Quote:
UNNECESSARY ROUGHNESS
Article 8
There shall be no unnecessary roughness. This shall
include, but will not be limited to: ...
( j )
if a player illegally launches into a defenseless opponent. It is an illegal launch if a player (1) leaves both feet prior to contact to spring forward and upward into his opponent, and (2) uses any part of his helmet (including the top/crown and forehead/”hairline” parts) to initiate forcible contact against any part of his opponent’s body. Note: This does not apply to contact against a runner, unless the runner is still considered to be a defenseless player, as defined in Rule 12, Section 2, Article 9.
Penalty: For unnecessary roughness: Loss of 15 yards.
...
http://www.nfl.com/static/content/publi ... onduct.pdfSo did he leave his feet and launch himself into Keller and was any part of the helmet involved and was he defenseless? Seems like all 3 have to be present?
However does this apply?
Quote:
Penalty: For unnecessary roughness: Loss of 15 yards.
The player may be disqualified if the action is judged by the official(s) to be flagrant. Note: If in doubt about a roughness call or potentially dangerous tactics, the covering official(s) should always call unnecessary roughness.
A.R. 12.17
Third-and-20 on A30. Runner A1 runs to the A33, where he is tackled by B1, who hooks his fingers under the front of the runner’s helmet, but not his facemask, and forcibly twists his head.
Ruling: 15 yards for unnecessary roughness. It is an automatic first down. A’s ball first-and-10 on A48.
Article 9
It is a foul if a player initiates unnecessary contact against a player who is in a defenseless posture.
(a)
Players in a defenseless posture are:
OFFICIAL NFL PLAYING RULES 73
(1)
A player in the act of or just after throwing a pass;
(2)
A receiver attempting to catch a pass; or who has completed a catch and has not had time to
protect himself or has not clearly become a runner. If the receiver/runner is capable of avoiding or
warding off the impending contact of an opponent, he is no longer a defenseless player;
(3)
A runner already in the grasp of a tackler and whose forward progress has been stopped;
(4)
A kickoff or punt returner attempting to field a kick in the air;
(5)
A player on the ground at the end of a play;
(6)
A kicker/punter during the kick or during the return;
(7)
A quarterback at any time after a change of possession, and
(8)
A player who receives a “blindside” block when the blocker is moving toward his own endline and
approaches the opponent from behind or from the side.
(b)
Prohibited contact against a player who is in a defenseless posture is:
(1)
Forcibly hitting the defenseless player’s head or neck area with the helmet, facemask, forearm, or
shoulder, regardless of whether the defensive player also uses his arms to tackle the defenseless
player by encircling or grasping him; and
(2)
Lowering the head and making forcible contact with the
top/crown or forehead/”hairline” parts of
the helmet against any part of the defenseless player’s body.
Note: The provisions of (2) do not prohibit incidental contact by the mask or helmet in the course of a conventional tackle on an opponent.
Penalty: For unnecessary roughness: Loss of 15 ...
So here it would seem was the top/crown or forehead/hairline parts of the helmet used and was Keller defenseless? Incidental contact of helmet not counted.
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