NFL calls I still don't understand

[Phoenix]

1. Illegal man downfield. WHAT? Why??? Why oh why is this ever called? The whole purpose of the game is to GET DOWNFIELD. What is the meaning of this call?!

2. Illegal formation, when someone is "covered" by lining up at WR over a TE usually. WHAT? WHY exactly is that "illegal"? Makes no sense to me.

 

[theogt]

Agreed on both, but particularly on illegal formation. That's just ********. And it gets called ALL THE TIME.

 

[Bob Sacamano]

I have no problem with illegal formation. A player shouldn't get a head start on every one else by not setting into his stance.

 

[TheCount]

I have no problem with illegal formation. A player shouldn't get a head start on every one else by not setting into his stance.

Illegal formation has to do with being in your stance?

 

[Bob Sacamano]

Illegal formation has to do with being in your stance?

Whoops, I'm thinking of illegal motion.

 

[rkell87]

i agree with illegal man downfield i don't agree with illegal formation.

 

[Bizwah]

I don't agree with many yardage penalties....

Like, illegal contact with a WR. A five yard, automatic first down penalty? Are you kidding? It can be third and 30....and you have an illegal contact penalty, gain five yards from it, and they get a first down.

Pass Interference....sorry, but a spot foul is ridiculous. Unless there's an absolute mugging downfield, it should be a 10 to 15 yard penalty only.

I've also never understood half-the-distance penalties. To me, if you are at the ten yard line and committ a 10 yard penalty, you should be moved back to the one.

 

[SaltwaterServr]

I will defend the pass interference spot foul until my death. Two weeks ago in a ranked college game the CB tackles the WR on a 40+ yard pass play. In the NFL it's a first down at the one yard line. In college, they ended up punting on the drive after failing to convert the next set of downs. They should have been kicking a field goal at the very least. The rule highly favors the defense's use of an illegal tactic to cover up their own mistake.

Illegal contact is a first down because it prevents the play from ever developing.

I with Bizwah on the ten yard penalty thing though. The ball should automatically go back to the one yard line, then the one inch line.

 

[CowboyDan]

I will defend the pass interference spot foul until my death. Two weeks ago in a ranked college game the CB tackles the WR on a 40+ yard pass play. In the NFL it's a first down at the one yard line. In college, they ended up punting on the drive after failing to convert the next set of downs. They should have been kicking a field goal at the very least. The rule highly favors the defense's use of an illegal tactic to cover up their own mistake.

Illegal contact is a first down because it prevents the play from ever developing.
quote]

Thank you for saving me the typing

 

[SkinsandTerps]

Pass Int in College is a joke. The NFL would take full advantage of that.

The half the distance works both ways. The offense commits a penalty, and it is the same.

The illegal man down field is a little touchy, and it has to do with where a player lines up in the initial formation (or checking in). The illegal formation, I understand it, but I don't like the rule either.

I can't complain about the rules because they apply for both teams. So ultimately it's like playing basketball with a ball that neither team likes. You are both playing with the same ball.

I do not like that their are different NFL balls used for kickers.

 

[joseephuss]

1. Illegal man downfield. WHAT? Why??? Why oh why is this ever called? The whole purpose of the game is to GET DOWNFIELD. What is the meaning of this call?!

2. Illegal formation, when someone is "covered" by lining up at WR over a TE usually. WHAT? WHY exactly is that "illegal"? Makes no sense to me.

The purpose of both rules is to give the defense a chance to stop the offenses.

Illegal man downfield
It would be even more of a challenge to keep big pass plays from happening if an offensive lineman was 10 yards downfield before the pass was thrown. It may seem silly if you see an offensive lineman penalized because he was only 2 yards downfield before the pass was thrown. What happens if this rule does not exist? You know offensive coordinators, except Jason Garrett would find a way to take advantage of the situation.

Illegal formation
The formation dictates who is eligible to go out for a pass. If this rule did not exist, then the defense would have a tough time figuring out who to cover. Would it be the WR or the center going out for a pass? It is not only the WR covering the TE. It is covering the end man on the line who could be another WR or the OT. There needs to be some guidelines.

 

[SkinsandTerps]

The purpose of both rules is to give the defense a chance to stop the offenses.

Illegal formation
The formation dictates who is eligible to go out for a pass. If this rule did not exist, then the defense would have a tough time figuring out who to cover. Would it be the WR or the center going out for a pass? It is not only the WR covering the TE. It is covering the end man on the line who could be another WR or the OT. There needs to be some guidelines.

The defenses job is to stop the offense. Wildcat offense makes that fairly obvious. Defenses are allowed to confuse offenses but not the other way around ?

 

[VietCowboy]

I don't like the 10 second runoff if the offense commits a penalty within the last 1 minute (if the play clock didn't stop). I'd rather they lose a down.

I'm not feeling the safety if the offense commits a penalty in the end zone. I guess most of those would have resulted in a sack, but it could also not be. Again, I think the prudent penalty would be to lose a down.

I like the College's Overtime much better, I think it gives a fairer chance to both teams to win.

 

[SkinsandTerps]

I hate college overtime. Different topic though.

 

[YosemiteSam]

The following is the reasoning why illegal formation penalties exist. (don't hold me to this as it's a sketchy memory at best from my playing days)

A legal formation requires 7 men on the line of scrimmage.

The tackles wear a ineligibly receiving numbers, but the outermost player that is lined up on the line of scrimmage is ALWAYS declared an eligible receiver. (an illegal receiving number in a default receiving position. hence, illegal formation) You must cover up players that do not have eligible receiving numbers or declare them eligible. If he is declared eligible, then an uncovered tackle becomes a legal formation.

I believe illegal man down field is related. During a pass play, only eligible receivers can be down field. Passing the line of scrimmage, declares you an eligible receiver. (again, hence the reason why there are eligible and ineligible receiving numbers) The numbers make it easier for the refs to determine who is eligible and who isn't. That is why you must declare the tackle eligible if he will go out on a pass play. (or go uncovered on the offensive line!)

 

[joseephuss]

The defenses job is to stop the offense. Wildcat offense makes that fairly obvious. Defenses are allowed to confuse offenses but not the other way around ?

Offenses are allowed to confuse defenses and they currently do all the time. There has to be some sort of limitation or it would not be competitive. It is often hard enough stopping current offenses knowing which player are eligible to go out for passes. Defenses would have a very hard time stopping offenses if any offensive player could go out for a pass.

 

[SkinsandTerps]

Offenses are allowed to confuse defenses and they currently do all the time. There has to be some sort of limitation or it would not be competitive. It is often hard enough stopping current offenses knowing which player are eligible to go out for passes. Defenses would have a very hard time stopping offenses if any offensive player could go out for a pass.

Any defensive player is allowed an interception though. There is not a standard for them.

 

[theogt]

Illegal formation
The formation dictates who is eligible to go out for a pass. If this rule did not exist, then the defense would have a tough time figuring out who to cover. Would it be the WR or the center going out for a pass? It is not only the WR covering the TE. It is covering the end man on the line who could be another WR or the OT. There needs to be some guidelines.

While it's true that the rule for determining who is eligible to receive a pass is based on the formation rule, the rule could easily be written around this. That's just a mechanical issue, not a substantive issue.

 

[Bizwah]

I will defend the pass interference spot foul until my death. Two weeks ago in a ranked college game the CB tackles the WR on a 40+ yard pass play. In the NFL it's a first down at the one yard line. In college, they ended up punting on the drive after failing to convert the next set of downs. They should have been kicking a field goal at the very least. The rule highly favors the defense's use of an illegal tactic to cover up their own mistake.

Illegal contact is a first down because it prevents the play from ever developing.

I with Bizwah on the ten yard penalty thing though. The ball should automatically go back to the one yard line, then the one inch line.

I'll attack it until my death.

There's no way on earth a judgement call should result in a 50 yard penalty. For years there were levels of facemask penalties....15 yard and 5 yard. I've always maintained this could be done for PI.

In a play where the defender is jostling for position and gets there early....15 yards and automatic first down.

In a play where the WR is grabbed, or pushed down, or tackled....spot foul.

We don't give DBs the ball when the offense interferes....why give the WR the ball where a ticky-tack foul occurs?

 

[CowboyDan]

I'll attack it until my death.

There's no way on earth a judgement call should result in a 50 yard penalty. For years there were levels of facemask penalties....15 yard and 5 yard. I've always maintained this could be done for PI.

In a play where the defender is jostling for position and gets there early....15 yards and automatic first down.

In a play where the WR is grabbed, or pushed down, or tackled....spot foul.

We don't give DBs the ball when the offense interferes....why give the WR the ball where a ticky-tack foul occurs?

Sounds like the problem you have is not with the rule, but with the ref's interpretation of the rule.
What I mean is that there are rules in place to protect cornerbacks from offensive pass interference, but they are rarely called compared to the amount of times defensive pass interference is called.