Sun 27 Oct, 2013 05:58 pm
What is the rational for penalizing the defensive team for having more than 11 players on the field before the ball is snapped?
Violations of this rule may be penalized for unsportsmanlike. If the illegal return of a player is not discovered until the end of a down, but prior to snapping the ball in an obvious attempt to cause a defensive foul...
@Hornman,
The rule is based on the understanding that it's an unfair advantage having more players on the field than the other team.
It applies to the offense as well.