Zebra
Somewhere in, NJ
Male, 62
I've officiated football for over 30 years, now in my 26th on the college level. I've worked NCAA playoffs at the Division II and III level. In addition, I've coached at the scholastic level and have been an educator for over 35 years. I have no interest whatsoever in being an NFL official! Ever!
It's a penalty for anyone to lead with their helmet. Why it's not called is a tough and good question. Almost every runner in an attempt to get more yardage "lowers shoulders" which, of course, lowers his head. It also is usually when they are about to get hit and they are slowing a bit. My sense is that most officials tend to see it as lowering the shoulders and not using the head as a weapon. It probably is more common to see defensive players attack the runner, creating a more forceful impact. But you're right - it should go both ways.
Based on what you describe, the player and the ball are still in the field of play. That is not a touchback. To add to the fun, at least in college, if a player intercepts at the one - as you describe - and his momentum carries him into the endzone where he is then downed, the ball is placed at the one.
Most youth leagues use the rules that the state's high schools use. For most starws, that is the National Federation. If the ball carrier crosses the line, he cannot legallythrow the ball forward. The ball carrier can throw a backwards pass. If that occurs, there is nothing that I can find that would prevent the runner from catching his own backward pass. But, as you describe it, and I'm readingf into it, it sounds as if the ball is thrown ahead of the runner to get past the defender. That is an illegal pass.
You look at the result of the play, not the intent. It's the same as a fake; the result, if successful, is two points for the run/pass play.
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If a pass is caught behind the line of scrimmage, there can't be OPI. So a WR blocking ahead of that screen is legal.
There doesn't seem to be anything wrong with this. Not much different than the times when a punter takes a snap and runs around in the endzone (I think this was in last yeat's Super Bowl) to kill time before running out of bounds. Defensive teams have allowed offenses to score in order to get the ball back quickly. It isn't a "mockery" of te game, it's a strategy. As long as the ball carrier isn't taunting (e.g. waving it in the face of the opponent) it seems to be a legal and a smart move.
Uhhh, yes! You pick him up? That's holding even without a rulebook. And tossing him like that? Could easily be called a personal foul or unnecessary roughness. Shows you what TV guys know.
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