Cody Ford fined over 28k for illegal blind side block

[GoBills808]

Hey NFL: for consistency's sake maybe call this one too

 

[YoloinOhio]

8 minutes ago, NC Book said:

I can't remember, did Ford criticize the officiating afterwards? I could those rats throwing a fine at him for that and saying it was for the "hit". 

 

Either way totally inconsistent fine. It was basically a normal block. People have skated on WAAAAY worse hits. NFL officiating is a freakin joke.

No he didn’t that I saw 

He will appeal 

 

 

[Augie]

4 hours ago, Green Lightning said:

What absolute crap. It never should have been a penalty in the first place. Just the NFL pathetic attempt to justify the past year of  the worst officiating in the leagues history. 

 

I still have not gone back and watched the game again (still too fresh), but based upon my original viewing I’d have thought an apology from the league would be more appropriate than a fine. Not that I expected an apology, but that’s how much I hated that call.....

[C.Biscuit97]

3 minutes ago, GoBills808 said:

Hey NFL: for consistency's sake maybe call this one too

 

Well they have no consistency. That’s the problem. But are you taking about the Texans guy who got showed by a Bills player?

[DuckyBoys]

I have to say the NFL is out of control with the protecting the refs  Its ok to just come out and say they got a call wrong   That was a marginal call at best  and to fine the guy seems like wagging the dog to me

[C.Biscuit97]

5 minutes ago, YoloinOhio said:

No he didn’t that I saw 

He will appeal 

 

 

I love the practice of appealing to the place that fines you in the first place.  The NFL is so insane. 

[Lurker]

4 hours ago, Do The Reich Thing said:

I swear the NFL is trying to test people’s patience and daring people to stop watching

 

Failing at that as well....

 

"....Of the 50 most-watched television broadcasts of the year, 41 of them were NFL games."

 

 

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2020/01/08/nfl-games-were-41-of-the-50-most-watched-tv-broadcasts-of-2019/

[GoBills808]

7 minutes ago, C.Biscuit97 said:

Well they have no consistency. That’s the problem. But are you taking about the Texans guy who got showed by a Bills player?

Yeah no. He disengages with Poyer (you can see his arm let go deliberately) to start moving back towards Edmunds (he turns his head and lines him up) and initiates a textbook illegal blindside block with his shoulder and head. 

 

[John Gianelli]

27 minutes ago, KD in CA said:

This is so awful by the league, it's almost worth a Bills Mafia 'Go Fund Me' page to cover it.

 

That's what this is all about.....reinforcing the ref's calls, right or wrong.

 

 

 

Did you say "Go Fund Me" page? 

 

Up to 98 donors and $1,428. Cody says he will donate it to charity.

Edited January 11, 2020 by John Gianelli

[BillsCuse]

4 hours ago, stosh64 said:

Is that boogers ignorant commentary?

This is the first time I've re-watched this video and it just brought me right back to full pissed off mode.  Rule or not - at the end of a game that is an absolute NO CALL.   I couldn't bring myself to watch any games last Sunday and now I definitely can't this weekend either.   

[C.Biscuit97]

3 minutes ago, GoBills808 said:

Yeah no. He disengages with Poyer (you can see his arm let go deliberately) to start moving back towards Edmunds (he turns his head and lines him up) and initiates a textbook illegal blindside block with his shoulder and head. 

 

I think you’re reaching.  But the Ford call was still awful.  

[Doc Brown]

For my faith in humanity that can't be the reason for the fine.

[Augie]

17 minutes ago, YoloinOhio said:

No he didn’t that I saw 

He will appeal 

 

 

 

Thanks for reminding me of how much I dislike Booger. 

 

This is FOOTBALL! If he wanted to just get a hit on him he could have lit him UP!  The guy is still chasing the play and Ford just screened him off! What if the ball comes loose (as it does far too often)? Is he not allowed to recover because Josh had already passed him? Sorry, we’re still playing football there! The fine is worse than the call, because they had time to consider it. 

[BillsCuse]

What yard line would we have been at if the penalty wasn't called?   I was so mad at the call I don't even remember what happened on that play.  And haven't let myself watch any highlights of the game - will just put me in a very pissy mood, lol

[suorangefan4]

Pathetic call. Pathetic fine.

 

Buffalo gets bent over backwards on a consistent basis. 

[billsfan1959]

6 minutes ago, BillsCuse said:

What yard line would we have been at if the penalty wasn't called?   I was so mad at the call I don't even remember what happened on that play.  And haven't let myself watch any highlights of the game - will just put me in a very pissy mood, lol

 

It would have been a 4th and 4 at the Houston 37 yard line. 

[GoBills808]

7 minutes ago, BillsCuse said:

What yard line would we have been at if the penalty wasn't called?   I was so mad at the call I don't even remember what happened on that play.  And haven't let myself watch any highlights of the game - will just put me in a very pissy mood, lol

Haush would have been lining up a 55 yarder for the walkoff

[BeastMaster]

NFL playing this well.

 

Now when Cody wins the appeal, the masses will be happy with that and let go of the officiating. 

 

Very well played, NFL

[Do The Reich Thing]

20 minutes ago, Lurker said:

 

Failing at that as well....

 

"....Of the 50 most-watched television broadcasts of the year, 41 of them were NFL games."

 

 

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2020/01/08/nfl-games-were-41-of-the-50-most-watched-tv-broadcasts-of-2019/

Yea man... unfortunately, but I don’t help as I watch every game I can. 
 

it’s like a drug... ugh 

[Over 29 years of fanhood]

3 hours ago, Lurker said:

 

 

based on this one could almost Arthur this call should have been like the non call on that first half kick off. 
 

oh well. we’re on to free agency

[purple haze]

I'm still trying understand how a "blind" side block happens to a player who is looking in the fAce of the man blocking him.

[WideNine]

On 1/11/2020 at 7:25 AM, YoloinOhio said:

 

 

This is the mob mentality that Al Rivera has instilled into the NFL Officiating organization and the owners need to do something because it is not trending in the right direction.

 

Question us, we deny any poor calls close ranks and fine you. Question us and pass new rules to improve our performance, we will ignore them or selectively enforce them to show our displeasure.

 

 

From the top-down that organization needs to be blown up and rebuilt the right way or the systemic issues the owners are trying to regulate out are not going to go away, and they should start with Rivera.

 

Hire full-time referees with strong progressive leadership and install some independent oversight for organization performance reviews and as a watchdog as we know legal NFL gambling makes referees a tempting target. Figure out better ways of working more quickly and seamlessly with video technology instead of the knuckle-dragging, Luddite approach of competing with or suppressing it.

 

Most of all instill the understanding that it is OK to pick up a flag. If your crew has no qualms about waving off a TD because a player forgot to take a knee, you should be able to recognize that you made a mistake on that nonsense blindside block call in OT effectively killing a drive for a team trying to score in a playoff game and pick up that flag. 

Edited January 12, 2020 by WideNine

[Meatloaf63]

6 hours ago, CBennett said:

LAME, I mean it was barely even a hit let along fine worthy...how about the head shot Allen took but wasnt called...FAR FAR more egregious. So now...moderately bumping..as thats all it was a moderate bump..is fine worthy..almost ..and i hate to say this..but almost wish Ford had LAID HIM OUT COLD..at least them it would be worth a fine..but that moderate bump

This is the NFL digging in and showing you what happens when you complain about their crooked officiating. During the season next year you will see more egregious calls against us.Typical BS... 

[BADOLBILZ]

 

Bottom line is that all Ford needs to do there is get in the way.

 

Extend his arms and block when the defender gets his head around instead of throwing a shoulder into him.........whether throwing the shoulder is 100% effort or not it *looks* like an intent to hurt the defender with a potentially devastating hit.

 

The league is trying to legislate the kill-shots out of the game.........know that........adapt and improve.

 

[fan_in_tx]

6 hours ago, stosh64 said:

Yet Clowney got nothing?

 

SMFH

And the Duke Johnson block on Edwards on the Watson score should have been blindside as well then.   Ref's know this bad call and the one on the end zone fumble (yes it was a fumble) cost the Bills the game.   If you look at the previous kick off after Buffalo field goal Carter gives the no out single and correctly takes a knee.  On the opening kick off he knows he is suppose to take a knee, it is a fumble and should have been upheld.

 

[Happy Days Lois & Clark]

It was a bad call. He should not have been penalized and he should not have been fined.

[GoBills808]

This is 100% a ‘letter of the law’ interpretation.

 

You know, the exact opposite way they interpreted the kickoff rule.

[Meatloaf63]

5 hours ago, Ethan in Portland said:

He got suspended for a game. Meaning he missed 1/16th of his salary.

Jesus Christ this board kills me with how uninformed people are

That’s not a fine though is it, two different things. Why do you think you are so much smarter than every else around here?

[leh-nerd skin-erd]

5 minutes ago, BADOLBILZ said:

 

Bottom line is that all Ford needs to do there is get in the way.

 

Extend his arms and block when the defender gets his head around instead of throwing a shoulder into him.........whether throwing the shoulder is 100% effort or not it *looks* like an intent to hurt the defender with a potentially devastating hit.

 

The league is trying to legislate the kill-shots out of the game.........know that........adapt and improve.

 

I’m sorry, this is absurd.  Defend the penalty, fine. See it as a reasonable call, or even an unreasonable penalty but reasonably called due to the high speed of the game.  Fine, there is enough wiggle room in the rule to throw the flag as there was contact.  
 

In the calm light of day, and for many including former players, it was an uneventful play with no impact and no unreasonable risk to the defender.  The call was bad enough, the $28,000 fine implies it was determined to be an attempted kill shot.   Now, if the argument is the NFL must fine due to league rules after that call is made (no exceptions), it’s still a crappy and unreasonable call that using reasonable judgement by the officiating team should not have been called.  
 

And, given the call made on the spot and the resulting fine, I have zero confidence that any action involving Ford and his arms/hands etc would have gone unflagged. 

[Meatloaf63]

5 hours ago, Ethan in Portland said:

See which way Allen is running. See the back of Ford’s jersey. 
It’s a penalty. Learn the god dam rules and stop complaining about the officiating 
 

Actually you aren’t as smart as you think you are, the rule states it has to be “forcible  contact “ with head arms or shoulder,  and several NFL experts including Micheal  Perreria said this did not meet that definition. Maybe you should read the damn rules and gain a better understanding instead of acting like an arrogant prick around here...

[WideNine]

16 minutes ago, BADOLBILZ said:

 

Bottom line is that all Ford needs to do there is get in the way.

 

Extend his arms and block when the defender gets his head around instead of throwing a shoulder into him.........whether throwing the shoulder is 100% effort or not it *looks* like an intent to hurt the defender with a potentially devastating hit.

 

The league is trying to legislate the kill-shots out of the game.........know that........adapt and improve.

 

 

I dunno. I don't see kill-shot, I don't see shoulder, I see Ford setting his block and hitting him with his hands and arms in the front of his jersey and he is a much bigger man. The defender does not even go down, just has to hop backward and reset his feet.

 

Just a lame call that should never had been made. You looking for blind side - look to the Jets defender Anderson with a history of dirty hits and fines being given a 10K fine when he wiped out Hauschka last year. 

 

Explain how Ford's legit block is a 28K fine, and Anderson's was a 10K????

 

"F" Rivera.

 

 

 

[BADOLBILZ]

22 minutes ago, leh-nerd skin-erd said:

I’m sorry, this is absurd.  Defend the penalty, fine. See it as a reasonable call, or even an unreasonable penalty but reasonably called due to the high speed of the game.  Fine, there is enough wiggle room in the rule to throw the flag as there was contact.  
 

In the calm light of day, and for many including former players, it was an uneventful play with no impact and no unreasonable risk to the defender.  The call was bad enough, the $28,000 fine implies it was determined to be an attempted kill shot.   Now, if the argument is the NFL must fine due to league rules after that call is made (no exceptions), it’s still a crappy and unreasonable call that using reasonable judgement by the officiating team should not have been called.  
 

And, given the call made on the spot and the resulting fine, I have zero confidence that any action involving Ford and his arms/hands etc would have gone unflagged. 

 

 

I remember when the league changed the rules about hitting defenseless receivers and the attitude was the same as yours.

 

 "ABSURD!   We've been hitting receivers like that forever! How are we supposed to play defense?!"    

 

And despite all of that absurdness and unfairness the Seahawks defense emerged in the next few seasons as one of the best ever.

 

Turns out you don't need to hit someone with your helmet or shoulder to tackle them!  And you don't need to throw your body into that block that Ford did.

 

Know the rule, know how it's enforced and don't put yourself in position to get penalized and fined.    And keep in mind Ford is the same clown who committed hands to the face fouls on back-to-back plays earlier in the game and only got called for the second one.    

 

He's an emotional idiot on the field with a track record for dumb plays.    A guy like that is not going to get the benefit of the doubt on bang-bang plays.   He needs to learn that and stop costing his team.........him having to pay $ for it......AFTER review.......can only serve to help him think twice about doing it again.

[Peter]

The NFL is doubling down on blindly penalizing Cody for a ridiculous blind side penalty.  

 

 

[John Gianelli]

54 minutes ago, WideNine said:

 

This is the mob mentality that Ron Rivera has instilled into the NFL Officiating organization and the owners need to do something because it is not trending in the right direction.

 

Question us, we deny any poor calls close ranks and fine you. Question us and pass new rules to improve our performance, we will ignore them or selectively enforce them to show our displeasure.

 

 

From the top-down that organization needs to be blown up and rebuilt the right way or the systemic issues the owners are trying to regulate out are not going to go away, and they should start with Rivera.

 

Hire full-time referees with strong progressive leadership and install some independent oversight for organization performance reviews and as a watchdog as we know legal NFL gambling makes referees a tempting target. Figure out better ways of working more quickly and seamlessly with video technology instead of the knuckle-dragging, Luddite approach of competing with or suppressing it.

 

Most of all instill the understanding that it is OK to pick up a flag. If your crew has now qualms about waving off a TD because a player forgot to take a knee, you should be able to recognize that you made a mistake on that nonsense blindside block call in OT effectively killing a drive for a team trying to score in a playoff game and pick up that flag. 

Do you mean Al Riveron, the head of officiating?

[WideNine]

1 minute ago, John Gianelli said:

Do you mean Al Riveron, the head of officiating?

 

Yup. Nice catch - I'll edit.

[Dan]

Kim or Terry needs to get a seat on the rules committee and start chumming up to the league otherwise crap like this will never end for the Bills.   That penalty was ridiculously bad.  The fine is unconscionable.   

[Playoffs?]

The more I watch this, the more upset I get. This is one of the most absurd things in the NFL I have ever seen.

[leh-nerd skin-erd]

32 minutes ago, BADOLBILZ said:

 

 

I remember when the league changed the rules about hitting defenseless receivers and the attitude was the same as yours.

 

 "ABSURD!   We've been hitting receivers like that forever! How are we supposed to play defense?!"    

 

And despite all of that absurdness and unfairness the Seahawks defense emerged in the next few seasons as one of the best ever.

 

Turns out you don't need to hit someone with your helmet or shoulder to tackle them!  And you don't need to throw your body into that block that Ford did.

 

Know the rule, know how it's enforced and don't put yourself in position to get penalized and fined.    And keep in mind Ford is the same clown who committed hands to the face fouls on back-to-back plays earlier in the game and only got called for the second one.    

 

He's an emotional idiot on the field with a track record for dumb plays.    A guy like that is not going to get the benefit of the doubt on bang-bang plays.   He needs to learn that and stop costing his team.........him having to pay $ for it......AFTER review.......can only serve to help him think twice about doing it again.

Let's unpack this. 

 

A game changing penalty is called on a player who, in the eyes of the officials charged with neutral observation of the game, decide will be called for a penalty where other, more popular and/or favorably viewed players would not.  Additionally, in order to humiliate and financially impact the player--- the league has decided to levy a fine of something like $1000 per minute played because  CF is in your words "an emotional idiot', even though you yourself suggest that for many players, the official wouldn't even muster the energy to move his hand toward the flag in his back pocket.

 

Yeah, that's a recipe for success to push the old integrity meter. 

 

In a weird way, we agree in principle.  Some players will be called for that, others would not.  Personally, I think labelling this a 'bang bang' play is 'bullsh*t  bullsh*s',  but even if it is, you're still arguing that some players will not be called while others will thereby impacting one game and not the next.  

 

As for changing rules to improve player safety, I call ABSURD on your rationale.  Whatever rule is implemented, consistency is the key to a fair contest.  Not 100% error free officiating, just consistency.   The NFL has itself to blame for the sh9tshow that is 'officiating', and fining a guy to compel him to aspire to be Prom King is dumb. 

 

 

[BADOLBILZ]

5 minutes ago, leh-nerd skin-erd said:

Let's unpack this. 

 

A game changing penalty is called on a player who, in the eyes of the officials charged with neutral observation of the game, decide will be called for a penalty where other, more popular and/or favorably viewed players would not.  Additionally, in order to humiliate and financially impact the player--- the league has decided to levy a fine of something like $1000 per minute played because  CF is in your words "an emotional idiot', even though you yourself suggest that for many players, the official wouldn't even muster the energy to move his hand toward the flag in his back pocket.

 

Yeah, that's a recipe for success to push the old integrity meter. 

 

In a weird way, we agree in principle.  Some players will be called for that, others would not.  Personally, I think labelling this a 'bang bang' play is 'bullsh*t  bullsh*s',  but even if it is, you're still arguing that some players will not be called while others will thereby impacting one game and not the next.  

 

As for changing rules to improve player safety, I call ABSURD on your rationale.  Whatever rule is implemented, consistency is the key to a fair contest.  Not 100% error free officiating, just consistency.   The NFL has itself to blame for the sh9tshow that is 'officiating', and fining a guy to compel him to aspire to be Prom King is dumb. 

 

 

 

 

Start your unpacking with the fact that reputation precedes players.

 

Officials watch tape and are aware of penalty stats and know what they are getting into going into games.

 

Ford has earned a rep for unnecessary/undisciplined "dumb" penalties.  

 

You want to ignore this and act like it shouldn't be part of the equation.   Well keep ignoring facts and you will keep being outraged.

 

Marv once said "if you get a reputation as an early riser.....you can sleep til' noon".    Works the other way around too.    He needs to be aware of his rep and fix it.   In the meantime don't engage in even unnecessarily "marginal" action right directly in front of an official as was the case on this play.    

[Meatloaf63]

1 hour ago, BADOLBILZ said:

 

 

I remember when the league changed the rules about hitting defenseless receivers and the attitude was the same as yours.

 

 "ABSURD!   We've been hitting receivers like that forever! How are we supposed to play defense?!"    

 

And despite all of that absurdness and unfairness the Seahawks defense emerged in the next few seasons as one of the best ever.

 

Turns out you don't need to hit someone with your helmet or shoulder to tackle them!  And you don't need to throw your body into that block that Ford did.

 

Know the rule, know how it's enforced and don't put yourself in position to get penalized and fined.    And keep in mind Ford is the same clown who committed hands to the face fouls on back-to-back plays earlier in the game and only got called for the second one.    

 

He's an emotional idiot on the field with a track record for dumb plays.    A guy like that is not going to get the benefit of the doubt on bang-bang plays.   He needs to learn that and stop costing his team.........him having to pay $ for it......AFTER review.......can only serve to help him think twice about doing it again.

Except there was no foul on the play, he didn’t forcibly hit the player, it was a bad call The NFL as usual is digging in defending themselves because they know they f’d up the game , they got the result they wanted, but it’s obvious all the calls They gave Houston were Bs...