One of the NFL’s more controversial rules is the fumble-out-of-the-end-zone rule.
When an offensive player fumbles and the ball lands out of bounds in his team’s end zone, it results in a touchback. Some feel it’s one of the worst rules in sports, while others argue it’s a fair punishment for professional football players who should be able to maintain possession.
Regardless, the rule remains hotly debated. It will continue to be after it reentered the limelight in Sunday’s game between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Atlanta Falcons.
Touchback rule resurfaces on Bucky Irving fumble
The Buccaneers hosted the Falcons at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa Bay. It’s clearly the rainy season in the Sunshine State. When the game started, it was pouring. The monsoon-like conditions made fumbling much easier.
That was apparent when the Buccaneers fumbled twice on one play. On a 2nd-and-7 at Atlanta’s 15-yard line, starting quarterback Baker Mayfield fumbled the snap but recovered the ball, tossing it to running back Bucky Irving. It looked like an absurd TD for Tampa until Falcons safety Jessie Bates III punched the ball out, and it landed out of bounds. Clearly, Bates has been working on the “Peanut Punch,” a technique many players have added to their repertoire to force more fumbles.
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