Sack rules question

[Jay Z]

In the 2011 NFC championship game, Eli Manning dropped back to pass, then threw a backwards pass to Ahmad Bradshaw, who ran for a few yards. It was considered a running play. If Bradshaw had been tackled behind the line of scrimmage, would the play be considered a sack?

Can a running back be sacked on a halfback option play?

[oldecapecod11]

It is a running play. The all-important, focus-of-the-universe statistic is a Tackle - nothing less and nothing more.

[rhickok1109]

From the NFL's Guide for Statisticians:

"When a quarterback rolls out, or a player other than the quarterback handles the ball on an option play, or takes the snap in a 'shotgun' formation, and makes an apparent attempt to pass before being tackled or stepping out of bounds behind or at the statistical line of scrimmage, it shall be scored as a sack and any yards lost attempting to pass. If the player makes no apparent attempt to pass, the play shall be considered a rushing play."

Note that there must be "an apparent attempt to pass."

[conace21]

From the NFL's Guide for Statisticians:

"When a quarterback rolls out, or a player other than the quarterback handles the ball on an option play, or takes the snap in a 'shotgun' formation, and makes an apparent attempt to pass before being tackled or stepping out of bounds behind or at the statistical line of scrimmage, it shall be scored as a sack and any yards lost attempting to pass. If the player makes no apparent attempt to pass, the play shall be considered a rushing play."

Note that there must be "an apparent attempt to pass."

The Fridge was sacked on a short yardage play in Super Bowl XX. He clearly was looking to pass on the play.

[Jay Z]

There was a play in the 1957 NFL championship game where the Browns QB, Milt Plum I think, was in big trouble from the rush and lateraled to Jim Brown who was tackled for maybe a 16 yard loss. It was credited as a running play by Brown, even though in spirit it was more of a sack, since the lateral was only in desperation.

[NWebster]

There was a play in the 1957 NFL championship game where the Browns QB, Milt Plum I think, was in big trouble from the rush and lateraled to Jim Brown who was tackled for maybe a 16 yard loss. It was credited as a running play by Brown, even though in spirit it was more of a sack, since the lateral was only in desperation.

But the letter of the rule requires that Brown attempted to pass for it to be a sack,not Plum. Agree with you on spirit.

Interestingly,another researcher here has done good work suggesting Brown got 1000 yards in his one non 1000 yard season because he was incorrectly "docked" for yards lost when he then lateralled to a player behind him who took - on the stat sheet - a portion of the loss. There are hundreds of these examples of inconsistency in the NFL record book - its really frustrating.

Bringing another thread into focus, there are stats that are good when they measure things but can be misused, and then there are just stats that are misapplied. Manning's passing yards, Brown's rushing yards, etc, etc. The latteris utterly fixable, the former, well, till we rid the world of idiot - not so much so.

[sluggermatt15]

Way I see it is the play should be scored as a tackle. So I am in agreement with those above. Bradshaw did not make a conscientious effort to pass the football. If he had, then a sack could have been in play had he been tackled at or behind the line of scrimmage.