Unsportsmanlike Conduct Penalty Clarification

[brdmaverick]

For those watching the Bears-Texans game last night, there was a play with less than 2 minutes left in the first half in which Jay Cutler released and was immediately obliterated by a defender. On this play Cutler was flagged for passing beyond the line of scrimmage while the defender was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct.

While it seemed like a vicious hit, I really hope the defender does not get fined. After all, the fact that Cutler was flagged for passing beyond the line of scrimmage proves that, well, he was BEYOND THE LINE OF SCRIMMAGE. Doesn't that mean that the QB is now a runner and that all applicable "QB protection rules" are out the window (including hits to the head)?

Not sure why this was called a penalty. Can anyone clarify?

 

[Pujo]

It looked like he lowered his helmet and blasted Cutler after Cutler had already thrown the ball. Passer or not, you can't drill a guy who doesn't have the ball.

 

[IllegalContact]

I don't think it matters where the QB is on the field......

 

[PatsFaninAZ]

Interesting question. I would phrase it, under the rules, whether the definition of passer includes a player who cannot legally throw a forward pass.

I don't know the answer. I don't think the rules envision it. The act of running with the ball does not DQ you from most passer protection rules. So, if you tuck the ball and run, and then see a player, and pass to him, you now re-qualify for the no head shot rule.

My read of the rules is that the fact you are about to throw an ilkegal pass does not mean you no longer are a passer. What if you throw to an inelligibe receiver (a lineman or a man who stepped OB). You're still a passer.

Where this interpretation would be tested though is if a passer (any passer, QB, punter, kicker on a fake or blown play, RB who gets flea flicker) ran 10 yards past the LOS and tried to throw. I think he is still a passer for protection rules.

Incidentally, loved Steratore knowing that even though it is a 5/15 situation, it is offsetting, because illegal forward pass, which includes loss of down, is not a common 5 foul. That is NFL ref test trick question stuff. Think the replacements would have gotten that?

 

[voluntarysaftey]

I don't think he was beyond the line -- I think it was a bad call.

It was a very hard late hit though that should've been called. The defender had plenty of time to avoid contact after he saw the ball was released and choose to hit him anyways at full speed -- while cutler was basically standing still

 

[captain stone]

I've never understood why a penalty of non-violence completely offsets a penalty of violence.
The difference in yardage should be calculated, and the down determined by the result thereof.

 

[Pujo]

I've never understood why a penalty of non-violence completely offsets a penalty of violence.
The difference in yardage should be calculated, and the down determined by the result thereof.

If one penalty is for at least 15 yards and one is only 5, the 5 is disregarded. Otherwise they offset. No idea why.

 

[Patsfanin Philly]

Then there was the unsportsmanlike conduct penalty Monday night on Willie Colon for...using an obscenity towards a referee...Never heard that one before....

 

[PlainOldEd]

Then there was the unsportsmanlike conduct penalty Monday night on Willie Colon for...using an obscenity towards a referee...Never heard that one before....

Also in the Pit KC game there was a 3rd down play where a ball was ruled a fumble returned for a TD by KC then they were flagged for "group celebration". Upon further review the play was ruled "incomplete pass" but the penalty was upheld giving Pit a 1st down. This seems unfair to me. If the TD never existed how could the unsportsman like penalty for celebration exist?

 

[Wolfpack]

If one penalty is for at least 15 yards and one is only 5, the 5 is disregarded. Otherwise they offset. No idea why.

That's not always true, it depends on the combination of the penalties. The illegal forward pass is only a 5 yard penalty (albeit with a loss of down), but it offset against the 15 yard personal foul.

 

[Wolfpack]

Also in the Pit KC game there was a 3rd down play where a ball was ruled a fumble returned for a TD by KC then they were flagged for "group celebration". Upon further review the play was ruled "incomplete pass" but the penalty was upheld giving Pit a 1st down. This seems unfair to me. If the TD never existed how could the unsportsman like penalty for celebration exist?

A personal foul will always be enforced no matter when it took place. Don't get me wrong, it can be "offset" by another penalty but the flag cannot be disregarded.

For example, suppose Leftwich fumbled and the Chiefs recover and there is an illegal block against the Chiefs on the return. If replay determines the fumble is actually an incomplete pass, then the illegal block flag is picked up because it technically never happened.

However, the Chiefs behaved in an unsportsmanlike fashion when they thought they scored. The fact that the fumble was changed to an incomplete pass doesn't change their unsportsmanlike conduct.

That idiocy cost KC the game. The right call was made, but if they didn't act like a bunch of asses, Pittsburgh would have been facing 4th down on the next play.