The Holding

Here is the beginning of the hold. Notice that the offensive player is already behind the defensive player. He only gets further behind as the play continues. As far as I am aware, one must be in front of a player to block him.


















Here is the offensive player grabbing (from behind) onto the defensive player's right shoulder. Defender is leaning to the left.


















Offensive player is still grabbing on and further behind. Now the defensive player is leaning to the right and slightly back. His forward progress is being impeeded.


















A look at how far the defender's left foot is behind his center of gravity shows that he should be leaning much further than he is. Circled is the offensive player still grabbing the shoulder from behind.

























"Furthermore, once the penalty was called was it somehow pre-ordained that Hasselbeck would sail a pass into the waiting arms of Ike Taylor? The Seattle offense still had the football, they could have made a play but didn't. By way of comparison, in the second quarter -- with the Steelers offense seemingly stuck in reverse -- on a 2nd-and-10 play Heath Miller was called for offensive pass interference. On 2nd-and-20 Ben Roethlisberger was sacked, and then on 3rd-and-28 Roethlisberger completed his fifth pass in twelve attempts for a 37-yard gain to the Seattle three yard line. The Steelers made a play, Seattle did not."
- Excerpt taken from http://steelersfanatic.blogspot.com/

An amazing example, indeed.