A neutral zone infraction is a commonly confused penalty in football, sometimes associated with offsides.
Contrary to common belief, this infraction could also be called on an offensive player, although it is a rare whistle.
It does not occur too often as a penalty in the NFL, with each team averaging 3.06 infractions over the entire year in 2023.
Some fans of the game may not even know this call exists, but we will break down the infraction here, as well as explain the differences between offsides and neutral zone infractions.
Neutral Zone Infractions, Explained
The “neutral zone” is defined as an imaginary line marked by the ends of the football that separates offensive and defensive linemen. A neutral zone infraction is a 5-yard penalty from the line of scrimmage.
What constitutes the contrast between offsides and a neutral zone infraction?
The difference between the two is that offsides penalties are called when the ball is in play, whereas neutral zone infractions are called before the snap.
Offsides are whistled when a player is across the line of scrimmage when the ball is snapped. In this scenario, the play could be called dead, or it could continue in what many call a “free play.” Seasoned quarterbacks often utilize a hard count to draw a defender offsides to get this free play.
In the NFL rule book, if a player is parallel or beyond an offensive lineman with an unimpeded path to the quarterback, the play is blown dead before the snap. This is also known as a defender being “unabated to the quarterback.”
Also, it could be called if a defender crosses the line and causes an offensive player to react, whether that is defending themselves or any movement. This would be called instead of a false start on the offense.
Here’s an example from a previous game between the Baltimore Ravens and New England Patriots. This is a classic case of a defensive lineman entering the neutral zone and inciting an offensive lineman to react.