How was that not interference on Turpin (running into punt receiver)?

[RonnieT24]

Keep games close. That is the fix. I noticed it several seasons ago.

Yeah I just wish they would have executed the "keep it close" flags against the 49ers last week. Seemed like they were hellbent on making sure Dallas got embarrassed in that game.

 

[MarcusRock]

Does it count as a loose ball if a Cowboy hadn't touched it yet? I feel like that's pertaining to a fumble.

Here is an Approved Ruling from last year's rules that show if you are eligible to touch OR recover a ball, you can push someone in the back on the way to it.

A.R. 6.57 KICKOFF—BLOCK IN BACK BY TEAM A​

On a kickoff or safety kick, A2 and B3 are running downfield together. The ball hits the ground in front of return man​

B7 at the B10, where he picks it up and runs it to the 50. A2 pushes B3 in the back (a) at the B40 while the kick is in​

the air; (b) at the B17 as he scrambles for the ball after it has hit the ground; or (c) at the B20 while B7 is running​

with the ball.​

Rulings:​

(a) B’s ball, first-and-10 on A40 or re-kick after 10-yard penalty. Team A may not block in the back while the ball is​

in the air during a free kick.​

(b) B’s ball, first-and-10 on 50. There is no foul for a block in the back when a player is making a personal attempt​

to recover a loose ball he is eligible to touch or recover.​

(c) B’s ball, first-and-10 on 50. There is no foul for the kicking team blocking in the back during the return, as they​

are now the defense.​

 

[Hoofbite]

Question for NFL if they say it's not a penalty, if it isn't kick catch interference then why don't all special teams coaches start instructing their players to push a opposing player into his teammate who is trying to catch the ball on punts and kickoffs?

This type of play requires a blocking member of the return team to both be in the immediate vicinity of the return man and to be overpowered to such an extent that it's possible they be driven into the return man.

Players probably are taught to make such an attempt if the situation arises, but there's nothing you can tell a player to do in order to set up the circumstances required to even get the opportunity.

You may as well be asking, "Why don't coaches instruct players to make sure everything goes right?"

 

[MarcusRock]

Does it count as a loose ball if a Cowboy hadn't touched it yet? I feel like that's pertaining to a fumble.

Here is the definition of a loose ball to boot (get it? to "boot?" as in kick?)

ARTICLE 4. LOOSE BALL. A Loose Ball is a live ball that is not in player possession, i.e., any ball that has been kicked, passed,​

or fumbled. A Loose Ball is considered to be in possession of the team (offense) whose player kicked, passed, or fumbled it. It is​

a Loose Ball until a player secures possession or until the ball becomes dead. If it has not yet struck the ground, a Loose Ball is​

In Flight.​

 

[gimmesix]

There were penalties on the play but that last bit didn't happen

That's the reasoning for the call, I think. If the ball had hit Turpin when Tolbert was pushed into him, maybe the official would have called the hands to the face or the defender pushing Tolbert into the returner. But because the ball wasn't touched, I think he was following the bouncing ball, which Tolbert touched and made a live ball recovered by the Chargers.

There were penalties to be called, but the one part that was called correctly is Tolbert touched the ball before the Chargers did.

 

[Ozone22]

Should have been Cowboys ball after that mess.

 

[RonnieT24]

Here is an Approved Ruling from last year's rules that show if you are eligible to touch OR recover a ball, you can push someone in the back on the way to it.

A.R. 6.57 KICKOFF—BLOCK IN BACK BY TEAM A​

On a kickoff or safety kick, A2 and B3 are running downfield together. The ball hits the ground in front of return man​

B7 at the B10, where he picks it up and runs it to the 50. A2 pushes B3 in the back (a) at the B40 while the kick is in​

the air; (b) at the B17 as he scrambles for the ball after it has hit the ground; or (c) at the B20 while B7 is running​

with the ball.​

Rulings:​

(a) B’s ball, first-and-10 on A40 or re-kick after 10-yard penalty. Team A may not block in the back while the ball is​

in the air during a free kick.​

(b) B’s ball, first-and-10 on 50. There is no foul for a block in the back when a player is making a personal attempt​

to recover a loose ball he is eligible to touch or recover.​

(c) B’s ball, first-and-10 on 50. There is no foul for the kicking team blocking in the back during the return, as they​

are now the defense.​

That is the rule for kickoffs, which is a dead ball situation. A punt is not a live ball until a member of the receiving team touches it. More importantly there is this little nugget in the rule book about pushing a "passive player" (blocker) into the player attempting to make a fair catch:

=============================================================================

RULE 10. OPPORTUNITY TO CATCH A KICK, FAIR CATCH​

SECTION 1 - OPPORTUNITY TO CATCH A KICK​

ARTICLE 1. INTERFERENCE​

During a scrimmage kick that crosses the line of scrimmage, or during a free kick, members of the kicking team are prohibited from interfering with any receiver making an attempt to catch the airborne kick, or from obstructing or hindering his path to the airborne kick, and regardless of whether any signal was given.

Item 1. Contact with Receiver. It is interference if a player of the kicking team contacts the receiver, or causes a passive player of either team to contact the receiver, before or simultaneous to the receiver touching the ball.

Item 2. Right of Way. A receiver who is moving toward a kicked ball that is in flight has the right of way. If opponents obstruct his path to the ball, or cause a passive player of either team to obstruct his path, it is interference, even if there is no contact, or if he catches the ball in spite of the interference, and regardless of whether any signal was given.
=====================================================================================

Clearly by rule the guy pushing Tolbert by the facemask into Turpin was committing two penalties. The refs ignored both, as instructed.

 

[gimmesix]

That’s not how the rule works. If a player is blocked into the returner, it’s not a penalty. If the Cowboys lost the game because of that play, it wouldn’t be looked at any differently. Naturally Cowboys fans look at it differently claiming we got screwed, because it went against us.

Putting aside the block, do you not agree that there was illegal hands to the face? I mean, that one is pretty obvious.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

That is the rule for kickoffs, which is a dead ball situation. A punt is not a live ball until a member of the receiving team touches it. More importantly there is this little nugget in the rule book about pushing a "passive player" (blocker) into the player attempting to make a fair catch:

=============================================================================

RULE 10. OPPORTUNITY TO CATCH A KICK, FAIR CATCH​

SECTION 1 - OPPORTUNITY TO CATCH A KICK​

ARTICLE 1. INTERFERENCE​

During a scrimmage kick that crosses the line of scrimmage, or during a free kick, members of the kicking team are prohibited from interfering with any receiver making an attempt to catch the airborne kick, or from obstructing or hindering his path to the airborne kick, and regardless of whether any signal was given.

Item 1. Contact with Receiver. It is interference if a player of the kicking team contacts the receiver, or causes a passive player of either team to contact the receiver, before or simultaneous to the receiver touching the ball.

Item 2. Right of Way. A receiver who is moving toward a kicked ball that is in flight has the right of way. If opponents obstruct his path to the ball, or cause a passive player of either team to obstruct his path, it is interference, even if there is no contact, or if he catches the ball in spite of the interference, and regardless of whether any signal was given.
=====================================================================================

Clearly by rule the guy pushing Tolbert by the facemask into Turpin was committing two penalties. The refs ignored both, as instructed.

The issue is whether or not Tolbert was passive. He was trying to block I am pretty sure. That is not passive.

 

[Clove]

Even the charger player looked around as if he had flags coming. Dumb rule, needs to be looked at. And there was a hands to the face earlier on our defender, that wasn't nearly as blatant as the one shown in the video. Screw the refs, we won in spite of you idiots.

 

[Runwildboys]

Here is the definition of a loose ball to boot (get it? to "boot?" as in kick?)

ARTICLE 4. LOOSE BALL. A Loose Ball is a live ball that is not in player possession, i.e., any ball that has been kicked, passed,​

or fumbled. A Loose Ball is considered to be in possession of the team (offense) whose player kicked, passed, or fumbled it. It is​

a Loose Ball until a player secures possession or until the ball becomes dead. If it has not yet struck the ground, a Loose Ball is​

In Flight.​

I'm glad you posted this too, because the previous post didn't specify punts; only kickoffs and safety kicks.

 

[RonnieT24]

The issue is whether or not Tolbert was passive. He was trying to block I am pretty sure. That is not passive.

Even if I accept that the rule clearly states that impeding the "right of way" of the player attempting to make the fair catch is a foul. I'm pretty sure pushing a guy into the player impedes his "right of way" and should have been flagged AS SHOULD THE HAND GRABBING TOLBERT'S FACEMASK!!!!

 

[KJJ]

Putting aside the block, do you not agree that there was illegal hands to the face? I mean, that one is pretty obvious.

The expert official from ESPN never mentioned illegal hands to the face. If it was obvious he would’ve said something.

 

[RonnieT24]

The expert official from ESPN never mentioned illegal hands to the face. If it was obvious he would’ve said something.

LOL! Both he and the booth were clearly on a gag order not to mention it. 40 million people saw it on TV and people right there at the game missed it.

 

[Pola_pe_a]

The play was 100% legal,


RULE 10 OPPORTUNITY TO CATCH A KICK, FAIR CATCH
SECTION 1 OPPORTUNITY TO CATCH A KICK
ARTICLE 1. INTERFERENCE. During a scrimmage kick that crosses the line of scrimmage, or during a free kick, members ofthe kicking team are prohibited from interfering with any receiver making an attempt to catch the airborne kick, or from obstructing or hindering his path to the airborne kick, regardless of whether any signal was given.

Item 1. Contact with Receiver. It is interference if a player of the kicking team contacts the receiver, or causes a passive player of either team to contact the receiver, before or simultaneous to the receiver touching the ball. It is not a foul if a kicking team player is blocked into the receiver or the contact is the result of a foul.

Item 2. Right of Way. A receiver who is moving toward a kicked ball that is in flight has the right of way. If opponents obstruct his path to the ball, or cause a passive player of either team to obstruct his path, it is interference, even if there is no contact, or if he catches the ball in spite of the interference, and regardless of whether any signal was given.



1. There is no halo rule like some of you think, that was changed a few years ago. You can get right up in the face of the kick returner. As long as you don’t make contact you’re good.
2. A passive player is someone standing around doing nothing, In that case the kicking team can’t go up and blast him into the kick returner. Tolbert was actively blocking the gunner. He was not passive.

So again, not a foul and a smart play by the Chargers gunner.

 

[Pola_pe_a]

Because it does not matter. Geez people are dense. Tolbert was blocked into Turpin. The rest is incidental.

Correct Tolbert was pushed into Turpin while attempting to block therefore it is 100% legal.

 

[MarcusRock]

That is the rule for kickoffs, which is a dead ball situation. A punt is not a live ball until a member of the receiving team touches it. More importantly there is this little nugget in the rule book about pushing a "passive player" (blocker) into the player attempting to make a fair catch:

=============================================================================

RULE 10. OPPORTUNITY TO CATCH A KICK, FAIR CATCH​

SECTION 1 - OPPORTUNITY TO CATCH A KICK​

ARTICLE 1. INTERFERENCE​

During a scrimmage kick that crosses the line of scrimmage, or during a free kick, members of the kicking team are prohibited from interfering with any receiver making an attempt to catch the airborne kick, or from obstructing or hindering his path to the airborne kick, and regardless of whether any signal was given.

Item 1. Contact with Receiver. It is interference if a player of the kicking team contacts the receiver, or causes a passive player of either team to contact the receiver, before or simultaneous to the receiver touching the ball.

Item 2. Right of Way. A receiver who is moving toward a kicked ball that is in flight has the right of way. If opponents obstruct his path to the ball, or cause a passive player of either team to obstruct his path, it is interference, even if there is no contact, or if he catches the ball in spite of the interference, and regardless of whether any signal was given.
=====================================================================================

Clearly by rule the guy pushing Tolbert by the facemask into Turpin was committing two penalties. The refs ignored both, as instructed.

You're talking about interference with catching a kick which we covered yesterday when I posted this. Runwildboys was asking about Tolbert being pushed in the back before trying to touch the ball after all that. You said it was a foul for being pushed in the back so I was asking what rule you were citing. It's not this one.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

The play was 100% legal,


RULE 10 OPPORTUNITY TO CATCH A KICK, FAIR CATCH
SECTION 1 OPPORTUNITY TO CATCH A KICK
ARTICLE 1. INTERFERENCE. During a scrimmage kick that crosses the line of scrimmage, or during a free kick, members ofthe kicking team are prohibited from interfering with any receiver making an attempt to catch the airborne kick, or from obstructing or hindering his path to the airborne kick, regardless of whether any signal was given.

Item 1. Contact with Receiver. It is interference if a player of the kicking team contacts the receiver, or causes a passive player of either team to contact the receiver, before or simultaneous to the receiver touching the ball. It is not a foul if a kicking team player is blocked into the receiver or the contact is the result of a foul.

Item 2. Right of Way. A receiver who is moving toward a kicked ball that is in flight has the right of way. If opponents obstruct his path to the ball, or cause a passive player of either team to obstruct his path, it is interference, even if there is no contact, or if he catches the ball in spite of the interference, and regardless of whether any signal was given.



1. There is no halo rule like some of you think, that was changed a few years ago. You can get right up in the face of the kick returner. As long as you don’t make contact you’re good.
2. A passive player is someone standing around doing nothing, In that case the kicking team can’t go up and blast him into the kick returner. Tolbert was actively blocking the gunner. He was not passive.

So again, not a foul and a smart play by the Chargers gunner.

Okay now about the hands to the face.

 

[droopdog7]

Okay now about the hands to the face.

It does appear there were hands to the face. What I will say that is there are probably so many calls like this that simply get missed because the refs are only human, whether it be hands to the face here or a tug there. Its sucks for us of course, but so many people were commenting on the actual contact, which should be obvious to everyone was legal.

 

[Runwildboys]

Even if I accept that the rule clearly states that impeding the "right of way" of the player attempting to make the fair catch is a foul. I'm pretty sure pushing a guy into the player impedes his "right of way" and should have been flagged AS SHOULD THE HAND GRABBING TOLBERT'S FACEMASK!!!!

The facemask is the only thing everyone agrees on, and it was absolutely blatant. I'm not sure blocking the blocker into the receiver is illegal, since the blocker is trying to block the gunner. Since it's illegal to touch the receiver, the blocker should have just stepped aside. I don't know if it's still illegal to touch the receiver after pushing the blocker into him, but it seems like it should be, and if so, that's 2 penalties they missed.