roughing the passer...

[Texoma_LJ]

Ok.. gotta admit that I am confused on one of the test questions and the more I read it... the more confused I become.

Question #67. Roughing the passer, The way the rule is written there are two sentences, which state two different conditions. The first being that the defense must make an effort to avoid charging into the passer after the ball is gone. The second states that the defense shall not charge into the passer who is still or fading back after the pass.

my question is... are these two different situations, or are these a set of conditions that both must be met for there to be roughing the passer. If both conditions must be met, then a QB that is moving forward toward the line after the pass is not afforded protection, and I cannot believe this to be true.

[waltjp]

Rule 9.4.4 discusses two points. The first is a passer who has just thrown a pass. The second part affords protection to a passer who has thrown a pass and is just standing still or fading back. I assume that this is to prevent B from taking a cheap shot at him after throwing an interception.

I answered True.

[Bob M.]

REPLY: I agree with Walt. The answer is almost undoubtedly TRUE. But remember this is a Federation test so nothing's a 100% certainty! The "standing still" or "fading back" language is there as a reinforcement that the QB has taken himself "out of the play" in those situations.

[Warrenkicker]

I also went with a True answer.

2-30-11 A passer is a player who throws a forward pass. He continues to be a passer until the pass ends or until he moves to participate in the play.

So when the pass is caught or falls incomplete he looses the designation of passer.

The question reads: 67. After the pass is thrown, provided the passer is standing still or fading back, defensive players shall make an effort to avoid charging into him.

This is true because a passer could be moving into a position to block after he threw the pass and that ends his designation as a passer.

And in the end I see this question as being almost word-for-word from the Rules book.
9-4-4 Roughing the passer. Defensive players must make a definite effort to avoid charging into a passer, who has thrown the ball from in or behind the neutral zone, after it is clear the ball has been thrown. No defensive player shall charge into the passer who is standing still or fading back, because he is considered out of the play after the pass.

[Texoma_LJ]

The reason I raised the topic is because of the phrasing of the question itself on the exam. The wording "provided he is standing still or fading back" makes me second guess myself.

If he is moving forward to throw and his momentum carries him that way, an allowance would be made for this I am sure. As pointed out though in good old rule #2... once he begins to move forward to otherwise participate in the play, this protection ceases. This helps to clear my mind.

Thanks for the points of view.. its well appreciated.

[Edited by Texoma_LJ on Jul 26th, 2005 at 05:37 PM]

[devdog69]

talking about the 'fed test' thing making it unpredictable is certainly true. I was filling out my volleyball test and looking at last years test and answers and there was a question that had been thrown out last year and it was on this years test with the wording exactly the same, doesn't make a bit of sense.

[Snake~eyes]

Originally posted by devdog69
talking about the 'fed test' thing making it unpredictable is certainly true. I was filling out my volleyball test and looking at last years test and answers and there was a question that had been thrown out last year and it was on this years test with the wording exactly the same, doesn't make a bit of sense.

I've heard that after a question has been on the test for (I think its 3) 3 years they give it the boot.