no pass interference on punts?
 

the rams lined up to punt, but the punter passed the ball instead, and one of the bears clearly knocked down the receiver before the ball got there. they said there is no flag for pass interference because in a punt formation, it is legal to knock down the receiver. how can this be? if this is true, they need to get the information out to punt coverage teams that if they fake it, just wait for the ball to go in the air and then just tackle the receiver. this is one of those rules that not many know about i think.

first i am a bears fan.

i saw the play. yes the ref said "pi not on punts". never heard before.

the funny part was from brian baldinger "he must catch the ball".
not so easy when your legs get pulled away.

From NFL.com

Whenever a team presents an apparent punting formation, defensive pass interference is not to be called for action on the end man on the line of scrimmage, or an eligible receiver behind the line of scrimmage who is aligned or in motion more than one yard outside the end man on the line. Defensive holding, such as tackling a receiver, still can be called and result in a 5-yard penalty and automatic first down from the previous spot, if accepted. Offensive pass interference rules still apply.

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NCAA rules have something similar. It is not pass interference: When a Team A potential kicker, from scrimmage kick formation,
simulates a scrimmage kick by throwing the ball high and deep, and
contact by a Team B player occurs.

The reason for this and for the NFL rule is that the defender is at a disadvantage because he don't know if the ball is pass or indeed kicked.

Raise your hand if you knew this rule before yesterday.

I didn't. 30 years of watching football, I'd never heard of it.

I have the video, I'll make a clip of it so you can see. The play was one thing, but the referee didn't exactly go all Ed Hochuli in his explanation. It was one of the least-effective referee explanations I've ever seen. Just strange.

Bears fan also. New rule on me as well. But I don't see how this NCAA rule would apply: "When a Team A potential kicker, from scrimmage kick formation, simulates a scrimmage kick by throwing the ball high and deep, and contact by a Team B player occurs." There was nothing thrown high nor did it seem to me that there was any intent to disguise the throw as a kick.

"Defensive holding, such as tackling a receiver, still can be called...." and it sure looked like to me that it should have been. Contact was clearly early, the receiver couldn't have been mistaken for a blocker, and the contact was from the middle of the field out to the sideline. It certainly seems like this was something the crew should have gotten.

Actually, for once this season, I actually got to watch some NFL football and I couldn't believe the number of times in the two games I watched (Bears and Giants) that the officials picked up a flag. And the explanations of penalties of the crew that did the Bears were lousy all game I thought.

Yes, they struggled. McAulay (that's who it was, right?) is no Ronald Reagan.

so the only penalty that can't be called is defensive pass interference, and this is because the defense would normally be blocking, and may not see that it's a pass, therefor keeps blocking as usual? and this can only happen with the outside guys (i think called gunners in a punt formation)? so if the tight end goes out for a pass, it can be DPI?

To avoid any unnecessary confusion with the NFHS code, (NF:7.5.7) "Pass interference restrictions only apply beyond the neutral zone and only if the pass, untouched by B in or behind the NZ, crosses the neutral zone.

(NF:7.5.10.a) "It is pass interference if: (a) Any player of A or B who is beyond the NZ interferes with an eligible opponent's opportunity to move toward, catch or bat the pass."

That's on a legal forward pass, right?

BTW, here's the play in question:

32MB version | 5 MB version

I didn't say this rule was the same in the NFL. I was just wanting to point out that the NCAA has a similar rule. The "high and deep" part of the NCAA rule is not defined in the rule book so that is open to the ruling officials judgement as to what he thinks is "high and deep".

from larry mayer cb.com

before my time. since 1989.

but
high and deep = every pass

right, and apparently nobody is eligible in a punt formation. so wouldn't it be illegal touching then when you fake a punt and pass? confusing.

In which code? I thought the ends were eligible at least in the NFL. What are the rules in NCAA and NFHS?

Both NCAA and NFHS, ends and backs with eligible numbers are eligible. Yes, Virginia, even on punts.

In NFHS, and I'm sure NCAA there's some additional rules about scrimmage kick formations but I'll spare you the details unless you really want them. ;)