NFL illegal block rule

[MPT]

2 hours ago, Simon said:

"a player initiates a block in which he is moving toward or parallel to his own end line and makes forcible contact to his opponent with his helmet, forearm, or shoulder"

 

They've been calling it for a couple years to minimize concussions and whether we like or not that was a penalty on McKenzie

 

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. 

[Doc]

And if this is how they want to play the rule, then they should make it a reviewable play to be look at which direction the penalized player was moving.  You know, in the interest of safety and all...

[NewEra]

2 hours ago, Simon said:

 

If your lined up outside coming down the LOS and pop somebody they will call it every time now

 

 

the key is he initiated forcible contact with his shoulder

If that’s the way it’s supposed to be called, they have to change the rule. That was a perfect block

[MPT]

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.

Edited September 20, 2020 by MPT

[Augie]

3 hours ago, Simon said:

"a player initiates a block in which he is moving toward or parallel to his own end line and makes forcible contact to his opponent with his helmet, forearm, or shoulder"

 

They've been calling it for a couple years to minimize concussions and whether we like or not that was a penalty on McKenzie

 

WAIT! It’s football and we can’t use shoulders anymore? This is just silly and needs to be fixed. Should he have taken out his knees? I’m POSITIVE what the player would prefer. 

[Doc]

5 minutes ago, MPT said:

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.

 

Yeah, he actually does take the charge.  Expecting him to not brace himself, turtle or move out of the way is idiotic.

[WideNine]

3 hours ago, Simon said:

"a player initiates a block in which he is moving toward or parallel to his own end line and makes forcible contact to his opponent with his helmet, forearm, or shoulder"

 

They've been calling it for a couple years to minimize concussions and whether we like or not that was a penalty on McKenzie

 

I thought it was a clean enough hit, but you are right. It is more about protecting players and a lot like some of the hockey rules when a player does not have his head up and gets lit up. Just need to coach McKenzie to dip that shoulder a bit more to connect lower. He was in great position to spring that play, the block was really close, and they should go to ithat play again.

[MPT]

16 minutes ago, WideNine said:

 

I thought it was a clean enough hit, but you are right. It is more about protecting players and a lot like some of the hockey rules when a player does not have his head up and gets lit up. Just need to coach McKenzie to dip that shoulder a bit more to connect lower. He was in great position to spring that play, the block was really close, and they should go to ithat play again.

 

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.

Edited September 20, 2020 by MPT

[1ManRaid]

3 hours ago, Simon said:

 

If your lined up outside coming down the LOS and pop somebody they will call it every time now

 

 

the key is he initiated forcible contact with his shoulder

The key is that it specifies "AND makes forcible contact".  The way he makes contact alone isn't enough for a call.

[auburnbillsbacker]

Did he "initiate the block" or did the defensive player run into him?

[WideNine]

6 minutes ago, MPT said:

 

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 even 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.

 

Its a ticky-tacky rule, but I was seeing a lot of defensive line stunts designed to allow a DE to come in from a wide 9 position and ear-hole the guard allowing the inside guy a lane to the QB. It was a dangerous play and although it was not a crack back, the NFL decided to make it harder to do a blind-side hits or blocks.  

 

I thought it was a good clean block, I thought that Ford threw a good clean block last year and both times I thought the defender just was not playing heads-up football with awareness.

 

But the way the rule is written and how easy the defensive player gets decleated will always lend itself to the refs stepping in to throw a flag.

Edited September 20, 2020 by WideNine

[MPT]

9 minutes ago, 1ManRaid said:

The key is that it specifies "AND makes forcible contact".  The way he makes contact alone isn't enough for a call.

 

7 minutes ago, auburnbillsbacker said:

Did he "initiate the block" or did the defensive player run into him?

 

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.

4 minutes ago, WideNine said:

But the way the rule is written and how easy the defensive player gets decleated will always lend itself to the refs stepping in to throw a flag.

 

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.

Edited September 20, 2020 by MPT

[WideNine]

3 minutes ago, MPT said:

 

 

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 apparently IS a way to interpret that wording to justify a penalty when he was neither of those things. You  know....because it actually happened that way......today.      😁   Fixed.

 

 

[GoBills808]

8 minutes ago, MPT said:

 

 

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.

This is the only response necessary 

 

it’s directional end of story

[MPT]

6 minutes ago, WideNine said:

 

 

 

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?

Edited September 20, 2020 by MPT

[Xwnyer]

3 hours ago, Southern Bills Fan said:

Was he moving toward or parallel to his own end zone? It didn’t look like it. 

It was a bull#### call 

[WideNine]

1 minute ago, MPT said:

 

They weren't interpreting the the rule at all. That's the problem.

 

I agree, just busting your chops. 

 

I do know that when the defender gets de-cleated on those clean but unexpected blocks from a player that has the right leverage, the hanky always flies. Shouldn't, but it almost always does.

[Mr. K]

3 hours ago, Simon said:

 

Its all about protecting guys heads and that's a wicked situation in regards to getting concussed by an opponent, the turf or whiplash

Thats exactly why they called it. Those old "holy sh*t" hit are awesome but when we say a guy got destroyed some times its devastating for life.

[GoBills808]

Just now, WideNine said:

 

I agree, just busting your chops. 

 

I do know that when the defender gets de-cleated on those clean but unexpected blocks from a player that has the right leverage, the hanky always flies. Shouldn't, but it almost always does.

When they’re blocking parallel or toward their endzone. Not when it’s a block in the opponent's direction. Which is the point.

Just now, Mr. K said:

Thats exactly why they called it. Those old "holy sh*t" hit are awesome but when we say a guy got destroyed some times its devastating for life.

Then call hit to the head or something, it’s not a blindside block 

[MPT]

1 minute ago, Mr. K said:

Thats exactly why they called it. Those old "holy sh*t" hit are awesome but when we say a guy got destroyed some times its devastating for life.

 

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.