THE
CANADIAN RULE BOOK
FOR TACKLE
FOOTBALL
RULE 6
-PASSING
A Lateral or Onside Pass is one thrown,
handed, knocked, batted, kicked or fumbled by a player parallel to or in the
direction of his own dead line.
The point of termination is that point
at which the ball is caught, strikes another player, an official, or the ground,
or goes out of bounds, and it is the factor which determines whether it is a
lateral pass, regardless of the direction in which it goes afterwards.
A lateral pass striking the ground is
not dead, and may be recovered legally by either team.
When a lateral pass goes out of bounds,
without being touched by a player after the pass is made, the ball shall be put
into play at the hash mark at the out of bounds point, or at the point of origin
of the pass, whichever is closer to the dead line of the team entitled to
possession.
A Hand Off Pass is made on a scrimmage
play, when the ball is handed in any direction but not thrown, by one team A
player to another, behind the line of scrimmage.
The player receiving the pass must not
at that point be occupying the position of a lineman.
There are no restrictions on the number
of hand off passes on any one play.
A hand off pass in a forward direction
is illegal following a completed Forward Pass.
An Offside Pass is not defined as a
foul. It is made when the ball is
handed, thrown, a loose ball is kicked, or the ball is directed in any manner,
in the direction of the opponents dead line.
A pass shall be ruled as an offside pass if the point of termination is
closer to the opponents dead line than the point of origin of the pass.
A player who is offside may receive or
recover an offside pass, subject to penalty.
Penalty: Next
scrimmage at point of origin of offside pass.
An Offside Pass generally occurs in the
following situations:
(1) on a scrimmage play, a Team A player makes an offside pass after he has
crossed the line of scrimmage.
(2) after a change of possession (e.g. punt runback, fumble recovery,
intercepted pass) a player makes an offside
pass.
(3)
in attempting to complete a forward pass, a Team A eligible receiver
tips, deflects, knocks, or bats the ball in an
offside direction where it is
caught by a Team A ineligible receiver.
Penalty:
Next scrimmage at point of origin of offside pass, and downs continue,
unless the required distance
has
been gained at that point.
An offside pass does NOT occur in the
following situations:
(1)
on a scrimmage play before the ball has crossed the line of scrimmage, a
Team A player throws an offside pass rule as a forward pass.
(2)
in attempting to complete a forward pass, Team A eligible receiver tips,
deflects, knocks, or bats the ball in an offside direction, where it is caught
by another Team A eligible receiver.
(3)
in attempting to intercept a forward pass, a Team B player tips,
deflects, knocks or bats the ball in an offside direction where it is caught by
another Team B player.
(4)
on a scrimmage play, Team A passer crosses the line of scrimmage and
throws what is obviously intended to be forward pass, in the opinion of the
Referee; this shall be ruled as an illegal forward pass.
Penalty:
for (4) 1.2.3D L10 DR
Convert L10 DR
An offside pass may be legally recovered
without penalty in the following situations:
(1)
a ball fumbled forward by a ball carrier, by a player attempting to catch
a kicked ball, by a player attempting to intercept a lateral or offside pass,
may be recovered by any player.
(2)
a kick which is blocked in an offside direction may be recovered by any
player.
(3)
a dribbled ball in an offside direction may be recovered by the kicker,
or any teammate who is onside when the ball is kicked.
(4)
a loose ball that is knocked or batted in an offside direction by a player
attempting to recover the ball, may be recovered by any player.
(5)
an offside pass may be recovered by any opponent.
(6)
an offside pass which strikes an opponent may be recovered by any player.
When a ball is fumbled forward from the
field of play directly to out of bounds, the ball shall be scrimmaged at the
point of origin of the offside pass and downs continue, unless the required
distance is gained at that point. This
applies whether the out-of-bounds spot is in the field of play or the end zone.
A ball fumbled forward by Team A into
the Team B end zone, which is recovered by Team B, shall be ruled as an
intercepted forward pass (Rule 6, Section 4. Article
11(a).)
A ball which is thrown in an offside
direction may not be recovered legally by the throwing team, unless it meets the
requirements of a forward pass (Rule 6 Section 4, Article 1)
The ball may be recovered legally by the defending team.
Penalty:
Next scrimmage at point of origin of offside pass, and downs continue,
unless the required distance is
gained at that point.
(1)
If Team A makes an offside pass in its own end zone, and retains
possession, Team B shall be awarded 2 points or option.
(2)
If Team B makes an offside pass in its own end zone and retains
possession:
a)
After receiving a Team A kick, Team A shall be awarded 1 point or option.
b)
While intercepting or after intercepting a Team A forward pass, Team B
shall scrimmage at any point between
the
hash marks on its own 10 yard line, or
a PBD (Team A option). No score.
(3)
If the ball is fumbled by Team A from the end zone to out of bounds in
the field of play without touching an opponent
1.2D - Team B has the
choice of 2 options
1.
2 points for safety touch
2. Allow A to scrimmage on the hash mark at the out of bounds spot. Downs
continue.
3D - Team B has the choice of 2 options:
1.
2 points for safety touch.
2.
1st down for B on the hash mark at the out of bounds spot.
NOTE:
A fumble from the end zone to out of bounds in the field of play, when
the ball does not touch an
opponent, is an offside pass in the end zone, since
the point of termination is closer to the opponents
dead line
than the point of
the
pass.
A forward pass is one which is thrown
by any Team A player from behind the line of scrimmage toward the Team B dead
line, to any eligible receiver. The
ball shall not touch the ground, goal post assembly, an official, or go out of
bounds. A forward pass is illegal
after a change of possession by either team.
If Team B gains possession from a
fumble, blocked kick, etc., and subsequently loses possession again to Team A, a
forward pass by either team is illegal.
The ball is considered to be in the
possession of Team A until the pass is ruled complete or incomplete, or the ball
becomes dead, or it is caught by Team B.
A forward pass shall be thrown once only
on each down. A second
forward pass on the same down shall be penalized.
Penalty: 1.2.3D L10 DR
Convert L10 DR
The pass may be thrown by any Team A
player who is behind the line of scrimmage when he throws the ball.
The passer need not be the first player to receive the ball from the
centre.
Article
4 Eligible Receivers
The following players are eligible
receivers:
(a)
The player at each end of the scrimmage line at the snap, wearing numbers
1-39 or 70-99.
(b)
Players clearly back of the scrimmage line at the snap, wearing numbers
1-39 or 70-99.
(c)
All players of Team B, whether or not the pass is legally thrown.
(d)
All players of Team A, if the ball is touched by a B player AFTER the
forward pass has crossed the line of
scrimmage or is touched by a Team A
eligible receiver (may be subject to an offside pass).
The touching of the
forward pass by a B player BEFORE it crosses the line
of scrimmage does not change the eligibility of Team A
players to legally
complete the pass.
Players of Team A wearing numbers 40-69
are ineligible receivers, regardless of what position they take in the line
or behind the line.
(a)
An ineligible receiver shall not be the first player of Team A to catch
the ball or touch the ball in an attempt to catch it,
before the ball has been
touched by any eligible receiver.
Penalty:
1.2D L10 DR, 3D DG L10 DR, DNG LB PLS or PBD.
(b) An ineligible receiver shall not go downfield beyond the neutral zone,
unless they make contact with an opponent in the neutral and maintain this
contact as they move downfield.
Penalty:
1.2.3D L10 PLS DR.
A player is inbounds if one foot is
touching the playing field inbounds, and neither the player nor the other foot
is out of bounds, even though that foot may step out of bounds after possession
is gained; or if a player is in the air, at least one foot comes down inbounds,
before the player touches out of bounds (Subject to
item (d) of this article).
A forward pass is complete if it is
caught inbounds as follows:
(a)
When caught by a Team A eligible receiver, or simultaneously by two or
more Team A eligible receivers.
(b)
When caught by a Team B player, or simultaneously by two or more Team B
players.
(c)
When caught simultaneously by eligible receivers of both teams, the ball
shall be awarded to Team A, even if it has
been touched previously by Team B.
(d) When an eligible receiver catches a pass while off the ground, inbounds,
but is tackled or contacted by an opponent
so that he lands out of bounds, the
pass shall be ruled complete at the furthest point of advance.
(e)
When an eligible receiver tips the ball in an offside direction, and it
is caught by an ineligible receiver, the forward
pass is ruled complete at the
point where the ball was tipped in the offside direction.
A forward pass is incomplete as follows:
(a) When the ball touches the ground, goal post assembly, an official, or
goes out of bounds, even if previously touched
by a player.
(b)
When an eligible receiver catches a pass while off the ground, inbounds,
and lands or outside a boundary line, without being contacted by an opponent.
(c)
When the pass strikes an ineligible receiver not legally downfield, who
makes no effort to catch the ball.
Penalty:
1.2D LD, 3D LB PLS.
NOTE: In (c) the pass may be intercepted legally by
team B, who may retain possession.
(a)
Field of Play
If the passer
in the field of play deliberately throws the ball out of bounds, or to an area
where there is no eligible Team A receiver, apparently to avoid a loss of
distance, penalize as for an offside pass.
Penalty: 1.2D LD AT POP, 3D LB POP.
(b) End Zone
If the passer
in the end zone deliberately throws the ball out of bounds, or to an area where
there is no eligible Team A receiver, penalize as follows:
Penalty:
1.2.3D Safety touch to Team B, or option to decline the score, and
accept the play as an incomplete
pass.
(a)
Team A
Team A players may interfere with an opponent up to the limit of the neutral
zone, until the pass has been touched by an eligible receiver, except against a
Team B player who is about to intercept the forward pass.
However, Team A players who are carrying out normal blocking tactics to
protect the passer shall not be penalized for interference against a team B
player who is about to intercept a pass, if the Team A players are unaware that
such an interception is imminent (see 6-4-10, Note 2).
After the pass has been touched by an eligible receiver, all a players
may legally interfere anywhere within bounds.
Team A
ineligible receivers who make contact in the neutral zone may maintain this
contact beyond the neutral zone, otherwise they may not proceed downfield until
the ball is thrown.
(b)
Team B
Team B players may interfere with Team A players in the neutral zone, and with
any Team A player behind the neutral zone who is protecting the passer.
Team B players
occupying positions behind their line may use their hands and arms to defend
their position, stationary or in motion, against a Team A player who, as a
potential blocker, threatens their defensive position, until the pass has been
thrown. While the ball is in the
air, no contact is permissible except as described in (c) following,
These Team B players shall not interfere with a potential pass receiver
who is not threatening their defensive positions.
It is illegal
to pursue and contact an eligible pass receiver before the ball has been touched
by an eligible receiver, not including being touched by a Team B player who is
rushing the passer and who deflects the ball just after the pass is thrown,
before it has crossed the line of scrimmage.
After the ball has been touched by an eligible receiver, players of
either team may interfere legally.
Team B players,
after B has intercepted a pass, may interfere with Team A players anywhere
within bounds, provided that the initial contact is made at or above the waist.
(c)
Contact between two opponents is legal, provided such contact results
from a simultaneous and bonafide attempt to play the ball, which occurs at the
spot of possible completion of a pass, where each player is intent on playing
the ball; where such contact is unavoidable and incidental to the effort
involved in attempting to catch or bat the ball, and where each player is in an
equally favorable position to play the ball.
A player who is not looking at, or for, the ball, cannot be considered to
be playing the ball. A player
cannot drive through an opponent to reach the ball.
Even if he reaches the ball, such prior contact is illegal.
Defensive players have equal right to the path of the ball as eligible A
receivers.
(d)
Screening Waving the hands or arms or face guarding in close
proximity to a potential pass receiver is illegal interference.
Article 10
Illegal Interference Penalties
(a)
Illegal interference is interference with an eligible receiver in the
target area, or interference which prevents an eligible receiver from reaching
the target area, when there is a reasonable expectation that the receiver would
have had the opportunity to attempt to complete the pass.
NOTE
1: Pass interference shall not be penalized if, in the judgement of the
official, the ball is clearly
uncatchable.
NOTE
2: Pass interference behind the line of scrimmage must be interference
against a player to whom the
ball
is thrown, or a player who is attempting to
catch the pass.
NOTE
3: Pass interference occurs only after the ball has been thrown.
Penalty:
1. By Team A
1.2.3D L15 DR
2.
By Team B
a)
Behind the line of scrimmage 1D at PLS
b)
Across the line of scrimmage
-1D
at PF if less than 15 yards in advance of the PLS
-1D
plus 15 from the PLS, if the PF is more than 15 yards in advance of PLS
3.
Convert
Foul
by Team A option to Team B
(a)
Successful attempt
-L15 PLS, repeat convert,
OR
-Repeat convert at PLS.
Apply penalty L15 on kick off
(b) Unsuccessful attempt
- Apply penalty L15 on kick off
Foul by Team B option to Team A
(a)
Successful attempt
- Accept score. Apply penalty L15 on kick off
(b)
Unsuccessful attempt
- Repeat convert a B
1 yard line, irrespective of PF, or PLS
OR
- Repeat convert at
PLS. Apply penalty L15 on kick off
NOTE
1: The normal restrictions near the goal line do not apply to illegal
interference on a forward pass, and
the full amount of the yardage shall be
applied, The 15 yard penalty applied from the 16 yard line, or
between the 16
yard line and the 1 yard line, will place
the ball
on the 1 yard line.
NOTE
2: The non-offending team may decline the penalty to allow the down to be
used, and the ball returned
to
the
PLS, if the pass is incomplete.
(b)
Illegal Contact with an Eligible Receiver
When there is an obvious passing situation,
any interference with an eligible receiver is illegal except as stated in
Article
9. Even if the ball is not thrown, such
illegal contact will still be penalized.
Penalty:
1.2.3D L10 PLS
(a)
A ball fumbled forward by A into the Team B end zone, which is recovered
by B, shall be ruled as an intercepted pass.
(b)
If a player intercepts a forward pass in the field of play while moving
toward his goal line, and in the judgment of the official, his momentum carries
him into the end zone, possession is deemed to have been gained in the end zone.
(c)
When Team B intercepts a pass in the end zone:
1.
Team B players may interfere anywhere within bounds in the attempt to
advance the ball, provided the initial contact is made at or above the waist.
If B fumbles the ball in this attempt, Team A may recover the ball
legally. If Team A does not recover
the fumbled ball, but only touches it, and it then goes out of bounds in the end
zone, the last touching by A has no effect, and Team B will scrimmage at any
point between the hash marks on B 10 yard line, with no score.
2.
If the ball goes dead in possession of B in the end zone, there is no
score. B shall scrimmage at any
point between the hash marks on the B 10 yard line.
3.
If Team B commits a foul in the end zone, or the field of play, while the
ball is in the end zone, the penalty shall be applied from the 10-yard line or
option.
4.
If Team A commits a foul in the end zone, or on the field of play, while
the ball is in the end zone, Team B shall be awarded 1 D at any point between
the hash marks on the 10 yard line.
5.
If the foul in 3 or 4 above is Unnecessary Roughness, Rough Play,
Objectionable Conduct or No Mouthguard, the penalty shall be applied from the 10
yard line, or from the PBD at the option of the non-offending team.
(a)
Fumble it is not a forward pass if the ball is clearly fumbled or
batted in an offside direction from behind the line of scrimmage.
(b)
Pass or Fumble When the passer, with the ball in his possession, is
contacted before he has initiated his attempt to pass, and the ball is dropped,
it shall be ruled as a fumble. If
he has initiated his attempt to pass, with his arm starting in a forward motion,
and he is contacted, and the ball is dropped, it shall be ruled as an incomplete
pass.
(c)
Broken Play When a play starts as an obvious running play, and the
ball carrier elects to throw a forward pass, all rulings applicable to a forward
pass play shall apply e.g. ineligible receivers may not proceed downfield
before the ball is thrown, forward pass interference restrictions apply, etc.
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