Clarification: MB3 Rule - Is this still legal?

[Boyzmamacita]

I'm confused about the new Marion Barber rule. Is what he does in the gif below still acceptable?

 

[Hostile]

The only thing illegal is a blow to the face mask or the face if the hand goes up underneath the mask.

 

[juck]

Thats a superb stiff arm in my book,Let them play.

 

[Boyzmamacita]

The only thing illegal is a blow to the face mask or the face if the hand goes up underneath the mask.

Thanks. I was hoping they weren't trying render MB3 powerless by taking away his #1 weapon. As long as he can still do that, he will be fine.

 

[Boyzmamacita]

Thats a superb stiff arm in my book,Let them play.

I agree 100%.

 

[theogt]

From everything I've read about the rule (as reported in the media) he could receive a 15 yard penalty for that play.

 

[Boyzmamacita]

From everything I've read about the rule (as reported in the media) he could receive a 15 yard penalty for that play.

Oh no, Theo, you just had to go and burst my bubble.

Who do I believe, you or Hos?

 

[Little Jr]

I think that play would be legal. The one on Harrison in the NE game would be called a penalty. It was great though.

 

[masomenos]

these would both be penalties...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Q3cGgSuorU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8TlNtrpQ6s

 

[theogt]

Oh no, Theo, you just had to go and burst my bubble.

Who do I believe, you or Hos?

Just going by Jeff Fisher's description of the rule, it is a penalty. But I don't know what the actual language of the rule is.

 

[theogt]

Ok...nevermind. I don't think that will be a penalty.

1. For running backs, grabbing and twisting the facemask is and always has been a facemask penalty.

2. However, for "BLOCKERS" it is an illegal use of hands penalty to "thrust his hands forward above the frame of an opponent to contact him on the neck, face, or head."

The confusion came, for me at least, in thinking that when Fisher was talking about the illegal use of hands penalty he was speaking about stiffarms, which would imply that the rule applied to ballcarriers. However, an older version of the rule (which apparently hasn't been changed and is only being "emphasized") states that the rule applies to "blockers," which I assume excludes ballcarriers. Thus, the illegal use of hands language would not apply to Barber as a ballcarrier and that would not be a penalty.

Now, if the term "blockers" in the rulebook also includes a ballcarrier, then that would be illegal. As far as I can tell, the rulebook itself does not define a "blocker," and any reasonable interpretation otherwise would have to exclude the ballcarrier as a blocker.

 

[gazmc_06]

I'm hoping they don't call MBIII for his punch you in the face move. He doesn't grab or twist the mask so it's not anything too bad, it's just a straight forward stiff arm, he just uses it the best. I was talking to a few people about it though and the mahority seem to think it will be called as a penalty.

 

[Boyzmamacita]

I'm hoping they don't call MBIII for his punch you in the face move. He doesn't grab or twist the mask so it's not anything too bad, it's just a straight forward stiff arm, he just uses it the best. I was talking to a few people about it though and the mahority seem to think it will be called as a penalty.

The part in bold is what makes me think they will call it against MBIII. When a Cowboys is best at something, it gets banned. Roy Williams can horse collar like no other and they don't call it on others as much if at all. Somebody joked that there will be a Demarcus Ware rule against pursuing the quarterback AFTER the snap because he's so fast off the ball. I laughed, but maybe it's not so funny.

 

[Yeagermeister]

The part in bold is what makes me think they will call it against MBIII. When a Cowboys is best at something, it gets banned. Roy Williams can horse collar like no other and they don't call it on others as much if at all. Somebody joked that there will be a Demarcus Ware rule against pursuing the quarterback AFTER the snap because he's so fast off the ball. I laughed, but maybe it's not so funny.

The Ware rule with force him to start counting to 5 Mississippi before rushing the passer.

 

[Primetime42]

The Ware rule with force him to start counting to 5 Mississippi before rushing the passer.

They already figured out ways to handicap DWare.

Or did you forget the GB and playoff games where he was "offsides"?

 

[reddyuta]

Barber stiff arms the defender twice in the video.The 1st one is not a penalty(incidental and to the side of the helmet ,IMO)-the second one looks like a penalty to me,under the new rules.

 

[J-DOG]

I'm wondering if the refs will be calling this penalty on all players or if they are just going to call it on Barber.
Kind of like the Roy Williams rule err.....I mean the horse collar rule.
One rule change that will really impact the league will be the rule about not giving the wr a catch with the change on the force out rule.
Seems like last year this was called a catch except when it happened to TO.
TO never got the benefit of the doubt on that rule last year.

 

[fan62]

From what I understand they will use the rules stop any violent action to the head or any sort of face mask hold or punch (violent push), by RBs and especially Barber.
If he put his arm out and uses a stiff arm to the helmet, I don't think it will be called, but if he delivers a "punch" as he throws his arm out it will be called. I think any hand on the face mask will be called on him. It's supposed to be grabbing the face mask, but to emphasize the rule, he will be called anyway for the first half of the season (wrongly).

I would bet that he has at least 8 calls in the first 6 games, that could be drive killers.

 

[J-DOG]

From what I understand they will use the rules stop any violent action to the head or any sort of face mask hold or punch (violent push), by RBs and especially Barber.
If he put his arm out and uses a stiff arm to the helmet, I don't think it will be called, but if he delivers a "punch" as he throws his arm out it will be called. I think any hand on the face mask will be called on him. It's supposed to be grabbing the face mask, but to emphasize the rule, he will be called anyway for the first half of the season (wrongly).

I would bet that he has at least 8 calls in the first 6 games, that could be drive killers.

Unfortunately I agree with that.

 

[CrazyCowboy]

if they do not throw the flag ....it is legal