Launching at a receiver while the ball is in the air.

[CJN]

Is it legal for an offensive player to launch himself at a defender while the ball is in the air to another receiver?

 

[Howdy_85]

I think you might want to reword your question...

 

[CJN]

Is it legal for an offensive player to launch himself at a defender while the ball is in the air to another receiver?

Sorry about the confusion.

 

[ZeroRisk]

There are a lot of ways to interpret the situation you've thrown out, so you may want to clarify with some specfics.

"Offense pass interference by a Team A player beyond the neutral zone during a legal forward pass play in which forward pass crosses the neutral zone is contact that interferes with a Team B eligible player."

In other words, a Team A player can't block downfield on a pass that crosses the neutral zone.

As far as launching, you cannot target/leading with the crown of the helmet or target and initiate contact to the head or neck area of a defenseless opponent with the helmet, forearm, elbow or shoulder. It is possible that, depending upon the play, the Team B player may be defenseless.

 

[CJN]

The ball is thrown to a receiver to the outside. While the ball is in the air another receiver Knocks the safety down in the middle of the field. Legal or no?

 

[fencewire]

OPI

 

[ZeroRisk]

Yup, offensive pass interference. For a pass that crosses the neutral, no Team A player may block a Team B player downfield. You see this kind of blocking all the time on bubbles screens and "zero hitch" routes, in which case it is legal, but if the pass crosses the neutral zone it is a foul.

 

[fencewire]

also, we shouldn't be overly technical on the bubble screens etc at the LOS, if they make the catch a within a yard of the NZ you shouldn't expect to see a lot of flags, not saying it won't happen, but we shouldn't be splitting hairs as far as 6 inches here, 6 inches there and let the plays go as they are designed.

 

[ZeroRisk]

Hear hear!

If it's close, it's not something that I'm going to flag. It has to be obviously and without question a downfield pass.