talks about a player attempting to down the ball near the goal line. Apke did down the ball 9 yard from the goal line, and the ball was dead at that point, what happened after that didn't matter. Touching the ball and downing it are 2 different things.