The rule about breaking the plane doesn't make sense to me. In the Endzone: If a RB dives and the ball crosses the plain, while he's in mid air, then the player fumbles the ball in mid air, it's a touchdown. A WR, can catch the ball, make a football move and then lose the ball and it's incomplete. The rule is complete bullshit. I see it time and time again, the RB should have to maintain control too and not be given an automatic score. The RB can be wreckless with the ball because they know they will get the score no matter what.
^^^^ This. The rules on gaining possession of a pass are generally unfavorable to the receiver. Good thing too, because right now most rules are tilted in favor of the offense. If they weren't the balance of the game would be REALLY out of whack.
I'll keep specific examples in mind and follow up. I think it happened in the Buffalo game on Sunday.
Also, to be a touchdown the ball must break the plane of the endzone i.e. go past the line into the endzone itself, but if a player is tackled in his own endzone with any part of the ball touching the white line then it is a safety. Have I got that right, and if so, why is the white line part of the endzone for a safety but not for a TD?
For a touchdown the white line counts as part of the endzone too. There is no discrepancy. Here's what the rulebook says: BALL DEAD IN TOUCH Article 2 A Ball Dead in Touch is one dead on or behind a goal line and it is either a touchdown, a safety, a touchback, a field goal, or the termination of a Try (11-3).
Seems to be a separate set of rules for Lions WRs. If you score a TD you can't ever put the ball down, you must take it home with you. At least yesterday they overturned the call.