Am I the Only Person Who Didn't Know This Rule?

[BwareDWare94]

OK. So I've been having a discussion on another site about this topic right now. A basic rule that has always (somehow) escaped my knowledge is that the ball advances whether or not it is clearly over the OoB plane, as long as the player hasn't touched down OoB. For instance, if a receiver needs to get OoB to stop the clock, apparently he can dive out of bounds, have his upper body a good yard or so OoB (before anything touches) and stick the ball out in one hand for an extra yard, even though the ball is clearly outside the field of play. I never knew this. I thought that when players went out of bounds, the ball was placed where officials saw as the place that the ball itself crossed the plane. I mean, there would be obvious exceptions, such as a player holding the ball over the OoB line while running in bounds, but who would ever do that?
 
The point is, did you guys know that this was possible? That players can just get extra yards even though their arms and upper bodies are clearly over the plane, as long as they haven't touched down OoB. I had no idea. 
 

 

[Giantmetfan07]

Then shouldn't the same apply to the endzone? This is what annoys me with the NFL rules sometimes, and mostly that they can be so confusing. 

 

[Giantmetfan07]

no wait a minute i got that backwards, when it comes to the endzone usually their body is OoB and they try to get the ball over the plane. 
 
 
I think I knew about this. I've seen come guys catch the ball out of bounds but as long as their feet are inbounds it can be considered a catch. I would think the same would apply to a player carrying the ball.