# If this was NFL football, would this be a legal play? \[.gif attached\] **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [October 3, 2014, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-this-was-nfl-football-would-this-be-a-legal-play-gif-attached/700288 "2014-10-03T18:02:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2014, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-this-was-nfl-football-would-this-be-a-legal-play-gif-attached/700288/1 "2014-10-03T18:02:16Z")
See subject. No it’s not just an excuse to post that. Why do you ask? ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2014, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-this-was-nfl-football-would-this-be-a-legal-play-gif-attached/700288/2 "2014-10-03T18:09:06Z")
Irrelevant. Facemasks prevent players from attempting to catch the ball with their mouths. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2014, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-this-was-nfl-football-would-this-be-a-legal-play-gif-attached/700288/3 "2014-10-03T18:11:55Z")
But if the question is regarding whether that is pass interference, I would rule no on that. The second dog is playing the ball, not the [del]man[/del] dog. The contact is incidental. ---
**Author:** ![Boogly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Boogly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boogly)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2014, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-this-was-nfl-football-would-this-be-a-legal-play-gif-attached/700288/4 "2014-10-03T18:13:37Z")
Did the Beagle call Fair Catch with enough time for the Beast to avoid the Beagle? Not enough info… ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2014, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-this-was-nfl-football-would-this-be-a-legal-play-gif-attached/700288/5 "2014-10-03T18:23:52Z")
The 1st dog seemed to graze it with his teeth. No penalty. ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2014, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-this-was-nfl-football-would-this-be-a-legal-play-gif-attached/700288/6 "2014-10-03T18:33:41Z")
Beagle already got a tooth on the ball, therefore the big dog was alright in attempting to tackle him. You know what they say: If the ball hits your mouth, you gotta catch it ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2014, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-this-was-nfl-football-would-this-be-a-legal-play-gif-attached/700288/7 "2014-10-03T18:35:10Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > But if the question is regarding whether that is pass interference, I would rule no on that. The second dog is playing the ball, not the [del]man[/del] dog. The contact is incidental. I was thinking of this, idly–I know nothing, basically, of football rules. It must be hard to concentrate leaping to catch a ball when a locomotive is coming at you with no attempt to catch the ball (leaving aside the interpretation of the big dog’s intentions in this clip)–but that’s allowed, right? Is this kind of white-lie meaning of “playing the ball?”–that is, he can’t claim that he was aiming to topple the guy, and _in fact would have, of course_. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2014, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-this-was-nfl-football-would-this-be-a-legal-play-gif-attached/700288/8 "2014-10-03T18:39:37Z")
> [@John\_DiFool](#): > > The 1st dog seemed to graze it with his teeth. No penalty. > [@Sir\_T-Cups](#): > > Beagle already got a tooth on the ball, therefore the big dog was alright in attempting to tackle him. > > You know what they say: If the ball hits your mouth, you gotta catch it On reviewing the tape, I don’t think the beagle laid a tooth on it. Same ruling nonetheless? ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2014, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-this-was-nfl-football-would-this-be-a-legal-play-gif-attached/700288/9 "2014-10-03T18:41:53Z")
Also, in hed, “was” should be “were.” My inner grammar N made me write this. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2014, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-this-was-nfl-football-would-this-be-a-legal-play-gif-attached/700288/10 "2014-10-03T18:43:06Z")
> [@Leo\_Bloom](#): > > I was thinking of this, idly–I know nothing, basically, of football rules. It must be hard to concentrate leaping to catch a ball when a locomotive is coming at you with no attempt to catch the ball (leaving aside the interpretation of the big dog’s intentions in this clip)–but that’s allowed, right? > > Is this kind of white-lie meaning of “playing the ball?”–that is, he can’t claim that he was aiming to topple the guy, and _in fact would have, of course_. As a defender you can’t just tackle the receiver as he’s trying to catch the ball, but at the same time the defender has an equal right to attempt to make the catch, which is why there is both defensive _and_ offensive pass interference. If both players are making an effort to catch the ball and incidentally cause one another to collapse in a heap, that’s not interference. There is some acting involved in some cases, but as long as the defender _looks_ like he’s trying to catch the ball, that’s usually not flagged. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2014, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-this-was-nfl-football-would-this-be-a-legal-play-gif-attached/700288/11 "2014-10-03T18:49:12Z")
The beagle already attempted a catch and missed. Therefore, uncatchable ball. No penalty. ---
**Author:** ![Boogly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Boogly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boogly)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2014, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-this-was-nfl-football-would-this-be-a-legal-play-gif-attached/700288/12 "2014-10-03T19:33:39Z")
I still think this is a special teams play…the ball is clearly bouncing off of the ground from a punt. Personal foul if fair catch was called and a fumble if the Beagle didn’t make the call. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2014, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-this-was-nfl-football-would-this-be-a-legal-play-gif-attached/700288/13 "2014-10-03T20:09:03Z")
No no, you can’t call a fair catch if it already hit the ground. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2014, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-this-was-nfl-football-would-this-be-a-legal-play-gif-attached/700288/14 "2014-10-03T20:11:56Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > As a defender you can’t just tackle the receiver as he’s trying to catch the ball Yes you can. You just can’t tackle the receiver _before_ the ball gets there. Tackling the receiver at the same time the ball gets to him is perfectly fine. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2014, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-this-was-nfl-football-would-this-be-a-legal-play-gif-attached/700288/15 "2014-10-03T20:16:27Z")
There is some rule about putting a hit on a defenseless receiver. The big dog did not make a reasonable attempt at the ball (he never opened his mouth), he just went after the beagle. A receiver has some small degree of protection while they are in the air, trying to make a catch, in this case, there might well be a personal foul thrown on that count. ---
**Author:** ![Rysto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ecccb3/32.png) [@Rysto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysto)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2014, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-this-was-nfl-football-would-this-be-a-legal-play-gif-attached/700288/16 "2014-10-03T20:21:40Z")
> [@Leo\_Bloom](#): > > On reviewing the tape, I don’t think the beagle laid a tooth on it. > > Same ruling nonetheless? He missed on the first attempt, but clearly got it on the second attempt and changed its trajectory. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2014, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-this-was-nfl-football-would-this-be-a-legal-play-gif-attached/700288/17 "2014-10-03T20:28:10Z")
> [@Rysto](#): > > He missed on the first attempt, but clearly got it on the second attempt and changed its trajectory. On further review, you’re right. But I think the defender hits him _after_ the receiver touches the ball, so it’s not pass interference. The “defenseless receiver” rule might apply as **eschereal** said. ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2014, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-this-was-nfl-football-would-this-be-a-legal-play-gif-attached/700288/18 "2014-10-06T21:02:08Z")
> [@Leo\_Bloom](#): > > On reviewing the tape, I don’t think the beagle laid a tooth on it. > > Same ruling nonetheless? You’re right, as I look at it now he didn’t get it. > [@TroutMan](#): > > On further review, you’re right. But I think the defender hits him _after_ the receiver touches the ball, so it’s not pass interference. The “defenseless receiver” rule might apply as **eschereal** said. I think this is correct. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2014, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-this-was-nfl-football-would-this-be-a-legal-play-gif-attached/700288/19 "2014-10-06T21:43:44Z")
The intended receiver made contact with the ball before the tackle, so it’s a legal tackle and an incomplete pass. However, both players are out of uniform, and the ball appears to be non-regulation. Flag on the play. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2014, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-this-was-nfl-football-would-this-be-a-legal-play-gif-attached/700288/20 "2014-10-06T22:09:03Z")
Did the beagle check in as an eligible receiver? Wes Welker’s dog would’ve made that catch. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-this-was-nfl-football-would-this-be-a-legal-play-gif-attached/700288.md?page=2)