I broke down the play here to see easier.
The ball is at the Rams 39. The Browns line up in the Wild Cat with Cribbs (44) ready for the snap. Wallace lines up to the right of Cribbs at the 42, and begins moving towards Cribbs right before the ball is snapped. McCoy (42) lines up to the left of Cribbs and takes a step foward before moving back towards Wallace and Cribbs.
Cribbs takes the snap at the 44 and tosses the ball to Wallace (highlighted), who is still at the 43. The Ball technically goes forward, and not backwards or sideways on the exchange. McCoy begins moving towards the Ball.
Wallace (43) tosses the ball to McCoy (46) who then scrambles towards the middle of the field into the pocket while Wallace starts to turn up field.
McCoy (46) then passes to Wallace who is running (out of frame) down the sideline. As far as I know, this is technically the second forward pass on the play... (I made a mistake when first editing the picture and said McCoy was at the 51 instead of 46, that's what the edit is)
Wallace (23) catches the pass from McCoy and is tackled.
As for the rules book from the NFL:
Rule 8 Forward Pass, Backward Pass, Fumble
Section 1 Forward Pass
DEFINITION
Article 1 Definition It is a forward pass if:
(a) the ball initially moves forward (to a point nearer the opponent’s goal line) after leaving the passer’s
hand(s); or
(b) the ball first strikes the ground, a player, an official, or anything else at a point that is nearer the
opponent’s goal line than the point at which the ball leaves the passer’s hand(s).
Note: A ball that is intentionally fumbled and goes forward is a forward pass. A ball that is intentionally muffed, and goes forward or backward, is a batted ball (12-1-8). The direction taken by a fumbled or muffed ball does not affect the application of the rules specific to such acts, unless it is ruled that they are intentional. When a player is in control of the ball and attempting to pass it forward, any intentional forward movement of his hand starts a forward pass.
(a) If the passer is attempting to throw a forward pass, but contact by an opponent materially affects him,
causing the ball to go backward, it is a forward pass, regardless of where the ball strikes the ground, a
player, an official, or anything else.
(b) If, after an intentional forward movement of his hand, the passer loses possession of the ball as he is
attempting to tuck it back toward his body, it is a forward pass. If the player loses possession after he
has tucked the ball into his body, it is a fumble.
(c) If the passer loses possession of the ball while attempting to recock his arm, it is a fumble.
LEGAL FORWARD PASS
Article 2 Legal Forward Pass.
The offensive team may make one forward pass from behind the line during
each down. If the ball, whether in player possession or loose, crosses the line of scrimmage, a forward
pass is not permissible, regardless of whether the ball returns behind the line of scrimmage before the
pass is thrown.
Item 1:
Illegal Passes. Any other forward pass by either team is illegal and is a foul by the passing team,
including:
(a) A forward pass thrown when the passer is beyond the line of scrimmage.
Note: It is a forward pass from beyond the line of scrimmage if the passer’s entire body and the ball are beyond the line of scrimmage when the ball is released, whether the passer is airborne or touching the ground. The penalty for a forward pass thrown from beyond the line is enforced from the spot where the ball is released.
(b) A second forward pass thrown from behind the line of scrimmage.
(c) A forward pass thrown after the ball has crossed the line of scrimmage and has returned behind it.
(d) A forward pass thrown after there has been a change of possession
<a class="postlink" href="http://static.nfl.com/static/content/public/image/rulebook/pdfs/11_Rule8_ForwardPass_BackPass_Fumble.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://static.nfl.com/static/content/pu ... Fumble.pdf</a>
Now someone (maybe a Dr...) can add input to if the exchange between Cribbs and Wallace does indeed count as a forward pass, but from my angle, it seems like this play should have been a 5 yard penalty on the Browns, not a completion...
Really not a big deal now since we won, but it's interesting.
