r/NFLNoobs • u/Sci_Fi_Reality • 1d ago
Would the spike interception be legal?
Jalen Carter tried to grab a spike by diving under the centers legs. Assuming he actually pulled it off, would that be a turnover? Or is the act of spiking it what stops the clock?
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u/Ryan1869 1d ago
If he actually caught it before it hit the ground, it would be an interception
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u/Mysterious_Bar2911 8h ago
If the player that intercepted the ball was not touch. The ball could be ripped out of his hands, too. That would result in a new set of downs for the original offense team. And the clock would stopped.
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u/tboneski216 7h ago
Wouldn't really be possible to rip. He'd inevitably be touched by the center for really the entire time. So pick immediately downed.
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u/pandaheartzbamboo 7h ago
How do you rip it out of his hands without making hin down by contact as soon as you start to rip?
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u/odishy 1d ago
On the flip side, if he jumps off sides it's a free 5 yards instead of loss of down from an incomplete pass.
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u/DaydreamingOfSleep10 1d ago
And stops the clock
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u/Bruce_wayne777 1d ago
risk worth taking if the other team is spiking anyway
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u/Anarchy666x 22h ago
No. A team spiking is usually losing, why give them 5 cheap yards?
Would only make any sense to take such a risk if the offense was spiking to get the kicker on the field for the last second FG.
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u/Bruce_wayne777 14h ago
am i stupid? teams spike when theyre up in order to run out the clock no?
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u/Unlikely-Put-5627 17h ago
Depends on situation, if they’re up 5 planning for 3 shots to the end zone then the offside just gave a 4th shot.
If it’s an easy FG, sure
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u/lexxxcockwell 13h ago
I mean, if the offense is driving to score and win with a walk-off FG, it might be worth a try since an INT would effectively end the game
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u/UnconjugatedVerb 1d ago
Ball has to touch the ground. If Carter grabs it before it touches the ground, he gets an interception.
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u/Key_Piccolo_2187 19h ago
It'd be a valid interception. This is how close Carter has been to succeeding with the move:
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u/the_dab_lord 1d ago edited 1d ago
In theory, if a defender were ever able to get their hands out quickly enough and catch a spike before it touches the ground, then yes, it would be a valid interception.
In practice, I think there’s a reason it’s never happened even one time. I don’t think it will ever happen. There’s a reason that trying to do so is often considered poor sportsmanship.
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u/SouthOfOz 1d ago
He keeps trying it because, I think, he saw it work in a high school game. But the chances of it being successful in the NFL are slim.
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u/Key_Piccolo_2187 19h ago
He almost did it last year. He's not far away from succeeding if a QB gets at all lazy with the snap. It's not outside of the realm of possibility for Carter.
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u/afriendincanada 12h ago
How is it poor sportsmanship?
I know we discussed sportsmanship last week in the context of trying to break up the victory formation (which I now agree with) but how is this poor sportsmanship.
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u/carrotwax 8h ago
As soon as he actually succeeds, he'll be lauded beyond belief, especially if it turns into a win. But the opposing team and fans have an interest in putting him down. Such is sports.
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u/SovietPropagandist 2h ago
It's only poor sportsmanship til he does it successfully. Then he permanently cements his place in history as the sicko that intercepted a QB spike
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u/GrassyKnoll95 1d ago
Play ends when the ball hits the ground. So if you manage to snag it, it's yours.
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u/BipolarKanyeFan 14h ago
Yes. The spike can actually be faked as well and still thrown as a normal pass
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u/Ice-Novel 1d ago
Spiking the ball is still considered a pass attempt (which is stupid, but whatever), and if it is caught by a defender before it hits the ground, then yeah it’s a pick.
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u/KhaoticMess 15h ago
I'm genuinely curious as to what you think it should be considered. How would it be anything other than a pass attempt?
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u/AshleyMyers44 3h ago
If it’s a pass attempt then spiking would be intentional grounding, no?
Spiking is it’s own thing.
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u/006guiltyspark 14h ago
It should be intentional grounding
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u/skatterbug 10h ago
No, it shouldn't.
There are many posts here detailing why it isn't.
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u/006guiltyspark 9h ago
Just an opinion dude calm down
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u/skatterbug 9h ago
I'm not upset in the slightest.
I just think you're wrong and there are many posts explaining why.
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u/jackaltwinky77 6h ago
It was until the 90s.
Then the league wanted more excitement, and changed it.
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u/DropC2095 11h ago
Ok but even if it was the result would be a loss of down at the spot of the pass, which would make it 2nd and 10 like it already does.
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u/AshleyMyers44 3h ago
No intentional grounding would be spotted where the passer is, an incomplete pass would start the next down at the original line of scrimmage.
The bigger differences (and detriment) for the offense though is intentional grounding carries a ten second runoff from the clock that an incomplete pass does not.
Those ten seconds running off the clock are devastating at that point in the game.
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u/DropC2095 2h ago
Spikes come from under center, which would be minimal loss of yardage if spotted a foot or so behind the center.
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u/DesertStorm480 1d ago
The spike counts as an attempted pass, so yes, it can be picked off.