WIDE LEFT Posted December 30, 2017 Share Posted December 30, 2017 This is an observation I have made over many years watching NFL receivers; and yet I have never heard a coach, analyst, broadcaster address this. That is, the habit of NFL receivers upon catching a ball and falling to the ground, to take one hand off the ball and use that hand/arm to break/cushion their fall. This can and has caused many a receiver to lose control of the ball resulting in an incomplete pass. It happens more often than you think. Go back to Dez Bryant catch/no catch which started the whole controversy about “surviving the ground”. In that play, he took his hand/arm off the ball to break his fall. Fast forward to last week: Charles Clay catches ball in the end zone, has it wrapped up, but takes his hand off the ball to break his fall, and thereby loses control of the ball and loses a touchdown. First game of this season, first drive, Mike Tolbert did the exact same thing, losing a sure TD pass. Jordan Matthews did the exact same thing on a huge third and three in the Cincinnati game, but his was ruled a fumble. Of course it happens many times where the receiver does break his fall and doesn’t lose the ball. For example, Kelvin Benjamin non touchdown last week, he also uses arm to break his fall, but retained control. The point is, these receivers take huge hits all the time, and it seems odd that so many times they risk loss of control just to break their fall, which certainly is minor compared to a hit by a DB. It does not seem that this is emphasized in coaching NFL receivers, since it happens so often. It’s equally odd that you never hear a comment on this from any coach, analyst broadcaster or NFL writer. So go take a look at the Charles Clay drop again, then pay attention in the NFL games you watch as to how many times receivers do the exact same thing Clay did. You will be surprised Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmur66 Posted December 30, 2017 Share Posted December 30, 2017 "Just to break their fall"? Let's see someone drop you from 4 or 6 feet in the air and see what you do. That turf is not soft. I quess the rules are that the ground can't cause a fumble but it can cause an incomplete pass if you don't complete the process of catching the ball, whatever that is Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WIDE LEFT Posted December 30, 2017 Author Share Posted December 30, 2017 The point is a fall, even from 4-6 feet, is nowhere near as punishing as a routine hit by a DB or LB. So you risk losing a reception, and/or a touchdown? They don’t take a hand/arm off the ball to cushion a hit from the defense. BTW - they are paid a lot of money to catch and retain the football. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smuvtalker Posted December 30, 2017 Share Posted December 30, 2017 How do you propose that they break their fall? I would think the natural thing to do would be to use one arm to break their fall. I am interested to hear what you think is the proper way to fall after the catch. Assuming they do not have the opportunity to keep running. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoSaint Posted December 30, 2017 Share Posted December 30, 2017 (edited) 4 minutes ago, smuvtalker said: How do you propose that they break their fall? I would think the natural thing to do would be to use one arm to break their fall. I am interested to hear what you think is the proper way to fall after the catch. Assuming they do not have the opportunity to keep running. Seems clear his point is hitting the ground unobstructed is still far less impactful than hits on any given play so why break the fall at all sometimes fair. It can be akin to alligator arms on a contested catch on some plays. Edited December 30, 2017 by NoSaint Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobH063 Posted December 30, 2017 Share Posted December 30, 2017 I think I would want to try and break my fall if landing on concrete covered in rubber pellets and a plastic cover. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Real McClappy Posted December 30, 2017 Share Posted December 30, 2017 (edited) Edited December 30, 2017 by Real McCoy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hemma Posted December 30, 2017 Share Posted December 30, 2017 17 minutes ago, bmur66 said: "Just to break their fall"? Let's see someone drop you from 4 or 6 feet in the air and see what you do. Mah perents sed it wood tuffen me up. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cd1 Posted December 30, 2017 Share Posted December 30, 2017 8 minutes ago, WIDE LEFT said: The point is a fall, even from 4-6 feet, is nowhere near as punishing as a routine hit by a DB or LB. So you risk losing a reception, and/or a touchdown? They don’t take a hand/arm off the ball to cushion a hit from the defense. BTW - they are paid a lot of money to catch and retain the football. Please provide proof that a fall to the (immovable) ground is "not near as punishing" as two moveable objects colliding. You decide - Would you rather run into a tackle dummy OR run into a block wall? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mead107 Posted December 30, 2017 Share Posted December 30, 2017 Can we add jumping onto a table from the roof of a RV ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TigerJ Posted December 30, 2017 Share Posted December 30, 2017 Regardless of the degree of pain inflicted by a hard hit from a defensive player versus the pain of hitting the turf, using your arm to break a fall is a deeply ingrained instinctive and reflexive response to falling. If you think about it, you might be able to plan your fall and go into a roll without using your arm, but most of the time it happens so quickly, all you can do is react. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmur66 Posted December 30, 2017 Share Posted December 30, 2017 My separated shoulder was from using my arm to break my fall. As I hit the ditch on my ATV and was flying through the air I didn't even think about. It was just a natural reaction. The only thing going through my mind was when is the ATV going to land on top of me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay_Fixit Posted December 30, 2017 Share Posted December 30, 2017 Catch should be simple. Two feet (or knee) and possession at that point. Thats it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buffalo716 Posted December 30, 2017 Share Posted December 30, 2017 Well I can attest that the reason they usually try to break their fall is because landing on the ball takes all the air out of you which usually causes you to lose control of the Ball anyways its painful falling on a ball from 4-5 feet in the air. It takes all the wind out, instantly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WIDE LEFT Posted December 30, 2017 Author Share Posted December 30, 2017 1 hour ago, cd1 said: Please provide proof that a fall to the (immovable) ground is "not near as punishing" as two moveable objects colliding. You decide - Would you rather run into a tackle dummy OR run into a block wall? Are u serious? Even if they are equal an NFL receiver can’t avoid the collision with a DB - he doesn’t take his hand off the ball to lessen that contact. And there are many examples of receivers catching the ball, falling to the ground and keeping both hands on the ball and NOT breaking their fall. Not only can it be done, it’s done on regular basis. And if I am paid big bucks to catch a football, I don’t jeopardize that by taking my hand off the ball. You think if Charles Clay had that play over he would still take his hand off to break his fall. Not likely Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QB Bills Posted December 30, 2017 Share Posted December 30, 2017 The simple answer is that football players are pussies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kwai San Posted December 30, 2017 Share Posted December 30, 2017 37 minutes ago, QB Bills said: The simple answer is that football players are pussies. Why of course they are..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Augie Posted December 30, 2017 Share Posted December 30, 2017 Charles Clay should have held on to that TD. He was not dropped out of the sky. I know...it’s the natural thing to do, but... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buffalo716 Posted December 30, 2017 Share Posted December 30, 2017 Just now, Augie said: Charles Clay should have held on to that TD. He was not dropped out of the sky. I know...it’s the natural thing to do, but... 100% he should have caught it... but clay is usually our most dependable target so I hope it was a fluke Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Augie Posted December 30, 2017 Share Posted December 30, 2017 1 minute ago, Buffalo716 said: 100% he should have caught it... but clay is usually our most dependable target so I hope it was a fluke But don’t worry, we’ll get the TD on the next play...oh...wait.....not in Cheatersville. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buffalo716 Posted December 30, 2017 Share Posted December 30, 2017 4 minutes ago, Augie said: But don’t worry, we’ll get the TD on the next play...oh...wait.....not in Cheatersville. that play makes my blood boil. There is O% chance that they had conclusive evidence to overturn call Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Da webster guy Posted December 30, 2017 Share Posted December 30, 2017 This is a good observation. I've always wondered that. I can guarantee you this, sticking your arm out to break your fall lessens your chance of holding on to the ball significantly. We see it all the time, and just saw it with clay who wasn't going to hit the ground very hard at all, especially in the context of a game that's physical and rough to begin with. Secondly, putting your arm out to "break your fall" doesn't really do much more to soften the blow, and may in fact hurt you worse as an earlier poster described. It's so lame. Something Tom Brady would do, or Pete Carroll when he played football in high school. Even the mascots hit the turf holding on to the ball with both hands. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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