POLL You make the call....

[Bayou Tiger]

Up 13-0, the Bills took the field to kick off to the Texans to open up the second half.


Kick returner DeAndre Carter waved off his blockers.... letting them know he wasn't going to return the kick....caught the ball and then nonchalantly tossed the ball to the official.

The referee surprisingly treated it as a live ball and stepped away, which allowed the Bills to recover the fumble in the end zone for a touchdown.

Check out what happened here:

 

[Manster7588]

Touchback. I've seen where the returner never even attempts to field the ball and it's called a Touchback. I don't even see why this is questioned.

 

[Ojb81]

it was a touchback. the ref had a sudden onset of brainfart (well, moreso than usual)

 

[HaroldSeattle]

It's a touchback. Like Manster I don't see why it's questioned either.

 

[Manster7588]

OP should have made the poll public. I'd like to see the two current names who don't understand the rules as they are enforced.

 

[Rex Racer]

Kickoffs are "live balls" until the ball goes out of the back of the end zone or the receiving player takes a knee/gets tackled. That's the reason why that ref backed off and it should have been a TD.

The "he gave himself up" BS that they spouted was ridiculous.

 

[Rex Racer]

OP should have made the poll public. I'd like to see the two current names who don't understand the rules as they are enforced.

There's 4 of you

 

[lebron23james]

SEC ref

 

[Cedrique]

Kickoffs are "live balls" until the ball goes out of the back of the end zone or the receiving player takes a knee/gets tackled. That's the reason why that ref backed off and it should have been a TD.

The "he gave himself up" BS that they spouted was ridiculous.

I think they have been changing the kickoff rules over the last few years. It used to be like that but this year I have seen players give up on a ball after it makes it to the end zone but before it goes out of the end zone and they call it a touchback.

 

[Wazmankg]

Touchback. Idk what the ref saw there that made him think he was going to return it.

 

[Cedrique]

Touchback. Idk what the ref saw there that made him think he was going to return it.

Yeah I guess technically he's supposed to take a knee or something but you would think flipping the ball to the ref would signify the same thing.

 

[jarntt]

Maybe the ref was in a coma for a couple of years and didn't know the kickoff rules are totally different now

Fumble by tv coverage too, to leave the play and take too long to come back

 

[Cedrique]

Only a matter of time before there are no kickoffs. Or maybe do the kickoffs with robots.....

 

[Upinthe North]

It would have been neat to see the Bills get points off that. Not sure why he didn't just kneel like everyone else.

 

[RememberTheKoy]

Touchback. I've seen where the returner never even attempts to field the ball and it's called a Touchback. I don't even see why this is questioned.

That's something completely different.

They changed the rules a few years back so the moment the ball touchdowns down in the endzone the play is dead.

This should have been a TD for the Bills. The guy never took a knee or attempted to take a knee and there was no whistle blown.


I really really do not like how the NFL has reversed course on stupid actions by players in the past month that should not have been reversed. Part of the game if a player is going to make a bone head move. The other one that shouldn't have been changed is when Dak chose to kick the ball to start the game instead of defer.

 

[Wazmankg]

Yeah I guess technically he's supposed to take a knee or something but you would think flipping the ball to the ref would signify the same thing.

Since they changed the kickoff rules that have nearly eliminated returns I haven't really paid all that much attention to exactly what returners do in the end zone on touchbacks. But I know I've seen some very lacksadaisical behavior in the EZ by returners and the ref just blows it dead when it's clear there won't be a return attempt.

 

[Rex Racer]

I think they have been changing the kickoff rules over the last few years. It used to be like that but this year I have seen players give up on a ball after it makes it to the end zone but before it goes out of the end zone and they call it a touchback.

That's kinda fucked up, especially since isn't really a safety issue.

 

[redseat]

He didn't wave his hand for a fair catch but he did put his hands out in the "safe" motion. I've seen a heck of a lot less motion by aa returnerand it being called a fair catch. Granted take a knee and this is a non issue but still.

 

[Manster7588]

Kickoffs are "live balls" until the ball goes out of the back of the end zone or the receiving player takes a knee/gets tackled. That's the reason why that ref backed off and it should have been a TD.

The "he gave himself up" BS that they spouted was ridiculous.

You must have stopped watching football. There's been multiple times where the returner never attempted to get to to ball and the refs blow it Dead = Touchback.

 

[Tapey]

OP should have made the poll public. I'd like to see the two current names who don't understand the rules as they are enforced.

I voted for TD, because I like to live chaotically