MPT

The defender is coming at him from a 45 degree angle. McKenzie squares up and stops moving well before contact at that same angle. The defender runs into him at that same angle. You two do a little too much drinking today? Maybe sleep it off and then watch the replay without it spinning around on you.

Wait are you seriously saying he was facing his own end zone? Is this just an elaborate troll job? And yes, we all got the joke. I think we're all just more concerned that one of our fellow posters seems to be having a psychotic break.

You have to know the rule before you can give a ***** about it. The rule says he must be facing his own end zone or parallel to it. He wasn't. It's even in the name of the old penalty you referenced. Crack back. As in, back. As in, blocking back toward your own end zone. Not forward, like blocking forward toward the opponent's end zone, which is just called a block.

Okay technically there is always a risk of injury on any football play. However, this was not as dangerous of a play as you make it out to be. If you would watch the replay you would know that. You would also know that he was facing the opponent's end zone when it happened. Weird hill to die on, man.

In this case, protecting players is just about coaching them to be aware of their surroundings and keeping their head up. You can't remove blocking from football. Remember Landry's hit on Aaron Williams? That's an example of a blindside block that needs to be removed from the game. He ran and launched himself into Williams' head. McKenzie was no more than a tackling dummy on this play. Or a sled dummy I guess. Sled dummies are harder to move. Regardless, they're still stationary.

Did he get destroyed? Watch the replay. He might have gotten the wind knocked out of him, but there was no risk of injury there. He just bounced off McKenzie. It's not like his head changed direction on the hit.

They weren't interpreting the the rule at all. That's the problem. If the referee called intentional grounding on that play, would you say he just interpreted the rule that way?

All correct, but the argument about initiating contact is moot anyway. The rule says he has to be parallel to or facing his own end zone, which he was not. The rule is very clear. He must be parallel to or facing his own end zone. There is no way to interpret that wording to justify a penalty when he was neither of those things. In Ford's case, he WAS facing his own end zone but the other player ran into him. That is still not a penalty but at least you can say he met the criteria. In McKenzie's case, you can't even apply the basic qualification for the penalty.

Here's the thing though: you can't block people in hockey. That's interference. In football, though, it's completely legal. And McKenzie didn't hit him in the head, so that doesn't apply either. If McKenzie dropped his shoulder on that play, the defender would have gotten hurt much worse (looking at bruised or cracked ribs). Aside from diving out of the way and letting the defender get to Moss (which is so absurd to contemplate in a football game that I can't believe I even have to mention it), he did the safest thing he could do in a situation where another player is running right at you.

Clearly doesn't meet the spirit or the letter of the rule. The defender had every opportunity to go around him but he tried to go through him instead. Not a blindside, not moving, not facing his own end zone. Edit: And McKenzie clearly didn't "pop" him or lower his shoulder or head. He just stood his ground when the guy ran into him.

Just because you make a separate thread about it doesn't make you any less wrong than you were in the GDT. He wasn't moving and he wasn't facing toward or parallel to his own end zone.

Nice touch on that pass! Didn't just launch it over everyone. Allen has improved significantly. Rolling left looks like his only weak spot right now.

Good. At least they're calling borderline catches the same both ways. Could have made a case for an initial bobble there but after that drop by Miami in the first half you can't start nitpicking now.

This is the first one I remember against the Bills but I've definitely seen lightning delays in Miami before.

The defense also goes to sleep for entire drives at least twice per game. We play really well for 45 minutes and really badly for 15. That's enough to keep things close.

And the "Blindside block". They're responsible for at least a 7 point swing and probably 10-14.

The only two times it's ever been called against a blocker that wasn't even moving was Cody Ford against the Texans and right now against McKenzie.

Give it up bud. Wide receivers make blocks on every run to the outside. You won't see that called a penalty on anyone else ever.

Show me the rule on that one. That happens on literally every run to the outside.

What? That was just a regular block. Mckenzie wasn't even moving. And it wasn't even close to a blind side block. The defender ran right into him.

Wtf? Horrible call. We're not allowed to block anyone. That was even worse than the call on Ford.

That was a nice defensive play. I don't blame Knox too much for that one.

That would also be a bull ***** excuse. His only action was a toe drag to stay in bounds. Then straight to the ground.

(2) Like all other rules, this one is subject to dismissal when the Bills are playing.

It doesn't matter how many feet you get down if you don't control the ball through the ground. At least that's what they've been telling us for the last five years and that's the way they've called it until now.