Sports
In reply to the discussion: HOW ABOUT THEM COWBOYS!!!! [View all]hughee99
(16,113 posts)It is pass interference by either team when any player movement beyond the line of scrimmage significantly hinders the progress of an eligible player of such players opportunity to catch the ball. Offensive pass interference rules apply from the time the ball is snapped until the ball is touched. Defensive pass interference rules apply from the time the ball is thrown until the ball is touched.
Actions that constitute defensive pass interference include but are not limited to:
(a) Contact by a defender who is not playing the ball and such contact restricts the receivers opportunity to make the catch.
There's a bunch of other things too, but this first one seems like it would be the applicable one.
http://www.nfl.com/rulebook/passinterference
Still, it's a judgement call, and IMO, the refs showed poor judgement in this case. These sort of things happen pretty often, though, and on judgement calls, you're always going to find people who disagree even when it's more clear-cut than this.