The Holy Roller

[JoeZagorski]

Hey Guys:
The Raiders-Chargers Holy Roller play occurred in the second week of the 1978 regular season. Can anyone tell me if the league passed a rule that following off-season which prohibited players from tossing a football forward after a fumble? Thanks!

Sincerely,
Joe Zagorski

[rhickok1109]

Yes, the rule was changed after the 1978 season.

[BD Sullivan]

At the time the rule was changed in March 1979, NFL Supervisor of Officials Art McNally said that the Casper play would have been illegal in 1977. However, in 1978, the rule was changed to specify it had to be a deliberate act before it would draw a flag. Of course, anyone who thinks Casper's actions weren't deliberate also probably thinks Al Davis was a sweetheart.

[sheajets]

I love the raiders radio broadcasters call of the play

"Madden's on the field, he wants to know if it's a touchdown...the official says yes, get your big butt out of there...HE DOES!"

[JoeZagorski]

Thanks Guys!
Joe Zagorski

[Rupert Patrick]

I love the raiders radio broadcasters call of the play

"Madden's on the field, he wants to know if it's a touchdown...the official says yes, get your big butt out of there...HE DOES!"

I always felt that might have been a designed play. Madden was such a stickler for the rules he knew that a play like that might be legal one time, and he may have instructed Stabler and the receiving corps that in a last ditch situation, you could "accidentally" fumble the ball forward and keep the play alive, and they may have practiced such a scenario. Just my opinion but I always felt it looked rehearsed.

[JohnR]

I believe the only guy w/ a guilty conscience on that play should be Pete Banaszak. Stabler was not fumbling forward, he was trying to throw the ball away to stop the clock. Pete was keenly aware he couldn't get pinned down w/ a live ball so he "lost" control. Casper tried to pick it up, failed, failed again, and finally flopped on it. He would have liked to have fielded the ball cleanly, but did the next best thing which was keep the ball in front of him until he could. I just don't see anything deliberate from him as I watch that play. I think he was just tired.

[conace21]

I doubt Stabler was trying to throw the ball away. It was 4th down. A sack or an incomplete pass both result in turnover on downs. I agree about Casper, though. He was likely just trying to,scoop up the ball but couldn't get a clean grip on it. No sense falling on the ball until he was in the end zone.

[JohnR]

It was actually 2nd down with ten seconds left on the clock.

[conace21]

Huh, for years, I always "knew" that the Holy Roller play occurred on 4th down. I don't know where I got that from. I most likely read it in a less than reputable source, and accepted it as gospel. I just look through various sources and couldn't find anything about what down it was, so I'll just concede.

I did find a few Stabler quotes where he admitted fumbling the ball on purpose.