POWER TIME FLAG FOOTBALL RULES

GAME, TIMING & SCORING

1. At the start of each game, captains from both teams will meet at midfield for the coin toss. The HOME team will call the toss.
2. The winner of the coin toss will choose to start on either offense or defense, or defend side.
3. The offensive team takes possesion of the ball at its own 5-yard line and has three (3) plays to cross midfield. Once a team crosses midfield, it has three (3) plays to score a touchdown.
4. If the offense fails to score due to downs, the ball changes possesion and the new offensive team takes over on its own 5-yard line.
5. All possession changes, except interceptions, start on the offense's 5-yard line.
6. Interceptions are returnable on all plays including conversions.
7. Games are played as two (2) 20 minute halves on a continuous clock.
8. The clock stops only for timeouts in the first half.
9. In the second half, the clock will stop for timeouts, AND inside the final two minutes of regulation, for incomplete passes, out of bounds, extra points, change of possession and penalties.
10. Halftime is three minutes long. Teams change sides after the first half. Possession changes to the team that started the game on defense.
11. Teams will have THREE (3) timeouts to use for the ENTIRE game.
12. A team is allowed to use a timeout to question an official's rule interpretation. If the rule is interpreted incorrectly, the timeout will not be charged and the proper ruling will be enforced. If the ruling is correct the team will be charged a timeout
13. Officials can stop the clock at their discretion. In the event of an injury the clock will stop and then restart when the injured player is removed from the field of play. If the player does not leave the field, a timeout will be enforced to that team.
• If a team has exhausted all timeouts and a player is injured, the game clock will continue to run unless the referee determines that the injury is serious enough that the player cannot leave the field.
14. Each time the ball is spotted, a team has 30 seconds to snap the ball. Teams will receive one warning before a delay of game penalty is enforced.
15. If the score is tied at the end of regulation time, the game should be determined a tie. (Except for playoffs)
16. Touchdowns are worth six (6) points.
17. PATs are worth one (1) point from the 5-yard line and two (2) points from the 10-yard line.
18. Safeties are worth two (2) points.

LIVE/DEAD BALL

1. The ball is live at the snap of the ball and remains live until the official whistles the ball dead
2. The official will indicate the neutral zone and the line of scrimmage. It is an automatic dead ball foul if any player on defense or offense enters the neutral zone. In regards to the neutral zone, the official may give both teams a courtesy neutral zone notification to move back beyond the line.
3. A player who gains possession in the air is considered in bounds as long as one foot comes down in the field of play.
4. The defense may not mimic the offensive team signals, by trying to confuse the offensive players.
5. Substitutions may be made on any dead ball.
6. Play is ruled dead when:
7. The ball hits the ground while not in possession.
8. The ball carrier's flag is pulled.
9. The ball carrier steps out of bounds.
10. A touchdown, PAT or safety is scored.
11. The ball carrier's knee or arm hits the ground.
12. The ball carrier's flag falls out.
13. The 7 second pass clock expires
14. An inadvertent whistle is performed (at the spot where the ball was whistled dead).
15. In the case of an inadvertent whistle, the offense had two options:
    • Take the ball where the whistle blew.
    • Replay the down from the original line of scrimmage.

RUNNING

1. The ball is spotted where the runner's flag is when it is pulled.
2. The quarterback cannot directly run with the ball.
3. Direct handoffs are permitted anywhere on the field.
4. ONE lateral is permitted behind the line of scrimmage.
5. "No-Run Zones" are located 5 yards before each endzone and 5 yards on either side of midfield.
6. The player who takes the handoff or lateral can throw the ball from behind the line of scrimmage.
7. Once the ball has been handed off or lateraled, all defensive players players are eligible to rush.
8. Runners may not leave their feet to advance the ball. Diving, leaping or jumping is considered flag guarding.
9. Runners may leave their feet if there is a clear indication that they have done so to avoid collision with another player without a flag guarding penalty enforced.
10. No blocking is allowed at any time.

PASSING

1. All passes must be from behind the line of scrimmage.
2. The quarterback has a seven-second pass clock. If a pass is not thrown within the seven seconds, play is dead, the down is consumed and the ball is returned to the line of scrimmage. Once the ball is handed off or lateraled, the seven-second rule is no longer in effect.
• If the quarterback is standing in the end zone at the end of the seven-second clock, the ball is returned to the line of scrimmage.
3. All players are eligible to receive passes (including the quarterback if the ball has been handed off or lateraled).
4. Only one player is allowed in motion at a time. All motion must be parallel to the line of scrimmage and no motion is permitted towards the line of scrimmage at the snap of the ball.
5. A player must have at least one foot inbounds when making a reception.
6. In the case of simultaneous possession by both an offensive and defensive player, possession is awarded to the offense.

RUSHING THE PASSER

1. All players who rush the passer must be a minimum of seven yards from the line of scrimmage when the ball is snapped. Any number of players can rush.
2. Once the ball is handed off or lateraled, the seven-yard rule is no longer in effect and all defenders may go beyond the line of scrimmage.
3. A special marker, or the referee, will designate a rush line seven yards from the line of scrimmage.
4. If a rusher leaves the rush line ealy, they may return to the rush line, reset and then legally rush.
5. If a rusher leaves the rush line early and the ball is handed off or lateraled before they cross the line of scrimmage, they may legally rush.
6. Players rushing the quarterback may attempt to block a pass. However, no contact can be made with the quarterback.
7. Rusher may not make contact with the center.

FLAG PULLING

1. A legal flag pull takes place when the ball carrier is in full possession of the ball.
2. Defenders can dive to pull flags, but cannot tackle, hold or run throught ball carrier when pulling flags.
3. It is illegal to attempt to strip or pull the ball from the ball carrier at any time.
4. If a player's flag inadvertently falls off during the play, the player is down immediately upon possession of the ball and the play ends.
5. A defensive player may not intentionally pull the flags off of a player who is not in possession of the ball.
6. Flag guarding is an attempt by the ball carrier to obstruct the defenders's access to the flags by stiff arming, dropping of head, hand, arm or shoulder, or intentionally covering flags with the football or jersey.

UNSPORTSMANLIKE CONDUCT

1. Ball carriers must make an effort to avoid defenders with an established position
2. Defenders are not allowed to run through the ball carrier when pulling flags.
3. If the referee witnesses any acts of intentional tackling, elbowing, blocking , or any unsportsmanlike act, the play will be stopped and the player will be ejected from the game. The decision is made at the referee's discretion.

PENALTIES

1. The referee will call all penalties.
2. The referee can enforce a yardage penalty without a loss of down on any infraction that takes place before the snap.
3. Referees determine incidental contact that may result from normal run of play.
4. Games cannot end on a defensive penalty, unless the offense declines it.
5. Offense
• False start ------------------------ 5 yards from LOS & loss of down
• Illegal motion -------------------- 5 yards from LOS & loss of down
• Delay of game ------------------- 5 yards from LOS & loss of down
• Illegal forward pass ------------ 5 yards from LOS & loss of down
• Pass interference --------------- 5 yards from LOS & loss of down
• Blocking -------------------------- Spot foul, 5 yards & loss of down
• Flag guarding ------------------ Spot foul, 10 yards & loss of down
• Charging ------------------------ Spot foul, 10 yards & loss of down
• Unnecessary roughness ----- Spot foul, 10 yards & loss of down
6. Defense
• Offsides ------------------------------ 5 yards from LOS & first down
• Illegal contact ----------------------- 5 yards from LOS & first down
• Illegal flag pull ---------------------- 5 yards from LOS & first down
• Illegal rushing ----------------------- 5 yards from LOS & first down
• Roughing the passer ------------- 10 yards from LOS & first down
• Unsportsmanlike conduct ------ 10 yards from LOS & first down
• Unnecessary roughness --------- Spot foul, 10 yards & first down
• Stripping --------------------------- Spot foul, 10 yards & first down
• Clutching --------------------------- Spot foul, 10 yards & first down
• Pass interference ----------------------------- Spot foul & first down

PLAYOFF TIE-BREAKERS

1. Head to head.
2. Record in like games. (Forfeits are not included)
3. Best net points in like games. (Forfeits are not included)
4. Best net points in all games. (Forfeits are not included)
5. Coin toss.