Question re illegal forward pass

[Robert Goodman]

Originally Posted by ajmc

Doesn't removing the distance penalty eliminate ALL of the risk in attempting an illegal pass? Clearly, since it's an illegal pass treating it as simply incomplete (Loss of down at the basic spot) offers NO consequence for trying it.

Depending on the type of illegal pass, there shouldn't need to be add'l consequences for "trying" them. I'm referring to those types of illegal forward pass which are not intentional grounding, as in the case that started this thread. Since they're so easily detected, there doesn't need to be any disincentive for trying them. Nobody does them intentionally; they're done when the passer is either attempting a backward pass that goes forward, or doesn't realize the conditions for a legal forward pass haven't been met.