abstract:In gridiron football, intentional grounding is an incomplete pass thrown by a quarterback toward an area of the field where there is clearly no eligible receiver, usually in a desperate attempt to avoid getting sacked. The penalty usually results in the loss of a down as well as 10 yards or the spot of the pass, whichever is greater making the situation essentially equivalent to a sack.
The game began with a safety on an intentionalgrounding call on Brady, and later, a fumble recovery deep in their own territory was negated by a penalty for too many players on the field.