During chat yesterday, I initially said that was a super play by Reeves.
Then I saw the replay.
Look carefully at Eduncan's replay again (you're so crazy, Eduncan
) at both the
:19 and
:15 marks of the video (a viewer has the capacity to pause the video). Reeves clearly grabs the receiver's left upper arm with his left arm--thus hindering his ability to raise that hand for the catch. Additionally, when Reeves jumps up to swat at the ball with this right hand, his motion causes his body to contact the receiver's from behind. In other words, he was playing through the receiver's back.
The rule which you have refered to...
http://www.nfl.com/rulebook/passinterference
...and here are the definitions of the rule which the refs did not call:
Pass Interference
4. It is pass interference by either team when any player movement beyond the line of scrimmage significantly hinders the progress of an eligible player of such player’s opportunity to catch the ball... Defensive pass interference rules apply from the time the ball is thrown until the ball is touched.
Actions that constitute defensive pass interference include but are not limited to:
(b) Playing through the back of a receiver in an attempt to make a play on the ball.
(c) Grabbing a receiver’s arm(s) in such a manner that restricts his opportunity to catch a pass.
(d) Extending an arm across the body of a receiver thus restricting his ability to catch a pass, regardless of whether the defender is playing the ball.
(f) Hooking a receiver in an attempt to get to the ball in such a manner that it causes the receiver’s body to turn prior to the ball arriving.
