Giants running back Ahmad Bradshaw caught a short pass late in regulation, and he immediately was pushed backward. Before he hit the ground, the ball came out. And the 49ers recovered. But the officials ruled that Bradshaw's forward progress had been stopped. Thus, no fumble. And no turnover.
On Monday, Harbaugh expressed his displeasure with the ruling. "In my opinion, that was a fumble," Harbaugh said Monday, via NFL.com. "I'm sure the league will defend it and the officials will defend it. But to me, that play was still going on. There was still struggling by Bradshaw. . . . I felt like it was analogous with the tuck rule." http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/01/23/jim-harbaugh-compares-bradshaw-non-fumble-to-tuck-rule/
My Take: I understand the rule and get the call, I'm just not sure I agree. Bradshaw's forward progress was stopped but it's not like he was being held up while players pulled at the ball. He was hit and pushed backwards in the same motion of making a tackle. While completing the tackle the ball was stripped. Personally if the strip happens while still in the act of the original hit whether he's pushed backwards shouldn't matter. So if that's the rule, Harbaugh's right, just like the 'tuck rule' it sucks but like the Raiders, you can complain all you want, until, the rule changes you gotta live with it.
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