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514 Questions

Last Answer on January 23, 2021

If I ran a slip screen in the NFL, can the O-Line go downfield before a forward pass is caught, if it is caught behind the LOS? Or does the pass have to be backwards?

Asked by Thunder23 almost 10 years ago

Line can go down one yard. Beyond that is illegal. A pass behind the line is, I believe, the same - no more than one yard.

801 Votes

Would you or could you call a delay of game penalty. The Falcons intercept Brady deep in Falcon territory. During thr runback all Patriots players give up about the 50 yard line. Alford stops before crossing the goal line to run off time off clock.

Asked by Dick E over 9 years ago

No. It's an accepted part of the game.

799 Votes

can you add some light on what the rule is for blocking down field for a screen pass. Can the receivers block the defender before the ball is caught by the offense player behind the LOS?

Asked by Josiah over 9 years ago

If a pass does not cross the line of scrimmage (screen) then a) you can't have ineligibles down field and b) you can't have pass interference (offense or defense). In the NFL, they are tighter with lineman, only giving them a yard downfield to block on passes behind the LOS. So, yes, receivers downfield can block before the pass is thrown as long as the pass was caught behind the LOS.

798 Votes

Upon the flagging for "unsportsmanlike" conduct, why is the "initial" call not enforced when two opposing players are flagged?

Asked by Darius over 8 years ago

I'm not sure what you mean.

796 Votes

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ie-your answer to on-side kick with 1 second remaining. What if there was a foul on the other team after the kicking team recovered the ball? Game can't end on a defensive foul, but don't know if that counts as a defensive foul.

Asked by Daryl Muellenberg over 9 years ago

With one second remaining, a "recovery" sort of implies the receiver was either catching it and goibg to tbe ground or on the ground at the recovery. On a legal touch, the clock winds. So if the foul occured after the reception, it happened after the clock expired. The period (game?) is over.

795 Votes

with regard to forward progress - if an offensive player is running and then collides with a teammate at the 35 yard line and falls backwards landing on the ground with the ball at the 34 yard line is the ball spotted at the 34 or 35

Asked by boby over 9 years ago

I have answered this question - or a variation of it - three times. No more!

794 Votes

In the game tonight, Cam was taken down behind the line of scrimmage, why isn’t that recorded as a Sack?

Asked by Setty almost 9 years ago

Officials don't deal with statistics so I can't answer definitively. If it was,a "dezigned" run from thecstaff, then he's a runner, not a passer, hence no sack (?).

794 Votes

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Football Official

Ask me anything!

What do YOU do?

If I ran a slip screen in the NFL, can the O-Line go downfield before a forward pass is caught, if it is caught behind the LOS? Or does the pass have to be backwards?

Would you or could you call a delay of game penalty. The Falcons intercept Brady deep in Falcon territory. During thr runback all Patriots players give up about the 50 yard line. Alford stops before crossing the goal line to run off time off clock.

can you add some light on what the rule is for blocking down field for a screen pass. Can the receivers block the defender before the ball is caught by the offense player behind the LOS?

Upon the flagging for "unsportsmanlike" conduct, why is the "initial" call not enforced when two opposing players are flagged?

Also on Jobstr...

ie-your answer to on-side kick with 1 second remaining. What if there was a foul on the other team after the kicking team recovered the ball? Game can't end on a defensive foul, but don't know if that counts as a defensive foul.

with regard to forward progress - if an offensive player is running and then collides with a teammate at the 35 yard line and falls backwards landing on the ground with the ball at the 34 yard line is the ball spotted at the 34 or 35

In the game tonight, Cam was taken down behind the line of scrimmage, why isn’t that recorded as a Sack?

Football Official

Ask me anything!

What do YOU do?

If I ran a slip screen in the NFL, can the O-Line go downfield before a forward pass is caught, if it is caught behind the LOS? Or does the pass have to be backwards?

Would you or could you call a delay of game penalty. The Falcons intercept Brady deep in Falcon territory. During thr runback all Patriots players give up about the 50 yard line. Alford stops before crossing the goal line to run off time off clock.

can you add some light on what the rule is for blocking down field for a screen pass. Can the receivers block the defender before the ball is caught by the offense player behind the LOS?

Upon the flagging for "unsportsmanlike" conduct, why is the "initial" call not enforced when two opposing players are flagged?

Also on Jobstr...

ie-your answer to on-side kick with 1 second remaining. What if there was a foul on the other team after the kicking team recovered the ball? Game can't end on a defensive foul, but don't know if that counts as a defensive foul.

with regard to forward progress - if an offensive player is running and then collides with a teammate at the 35 yard line and falls backwards landing on the ground with the ball at the 34 yard line is the ball spotted at the 34 or 35

In the game tonight, Cam was taken down behind the line of scrimmage, why isn’t that recorded as a Sack?

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