One of the NFL's most controversial rules once again reared its head during "Thursday Night Football."
The Eagles and Vikings engaged in an aesthetically unpleasing "TNF" matchup, so it wouldn't be complete without several turnovers, including one that may have shifted the direction of the game.
Late in the second quarter, Justin Jefferson caught a pass and surged for the end zone, but lost control of the ball. The fumble made its way past the pylon and out of bounds.
Justin Jefferson fumbled the ball over the endzone pylon and it's now a touchback. #Eagles ball.pic.twitter.com/cDaCFb0OlL https://t.co/ws8DY2vWa7
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) September 15, 2023
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As always, the fumble rule causes more than a bit of controversy and a lot of confusion. Per the NFL rulebook, Section 7, Article 3, Item 4:
- If a ball is fumbled in the field of play, and goes forward into the opponent’s end zone and over the end line or sideline, a touchback is awarded to the defensive team; or
- If a ball is fumbled in a team’s own end zone or in the field of play and goes out of bounds in the end zone, it is a safety, if that team provided the impetus that sent the ball into the end zone (See 11-5-1 for exception for momentum). If the impetus was provided by the opponent, it is a touchback.
The first part of Item 4 is what's in play here: Because Jefferson fumbled the ball and it went over the goal line and out of bounds, the ball is awarded to the Eagles.
That's where the debate comes in. Some feel that the penalty is too harsh for the fumbling team, while others say, simply, to take care of the football. Had Jefferson fumbled, but the ball left the field at the one-foot line rather than over the pylon and through the end zone, the Vikings would have retained possession.
In any case, taking care of the football is something that the Vikings didn't do much of in the first half. The team coughed it up three times, including the critical Jefferson fumble, which immediately led to an Eagles field goal at the expiration of the first half.
It didn't take long for the Eagles to give it up a fourth time, with Kirk Cousins on the receiving end of a strip-sack to open up the third quarter. That lead to a touchdown, with the Eagles taking a commanding 20-7 lead.
Jefferson took ownership of the fumble, but that may not mean much if the Eagles finish out the "TNF" victory.