What determines a "Free Play"?

During that game yesterday, Ben got the DE to jump off sides and go back again, thus creating an off sides and penalty but the refs blew the call dead in an apparent free play scenario. The DE wasn't unabated to the QB, so my question is what is the rule for a free play?

Ben obviously thought that they should have had the free play and so do I but I do not know what determines whether it is or not. Is it merely up to the official to make that decision?

 

I think it was supposed to be a free play - HOWEVER, the rule has been for quite a while now that once a whistle blows, whether inadvertent or not, the play is dead.

So, my presumption is that the ref inadvertently blew the whistle. Wrong or right, dead play.

 

If the whistle blows, the play in dead.
Just a little too soon.

 

I am not sure but is it not possible the play was blown dead because the offsides caused Oline to false start?

 

Did the DE make any contact with any Steeler? If so, the whistle is blown.

 

No, I did not see any contact with a Steelers and I did not see any of our guys move. I'll re-watch the game later this week but I'm pretty sure that it should have been a free play.

 

One of our guys moved. I can't remember who now. I'm thinking it was Bryant, but I'm having trouble remembering. At the very least, that would cause the whistle to blow

 

Thanks for clearing that up. I didn't see it but will look for it when I watch the game again.

 

According to the NFL rule book, there are basically three types of offsides/neutral zone infraction the defense can commit:

1. Offside: straightforward - defender crossed line of scrimmage; ball is not blown dead (free play)

2. Neutral Zone Infraction: defender crossed line of scrimmage, causing offensive player to move/jump; ball is blown dead

3. Encroachment: defender crossed line of scrimmage and makes contact with offensive player; ball is blown dead

Lastly, there is the special instance - the offside with free path to the QB, which results in the ball being blown dead.

As has been mentioned, a blown whistle at any time trumps all - the play is automatically dead. So it could have just been a mistake.

 

I believe it was Bryant that jumped, but I'm not positive about that. What I am fairly certain about is the refs ruled it as a neutral zone infraction, so they believed a Steelers player moved. That's why the whistle went. It wasn't a mistake

 

Yeah, I only generally remember that play - i.e., I remember the defense jumped offside and the play was blown dead, but didn't see the Steeler player that jumped.