REFEREE CORRECTLY REVERSES
WARNER FUMBLE TO INCOMPLETE PASS

A key play in Monday night’s game between St. Louis and Tampa Bay involving Rams quarterback Kurt Warner’s throwing motion was correctly ruled an incomplete pass after a replay review.

In the second quarter, Warner’s arm was in motion on a pass play when he was hit by Buccaneers defensive end Steve White.

Warner lost the ball and the play initially was ruled a fumble, which was recovered by the Buccaneers.

The Rams challenged the fumble call on the field and it was correctly reversed by referee Ron Blum after a replay review.

When White hit Warner’s arm, Warner appeared to be trying to “tuck” the ball into his body.

By rule, a “tuck” is an incomplete pass, not a fumble. Whether Warner intended to throw the ball or to stop his motion is irrelevant. The ball was in his hand when his arm was moving forward and, by rule, it is an incomplete pass.

A fumble would have been the ruling if:

1)    Warner’s arm had been hit before forward motion had begun. He then would have been throwing what is called an “empty hand.”

OR

2)    Warner had fully brought the ball into his body before it fell loose.

The Buccaneers broke a 17-17 tie on a 21-yard fourth-quarter touchdown run by running back Warrick Dunn with 11:13 remaining and won the game 24-17. The Rams are 8-2 and the Buccaneers are 5-5.