Filed under: NFL Referees
On Sunday, one of the closest games of the day was drastically impacted by the NFL's outdated pass interference call.
On a fourth-and-6, New York Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez heaved a desperation pass in the direction of the Denver Broncos' goal line. Renaldo Hill, the Broncos' defender slipped, reached out and grasped the face mask of Santonio Holmes, the intended receiver, drawing a pass interference flag. After the 46-yard penalty -- a spot foul -- the Jets took over at the Broncos' 2-yard line.
On the next play, the Jets scored the winning touchdown.
Just two weeks before this penalty that went against them, the Broncos were the beneficiary of a similar situation. Facing a second-and-25 late in the fourth quarter, Kyle Orton was flushed from the pocket and threw a jump ball in the direction of the end zone. Titans safety Chris Hope was flagged for pass interference and the Titans were assessed a 49-yard penalty. The Broncos scored two plays later to take the lead and went on to win that ballgame.
These are two recent examples of the spot foul altering the outcome of a game. If you watch the NFL regularly, chances are other examples come to mind. That's because no other penalty in the NFL is anywhere near as draconian as the spot foul for pass interference. Knock a player out while leading with your helmet? Fifteen yards. Graze a receiver's arm while the ball is hanging in the air? That's 60 yards, more than quadruple the penalty for a personal foul that could end someone's career.
It is long past the time to eliminate the spot foul and institute a maximum 15-yard pass interference penalty. Yep, replace the NFL's spot foul rule with college's penalty yardage.
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