Play of the day from 8-12-05

[kentref]

The Play of the Day from last Friday is throwing me a curve. Here's the play:

A11 is running a deep post pattern and B11 (a) contacts A11 knocking him off his intended path or (b) grabs A11's jersey. In both situations, the pass has already crossed the neutral zone and the pass is clearly away from A11.

The stated ruling is that in (a) there is no pass interference and in (b) there is holding.

My interpretation has always been that "holding" is a call that can be made PRIOR to the ball being thrown. Once the ball is away then the contact is pass interference. With the new "no DPI if clearly away from the pass" rule we obviously need to look at this differently now.

My question: Previous to this year, I would have called the situation in (b) defensive pass interference since the ball was clearly thrown. Was that wrong?

Second question: If A11 is clearly away from the ball, then I'm probably not even calling the "holding" foul because it likely isn't influencing the play. I am talking to the defender after the play though.

What's everyone's take on this?

[grantsrc]

We debating this at our state rules meeting. I too, was a little "trigger shy" about calling the holding if I'm to not call the DPI.

A statement was made about the action of the play after the hold. In the DPI, he merely knocks him off his route. The receiver still has the opportunity to participate in the play. In the hold, receiver that was held could be kept from making a play down the road.

For instance, if he is held by B and the receiver that made the catch on the other side of the field goes for a long run, the receiver who was held could be prevented from making a block or something. B gains an advantage in this scenario. Whereas in the DPI, the A player can still continue in the action of the play.

I hope I make sense.

[Bob M.]

REPLY: My two cents...I agree with kentref on (b) that in the past, holding would be called in that situation only if the pass was not yet airborne. The overarching question is really should you call holding at all? Unless the grab does something to obviously restrict the receiver and really keep him from participating in the rest of the play, keep the flag in your pocket. In my opinion, here's the thought process you should follow for such plays:

1. See the 'hold.' That is, see the whole play.
2. Take a look toward A's backfield. If it's a running play, keep the flag in your pocket. Talk the the defender discretely afterwards about "watching his hands." If it's a pass and the QB is releasing (or has released) the ball to another receiver not in the vicinity of the hold, same thing. If, however, the QB is still scanning the field for a receiver and you believe that the grab either materially impacted the potential receiver's route or impacted the QB's decision to throw the ball his way, then drop the flag--regardless of whether or not the pass is ultimately thrown and regardless of where the ball is ultimately thrown.

I'm pretty sure that the Fed's Case Book play (Situation 11 on p. 6) is written in a way that technically describes the rule--not necessarily how such a play should be officiated.