Fed: ineligible downfield on wedge pass

[JugglingReferee]

Originally Posted by Robert Goodman

Wedge plays are those in which team A linemen exert force without illegal use of hands on teammates in front of them who block opponents. One player is in the apex of the wedge, and teammates either side of hir use their inside shoulders on the butt or rib cage of the apex player, the players to their sides do the same to them, etc., and buried in there (but not being pushed by them) is the ballcarrier.

Suppose a team has in its wedge series of plays some forward passes thrown across the neutral zone. Suppose that before the pass is thrown, ineligible receiver A1 has crossed to B's side of the neutral zone and is not in direct contact with a player of B, but is wedging A2 who is in contact with B1. Further suppose A1 continues moving forward as part of the wedge throughout the interval preceding the pass, and that A2 has been in contact with B1 since the initial line charge, B1 having been close to B's LOS when the ball was put in play.

Is A1 illegally downfield?

Yes, I believe that A1 is illegally downfield.

Originally Posted by Robert Goodman

Now, same question with A1 but not A2 in contact with an opponent. A2 is leaning back on A1 and letting A1 drive hir forward in this case.

Yes, I believe that this is also IMD.