A forward pass, legal or illegal, is incomplete and the ball becomes dead when the pass touches the ground or goes out of bounds. It is also incomplete when a player in is the air possesses the pass and alights so that his first contact with the ground or with anything other than a player or game official is on or outside a boundary. When an incompletion occurs the down counts unless the pass is after a change of possession. If the pass is legal, the passing team next snaps the ball at the previous spot, unless lost after fourth down.
Tag: out of bounds
Rule 6, Section 1, Article 9
A free kick shall not be kicked out of bounds between the goal lines untouched inbounds by R. If it is kicked out of bounds and R does not accept a penalty for kick-catch interference on the same kick as in 6-5-4, R has the following choices:
a. Accept a 5-yard penalty from the previous spot and have k rekick;
b. Accept a 5-yard penalty from the succeeding spot;
c. Put the ball in play at the inbounds spot 25 yards beyond the previous spot; or
d.. Decline the penalty and put the ball in play at the inbounds spot.
Rule 10, Section 5, Article 1
The following fouls have special enforcement provisions and options for the offended team:
a. Free kick out of bounds untouched by R. (6-1-9)
b. Kick-catching interference. (6-5-6)
c. Unfair acts. (9-9)
d. A foul by the opponent of the scoring team on a successful try. (8-3-5)
e. A foul by the opponents of the scoring team on a successful field goal. (8-4-3)
f. Fouls that occur during or after a touchdown scoring play. (8-2-2, 8-2-3, 8-2-4 and 8-2-5)
g. Roughing the passer. (9-4-4)
h. Roughing the kicker or holder. (9-4-5)
i. Roughing the snapper. (9-4-6)
j. Fouls by K during a free or scrimmage kick down prior to the end of the kick. (10-4-2 EXCEPTION)
The Zebra Files 