Fellow Officials ... looking for the "definitive" answer for whether an Eligible receiver can legally block/push off a defensive player at the LOS then run a pass route downfield and catch a pass. I read through all the threads for the last couple of years and couldn't find a discussion for this one.
After reading the rulebook, case book and the Redding guide, here's what I've found: 7-5-11(b) says that "Contact by A (does not distinguish between eligible/ineligible or lineman/back) is immediately made on a B lineman and the contact does not continue beyond the Expanded Neutral Zone." is NOT pass interference.
The first key word is "immediately" which, in my interpretation, means that a back in the backfield will probably NOT meet this criteria. That's pretty clear to me ... unless there's an exception that I can't find.
Secondly, "the contact does not continue beyond the ENZ" which is +2 yds. Pretty clear to me also.
From that, I conclude:
(1) All Eligible receivers may block IN or BEHIND the NZ then release downfield on a pass route
(2) Eligible receivers on the line (TE/SE) may Legally make (or initiate) immediate contact with a B lineman (a defender who is within 1 yard of his LOS at the snap), drive the defender no more than 2 yds beyond the NZ and then release down field for a pass route.
(3) Eligible receivers is the backfield may neither initiate contact nor continue contact past the NZ
Seems like everyone I ask has a different opinion/interpretation of what is and is not permitted.
