Hello all,
I am trying to wrap my head around passing rules and had a few questions. I hoping someone out there can help clarify these issues:
1). If a receiver or running back is behind the line of scrimmage, can a defensive back step across the line of scrimmage to attack the player? Can the db tackle them, push them to the ground, hold them up indefinitely? For example, a RB swings out on a screeen pass and is still behind the line of scrimmage. Does the defensive player need to allow him to touch the ball before he makes contact, or can he immediately collide with the RB, regardless of whether the ball has been thrown or not? Does it matter if the ball is thrown forward of the QB or behind the QB?
2). If a db is looking at the ball/making a play for the ball and collides into the receiver, is that a penalty? Once the ball is in the air, don't both players have equal claim to the ball? And as long as they are actually making a play for the ball, isn't all contact fair play? Or is there an issue with position, as in if one player has a better position to catch the ball, then any contact from a second player would be a penalty?
3). Can a receiver make contact with a defender if he is running a pass route, or does that qualify as an illegal receiver down field? In other words, how long should a DB allow a receiver to "block him" before he can safely think that the receiver is blocking and it is a run play?
Thanks for all your help in advance.