@BrockwayBaby If you read carefully, you'll see that Grmrtchr never said that 'passersby' is a verb + adjective construction. Their point was that neither 'passersby' nor 'touchdown' is a noun + adjective construction (despite the apparent assumptions to the contrary of both eaglesight777 and yourself). Indeed, one of the main points in Grmrtchr's post is that 'by' in this context is not an adjective, but rather a preposition or an adverb. The other main point there is about nominalization of verb + adverb constructions. But you seem to have acknowledged that point, even if you do not find it decisive.