boysbeyond4ever
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The rule is poorly conceived but if you can't lead with your helmet to tackle or defense a pass you shouldn't be able to use it to deliver a block.
Remember, the blind side block rule requires two things. First is the blocker must be moving towards his own goal line (or parallel to it). Second, he must use his head, shoulder or forearm to deliver a forcible blow to his opponent.
In the first example, the blocker met condition 1 but I would argue not condition 2. In the second example the blocker met both conditions. He does not have to hit his opponent in the head, he just has to use his own helmet, shoulder of forearm when he hits his opponent.
I think what has people confused if the location of the block, behind the line of scrimmage. Most people think of your second example as the typical blindside block, but the rule allows this call anywhere on the field away from the LOS.
I think it was incidental. Think about how much bigger the helmet makes your head area. If you lean in to push with any leverage, your head goes forward. That happens all the time and doesn't get called.The rule is poorly conceived but if you can't lead with your helmet to tackle or defense a pass you shouldn't be able to use it to deliver a block.
More fodder for the debate this is the NFL defending a blindside block call from another game in 2019.
The point is the rule was not written for this type of play, it was written for the Green Bay incident. This is the ACTUAL play that initiated the rule change, meaning this is actually what is considered FORCIBLE. The WR leveled the DB in the chest and it wasn’t illegal at that point, so it wasn’t called. But it clearly was forcible.
If the reasoning of the rule is taken into account, the Saints players was doing what is common all the time in blocking, as the GIFs illustrate, meaning it wasn’t forcible.
I think it was incidental. Think about how much bigger the helmet makes your head area. If you lean in to push with any leverage, your head goes forward. That happens all the time and doesn't get called.