Pass Interference

[Robert Goodman]

Originally Posted by Big2Cat

Can you show me the rule that says if you don't turn your head or play the ball, and your face-guarding hand is lucky enough to knock the ball away, that DPI shall not be called?

If the player actually succeeded in batting the ball, certainly that player must have attempted to bat it, which gets him off the hook for face guarding. It doesn't say he can't use the eyes-in-the-back-of-the-head (or getting a clue from the opponent's eyes) technique.

Suppose he'd been trying to play the ball all the way. Wouldn't his hands have wound up in the same place? Then how can it be said that he disadvantaged the opponent by face guarding? If a rules provision against face guarding can prevent a player from putting hands in the position where they'd need to be to play the ball, then something is wrong.