FOOTBALL IN HIGH HEELS: GETTING A PASS
During my last football post, I talked about the penalties in the game. Tonight, I take on the last four main penalties, try to figure out what they mean and share what I thought they meant.
Pass interference—What It Means: This is a judgment call made by an official who sees a defensive player making contact with the intended receiver before the ball arrives. This restricts his opportunity to catch the forward pass. In NFL games, this penalty awards the offensive team the ball at the spot of the foul with an automatic first down. However, in a college football game, pass interference is a 15-yard penalty and an automatic first down.
What I Thought It Meant: Players weren’t allowed to pass and if they did, someone interfered to prevent it from happening.
Personal foul—What It Means: This is an illegal, flagrant foul considered risky to the health of another player. The punishment for this is a 15-yard penalty.
What I Thought It Meant: A personal screw-up made by a player that causes him problems during the game.
Roughing the kicker—What It Means: This is when a defensive player makes any contact with the punter, provided they didn’t touch the kicked ball before said contact. The punishment: a 15-yard penalty and an automatic first down.
Roughing the passer—What It Means: This is when a defensive player makes direct contact with the quarterback after the ball has been has released. The punishment for this is a 15-yard penalty and an automatic first down.
What I Thought These Terms Meant: The players roughed up the passer or kicker, causing a fight in the field.
Join us next time as we do the ABCs of the NFL teams!
