Kick Catch Interference?

With 12:42 left in the 3rd quarter of the game between the Ravens and the Chiefs, Baltimore was flagged for interferring with Dante Hall on a punt. The player didn't touch Hall, but it was ruled that the Raven prevented Hall from the opportunity to make the catch.

The referee's justification was: "the punt returner has to have a free opportunity to get to the ball, there doesn't have to be contact."

That isn't a good rule. In fact, it's an awful rule with a huge loop hole. Dante Hall had plenty of opportunity to get to the spot where the ball was going to land. He just didn't get there fast enough. Is the gunner on the outside supposed to keep track not only of where the returner is, but of where the ball is in the air and where the returner might try to get to catch the ball? Remember, there is someone trying to block the gunner the entire way to keep him from getting downfield. I think you're asking way too much!

What's the loop hole? Well, precisely what Dante Hall did. The returner can just lolly gag around then run through traffic at the last second attempting to get to where the ball is coming down. It's a great way to get 15 yards tacked on even when the defense has good coverage.

I'm all for protecting the punt returners and not having them decapitated waiting for balls to come down. However, 15 yards when there isn't any contact is excessive, and it's Hall's fault there was a problem. He didn't get into position to make the catch in a timely manner. A lot of times, returners who don't get into position just let the ball bounce, which is what happened on that play. Kick catch interference should be reserved for situations when the returner is interferred with when he is attempting to make the catch and shouldn't be called when the returner is trying to move into position to catch the ball. The defenders shouldn't be allowed to obviously impede the progress of the returner towards the ball, but they shouldn't be expected to know where the guy is trying to go and part the seas to allow him to get there.

The call may have been the correct one given the current rules. However, that rule should be looked at (and changed) in the off-season because it is ridiculous!