Unusual play situation that I wanted to get the pulse of the collective on:
A88 breaks off for a long run, scores a TD. After the whistle, B7 contacts A24 in what would otherwise be a textbook block in the back, sending him sprawling. The ball carrier was 7 yards deep in the end zone when this happened, although the contact against A24 was not in the end zone (i.e., almost 10 yards away from the ball carrier).
Are the only options a dead ball personal foul for late hit or to ignore the contact? Is there something else I'm missing? What is the philosophy on calling this? Slight contact, or if he had been trying to reach the ball carrier I could see being ignored, but this was contact substantial enough to knock the player down and it occurred well away from the ball carrier after the whistle. That far away from the ball carrier, would that contact be considered legal if it occurred during the play instead of after? Is it a safety issue that we should err on the side of calling?
Thanks for any insight.
