Why are Refs calling “Neutral Zone Infractions” this year, and why the change? Apparently someone somewhere had an issue with Off Sides? 
How can the less than casual Football spectator know all the changes of rules?
They’re different things. As I understand, a defensive player being off-side is when he is in the neutral zone when the ball is snapped and a neutral zone infraction is where his movement makes the offensive player move.
Edit: Quote is from 1994 rule change.
It doesn’t help the casual fan that Offside, Neutral Zone Infractions, and Encroachment penalties are all signaled in the same way, and I think some announcers use them interchangeably. In any event, since the penalty for each is the same, there is little functional difference between them.
In case anyone doesn’t know, the defense is allowed to be enter the neutral zone, but they can’t be there when the ball is snapped (offside), they can’t use entering the neutral zone to cause the offense to false start (NZI) and they can’t make contact with the offense (encroachment).
Yeah, no. I was, and still remain, somewhat, thrown by hearing the term. It is a new for this season term, correct?
Neutral Zone to me belongs in Capture the Flag or possibly Dodge ball.
It’s not new this season, no.