PI and faceguarding

[Rich]

Originally Posted by TXMike

Never mind that this rule seems pretty stupid but let me just throw this out there...'

In your game it is illegal for a defender to put his hands up and block the vision of the receiver but it is okay for an onrushing defensive lineman to put hs hands up and block the QB's view downfield towards his receivers?????? Y'all need a rule change there fellas.

Please don't start the whole "NCAA rules are superior" crap.

[TXMike]

On this one they clearly are. This is a freakin CONTACT sport for goodness sake. Making it a foul to simply put your hands up in the air to break up a pass is nuts.

[JugglingReferee]

Originally Posted by TXMike

In your game it is illegal for a defender to put his hands up and block the vision of the receiver but it is okay for an onrushing defensive lineman to put hs hands up and block the QB's view downfield towards his receivers?????? Y'all need a rule change there fellas.

On this one they clearly are. This is a freakin CONTACT sport for goodness sake. Making it a foul to simply put your hands up in the air to break up a pass is nuts.

There is a notable difference between these two acts.

In the case of a defender rushing the passer and raising his arms in the air, he is playing the ball.

In the case of a back pursuing a receiver and raising his arms in the air, and without looking back, he is not playing the ball.

This difference affects a fundamental rule with many sports - not just football: to play the ball (or puck, or ......) and not the man. Everything about football is the ball: forward progress, first/last touched, etc...

[Rich]

Originally Posted by TXMike

On this one they clearly are. This is a freakin CONTACT sport for goodness sake. Making it a foul to simply put your hands up in the air to break up a pass is nuts.

Putting your hands in front of a receiver's face so he cannot see while not playing the ball sounds like bad defense to me. Tell me why this shouldn't be pass interference.

[TXMike]

For the same reason that putting your hands in front of the QB's face is not roughing the passer.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by TXMike

For the same reason that putting your hands in front of the QB's face is not roughing the passer.

This is a really bad analogy, for the reasons JugglingReferee has already mentioned.

[TXMike]

If I put my hands in the QB's face to block his vision I am not "playing the ball" .

[Rich]

Originally Posted by TXMike

If I put my hands in the QB's face to block his vision I am not "playing the ball" .

You're not interfering with his attempt to catch a pass, either.