Rules Question related to Jones' fumble

[zephirus]

The NFL Sunday ticket includes condensed versions of all the day games on Sunday so I often use that to rewatch Giants games (or others) to see what I didn't pick up on when watching live.  I was admittedly in/out of the room for much of the game on Sunday and missed the Jones fumble in the first quarter, but in rewatching I'm scratching my head about this.

Several years back the NFL made it reviewable for fumbles that weren't ruled fumbles on the field of play to be challenged, and so long as there is a clear and obvious recovery, the turnover can be ruled rather than the fumble.

In watching the play, there is clear confusion after Jones gets hit as to whether it is a fumble.  No whistles immediately blow to indicate the play is dead, but they also don't throw the beanie to indicate a fumble.  Singletary picks up on this and begins sprinting after the ball.  Before he arrives, multiple whistles blow and he stops pursuit.  Bobby Wagner keeps going and picks up the ball.  If there was no clear recovery before the whistles blow, shouldn't the possession remain with the Giants?  Otherwise, aren't we incentivizing players to continue to play long after the whistle blows?  If all the players ignore the whistle and start a dog-pile on every routine "maybe he fumbled" - is that really what the NFL wants?

[sooners56]

Same question I had. Play through the whistle is what one of the old head referees said while on with the commentators. I have never heard that. Playing through the whistle could cause ruckus.

[Bob In PA]

Same question I had. Play through the whistle is what one of the old head referees said while on with the commentators. I have never heard that. Playing through the whistle could cause ruckus.

Yes, I agree completely. Play through the whistle (as long as it doesn't involve committing a penalty). Bob

[Bob In PA]

@MightyGiants  Rich: I accidentally deleted your post.  Sorry about that.  Bob

[coggs]

A clear and obvious recovery is one that happens immediately after the whistle.  Not 10 seconds later after everyone has stopped playing.  The review should have ruled it a sack with the Giants getting the ball where it was sitting when the whistle was blown.  Even if you want to give the kick by the washington dlineman and have it result in a 20 yard sack.  Was wondering if anything was made public about that play.

[jgrangers2]

A clear and obvious recovery is one that happens immediately after the whistle.

I get if there's a whistle while players are going after the ball and someone obviously dives on it. This was not that. There needs to be some level of time component to this. It can't be that a player simply picks up a ball a couple of seconds after the whistle because everyone else stopped playing.

[MightyGiants]

@MightyGiants  Rich: I accidentally deleted your post.  Sorry about that.  Bob

I saw Giants players stop when the whistle blew.

I thought the play was complete and utter BS.  When the whistle blows, the play is over.  That is why they blow the whistle

[Gmo11]

Unfortunately I think it was ruled correctly even if the rule doesn't make a lot of sense.  The only way it goes back to the Giants is if Singletary gets there first or NOBODY recovers it. Even if the whistle blows if the ball is on the ground somebody needs to go and pick it up.  They can't advance the ball but whoever picks it up gets possession if it's a fumble.  That's why usually referees would just rule it a fumble off the bat and correct it later. In that sense the refs screwed up a bit, but to the letter of the law they got to the correct conclusion. 

It's just stupid to hear whistles blow and have two dudes still fighting over a football where conceivably one of them could get flagged for a penalty for roughness or something silly like that when they have no real choice in the matter.

[MagicRat]

They discussed this on BBK yesterday,  a caller quoted the rule on "erroneous whistles".....which this was.

Let's be honest, Sunday's game was horribly officiated top to bottom.

Not saying that's why we lost though.