Roughing the "passer"

[APG]

Originally Posted by maven

NFL does not have a roughing the passer rule, but rather a roughing the quarterback rule. Since the passer is not the QB, he is afforded no additional protection.

If I don't have this exactly right, APG will be along shortly to correct me.

There is a roughing the passer rule. It applies to legal and illegal forward passes behind the line of scrimmage. Roughing the passer does not apply to to illegal forward passes beyond the line of scrimmage but a defender can still be called for unnecessary roughness (as witnessed in the Sunday Night game last night with the illegal forward pass by Jay Cutler and the subsequent UNR).

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by APG

There is a roughing the passer rule. It applies to legal and illegal forward passes behind the line of scrimmage. Roughing the passer does not apply to to illegal forward passes beyond the line of scrimmage but a defender can still be called for unnecessary roughness (as witnessed in the Sunday Night game last night with the illegal forward pass by Jay Cutler and the subsequent UNR).

This is the exact play that caused my train of thought. Problem is, at least on the mike, he said roughing the passer, and not UNR. Not that it mattered in enforcement - and I DO agree it was UNR, but it made me wonder what the call would have been had it not been UNR, and just RTP as called.

[APG]

Originally Posted by MD Longhorn

This is the exact play that caused my train of thought. Problem is, at least on the mike, he said roughing the passer, and not UNR. Not that it mattered in enforcement - and I DO agree it was UNR, but it made me wonder what the call would have been had it not been UNR, and just RTP as called.

Are you sure? I actually remember the call being unnecessary roughness and that's what's in the official play-by-play...not that it matters in the NFL enforcement wise. There would be no difference on that play between UNR and RTP.

[bkdow]

I don't remember the exact verbage but it was something like an unnecessary blow to the quarterback above the shoulders.

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by bkdow

I don't remember the exact verbage but it was something like an unnecessary blow to the quarterback above the shoulders.

I think that's either exactly right, or very close. the fact that he said QB gave me pause. And I agree that on THAT play, it would be UNR anyway, and no enforcement difference.

Like I said, though, it got me thinking about RTP across the line.

[zm1283]

Originally Posted by Adam

Did he pitch it forward?

No, it was an option pitch, or backwards pass.