Incomplete pass

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An incomplete pass is a term in gridiron football which means that a legal forward pass is not successfully caught by an eligible offensive player within the field of play. An incomplete pass can occur if (1) the ball hits the ground in the field of play before a player on either team gains possession; (2) the ball is caught by a player on either team who, at the moment of possession is out of bounds; or (3) the ball is thrown outside the field of play. An incomplete pass causes the down to advance by one and the offensive team gains no yards. The game clock is stopped. [1]

Contents

Becoming a fumble or interception

If the receiver catches the ball and has possession of it, then loses control of it for any reason and a player from the other team catches it a fumble is called. In the NFL, both feet must be in bounds and the player must have clear control of the ball and make a football move or have the ability to perform such an act. In other leagues, only one foot must be in bounds with clear possession carrying a lighter burden of proof.

If a member of the opposing team gains possession of the ball within the field of play, before it hits the ground, it is ruled an interception.

Pass interference

If the receiver (or a defending player) is touched by a member of the opposing team in a way that prevents him from catching the ball, it is ruled pass interference, resulting in a penalty against the touching player's team. The exception to this rule is if the ball is deemed "uncatchable" by the referees, in which case a pass interference penalty is impossible.

Intentional incomplete pass

Often, whenever defensive players blitz the quarterback, to avoid a sack, the quarterback will do what is known as "throwing the football away". This is a deliberate incomplete pass thrown off of the field in order to avoid loss of yardage. The main difference between this and intentional grounding is that the quarterback must leave the "pocket" of offensive lineman and throw past the line of scrimmage, so there is no penalty issued. Spiking the ball is also considered to be a legal incomplete pass. [2]

League rules

The specifics of what constitutes an incomplete pass vary among leagues and throughout time. For instance, at the time of the Immaculate Reception, an NFL rule stated in the pertinent part that once an offensive player touches a pass, he is the only offensive player eligible to catch the pass. "However, if a [defensive] player touches [the] pass first, or simultaneously with or subsequent to its having been touched by only one [offensive] player, then all [offensive] players become and remain eligible" to catch the pass; [3] [4] this rule was later rescinded in 1978.

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In American and Canadian football, pass interference (PI) is a foul that occurs when a player interferes with an eligible receiver's ability to make a fair attempt to catch a forward pass. Pass interference may include tripping, pushing, pulling, or cutting in front of the receiver, covering the receiver's face, or pulling on the receiver's hands or arms. It does not include catching or batting the ball before it reaches the receiver. Once the ball touches any defensive player or eligible offensive receiver, the above rules no longer apply and the defender may tackle the receiver or attempt to prevent them from gaining control of the ball. Once a forward pass is in the air it is a loose ball and thus any eligible receiver – all defensive players are eligible receivers – may try to catch it. When a defensive player catches a forward pass it is an interception and their team gains possession of the ball. Some actions that are defined as pass interference may be overlooked if the defender is attempting to catch or bat the ball rather than focusing on the receiver.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">American football rules</span>

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In gridiron football, clock management is an aspect of game strategy that focuses on the game clock and/or play clock to achieve a desired result, typically near the end of a match. Depending on the game situation, clock management may entail playing in a manner that either slows or quickens the time elapsed from the game clock, to either extend the match or hasten its end. When the desired outcome is to end the match quicker, it is analogous to "running out the clock" seen in many sports. Clock management strategies are a significant part of American football, where an elaborate set of rules dictates when the game clock stops between downs, and when it continues to run.

A formation in American football refers to the position players line up in before the start of a down. There are both offensive and defensive formations and there are many formations in both categories. Sometimes, formations are referred to as packages.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Reception (gridiron football)</span> Event in gridiron football

In gridiron football, a reception, also known informally as a catch, is part of a passing play in which a player in bounds successfully catches (receives) a forward pass thrown from a friendly quarterback behind the line of scrimmage. After making the catch, the receiver will then proceed to run towards the opposing end zone carrying the ball and try to score a touchdown, unless the play ends due to him being downed or forced out of bounds. Yardage gained from the passing play are credited to the catcher as his receiving yards.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Penalty (gridiron football)</span> Penalty in American football

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Punt (gridiron football)</span> Kick downfield to the opposing team in gridiron football

In gridiron football, a punt is a kick performed by dropping the ball from the hands and then kicking the ball before it hits the ground. The most common use of this tactic is to punt the ball downfield to the opposing team, usually on the final down, with the hope of giving the receiving team a field position that is more advantageous to the kicking team when possession changes. The result of a typical punt, barring any penalties or extraordinary circumstances, is a first down for the receiving team. A punt is not to be confused with a drop kick, a kick after the ball hits the ground, now rare in both American and Canadian football.

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The Fail Mary, also known as the Inaccurate Reception or the Intertouchdownception, was the final play of an American football game between the Green Bay Packers and Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League (NFL) that occurred on September 24, 2012, at CenturyLink Field in Seattle, Washington. In a nationally televised game on ESPN's Monday Night Football, the Seahawks defeated the Packers, 14–12, in controversial fashion.

References

  1. NFL Rulebook: Rule 4, Section 4(f)
  2. NFL Rulebook: Rule 8, Section 2, Article 1, Item 3
  3. "Rule 7, Section 5, Article 2, Item 1". Official Rules for Professional Football. The National Football League. 1971. pp. 44–45.
  4. Gola, Hank (December 21, 1997). "Steel of the Century! Twenty-Five Years Later, 'Immaculate' Still Inimitable". New York Daily News. Retrieved December 28, 2017.