Get the Ball to the A-Backs

[alpha]

I can't believe we watched the same clip. I'm hard pressed to think of anyone who catches that pitch or holds onto it at any level of football. Chris Collinsworth's quote or not. The only reason that pitch wasn't intercepted was because the defender elected to hit and a different defender picked it up. What was Roddy supposed to do--stop all momentum without sliding, turn and catch the pitch?

I'm looking at the frame where Roddy's hands were up in the air where the ball was (arrow). It looks like to me Roddy completely missed the ball with his hands and it actually just bounced off of his helmet (the ball lands in front of where it was pitched). If he had caught it at this frame and then fumbled while getting hit, the momentum of the ball would have changed and the ball actually would have flown backwards.

 

[slugboy]

You have a fine argument if Roddy would be capable of stepping outside of the space-time continuum. And the ball could either go backwards or sideways on the hit--it went sideways. There wasn't even time to tuck the ball.
As for the fumble, it's Tevin's as soon as the defender is in position--nothing else matters. Even if the pitch were perfect, it's still Tevin's because that pitch should never be made.

I'm looking at the frame where Roddy's hands were up in the air where the ball was (arrow). It looks like to me Roddy completely missed the ball with his hands and it actually just bounced off of his helmet (the ball lands in front of where it was pitched). If he had caught it at this frame and then fumbled while getting hit, the momentum of the ball would have changed and the ball actually would have flown backwards.

 

[alpha]

You have a fine argument if Roddy would be capable of stepping outside of the space-time continuum. And the ball could either go backwards or sideways on the hit--it went sideways. There wasn't even time to tuck the ball.

Tucking the ball assumes that he caught it. He clearly did not catch the ball. I wouldn't be blaming Roddy if he caught the ball but fumbled it purely because he didn't have time to tuck the ball.

As for the fumble, it's Tevin's as soon as the defender is in position--nothing else matters. Even if the pitch were perfect, it's still Tevin's because that pitch should never be made.

Seriously. Was the pitch ill-advised? Sure. Did Roddy have a chance to catch it? Yes, his hands are already in position to catch the ball. Is it likely that Roddy would have fumbled the ball anyway even if he caught it because of the hit? Sure. Does this excuse him for not being able to catch ball in the first place? No, not to me.

PS> I'm no way saying Tevin should be excused for his bad judgment but I'm also not excusing Roddy for being part of the problem. I'd hate to pick on Roddy specifically cause it's just not him. It was all of our a-backs.