Martin to blame on GB fumble?

[DandyDon52]

Martin made poor block on play in Green Bay playoff game fumble by Murray.
I just noticed this recently, pepper, the guy who knocked the ball out on the play, was
Martins guy, the only guy Martin had to block was peppers, and if he did just a little better,
peppers would not have made it to Murray in time, and no fumble!

I will post some pics, but what I want to know from some of you who played lineman,
is a OL supposed to keep his head up ??
Is it bad form to lower the head so much your looking at the ground?
This is what Martin does on this play and it allows peppers ( a old guy lol) to slip arund and off the
block and leap at Murray.

If martin just delayed him 1 second longer it might have kept him from getting To murray, which he barely did.

Now I know some will blame Murray still, but the hit was from behind so it wasnt expected, he was looking at the open field then boom peppers hit his arm from behind.

I never saw anyone point this out about peppers being martins guy on that play.
It wasnt a good block.
Curious to see what fans here think about this, and the head down thing.

 

[gmoney112]

You're not going to get a clean block every time, especially not against Julius Peppers.

It's the RB's job to hold onto the ball.

 

[AbeBeta]

Martin did get beat there - but it is hard to expect an interior lineman to block a hall of fame DE in space like that

 

[coach steele]

Yeah, Peppers barely got a hand in there and if Murray was quicker, he never would have gotten there. Bottom line is that Murray held the football like a sack of bread last year and should have held on to that one as well.

 

[DandyDon52]

ok some pics

In this first one peppers is the one circled on the line, and then I pointed out the safety who would probably got Murray around the
GB 35-40 yard line.

here Martin is going to block Peppers so far so good.

here he has his head down and peppers has clear view of Murray, and instead of martin controlling him he seems to be controlling martin
because he has his head down.

 

[Alexander]

Holy overanalysis, Batman!

 

[DandyDon52]

here is Peppers leaping from behind so I dnt think murray expected the hit at all , and had to be stunned at the space n from of him.
this was a important play and inches and seconds either way and it isnt a fumble.
Players have to step in playoffs , and peppers did in this one.
but why wuld Martin block like that with head down ??

 

[Nation]

It was a bad block by Martin, no doubt about it. Most fumbles are forced from behind on plays like this too. It is still Murray's job to hang onto the football though.

 

[Chuck 54]

I don't care if at the snap all the linemen shout "Ole!" And laugh aloud as they sit down and block no one.
The RB is to blame for every fumble except on a bad exchange. It happens, and we accept it,but it's still his fault.

 

[JIGGYFLY]

Holy overanalysis, Batman!

 

[Proximo]

Yes, great point.

That hole that the O-line opened up, which was big enough to drive a monster truck through, just wasn't good enough.

The fact that Zach Martin's block allowed even a hand to get on Murray is completely unacceptable.

Zach Martin, if you're reading this, please know, you need to do a better job next time. Don't disappoint us like that.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

It was the fault of the guy who carried the ball like it was a loaf of bread.

 

[Nova]

Sorry. That's not a bad block. Peppers played it well, but Martin got enough of him. You don't have to eliminate a guy from a play to be effective, it's more about timing.

The hole was big enough and Murray should have run through that arm lunge.

 

[DavidS]

Wow....just wow.

 

[xtreme_2k]

I don't know it looks like to me that Murray felt a breeze whip across the field to affect the ball flying out of his hand . Actually this is exactly Murray leaving some yardage on the field, he should have been way clear of that big hole in front of him for Peppers even to have a chance to catch him from behind.

 

[benson]

The guy who refused to alter his ball carrying technique that was an obvious problem since week 1 is at fault.

 

[DandyDon52]

Yes, great point.

That hole that the O-line opened up, which was big enough to drive a monster truck through, just wasn't good enough.

The fact that Zach Martin's block allowed even a hand to get on Murray is completely unacceptable.

Zach Martin, if you're reading this, please know, you need to do a better job next time. Don't disappoint us like that.

If you look at the pre snap pic you will see the big hole was already there due to the way GB lined up blocking peppers
was the most important, along with the LB when he tries to come up.

 

[DandyDon52]

The guy who refused to alter his ball carrying technique that was an obvious problem since week 1 is at fault.

I agree on he held the ball wrong, but is that not a coaching issue too??

 

[DFWJC]

Massive hole on that play.
No way Peppers should have gotten that strip.
Nice play by him but it surprised Murray--who had visions of sugar plums.

 

[guag]

God forbid this fumble was actually blamed on He-Who-Could-Do-No-Wrong-And-Should-Have-Been-Resigned.

Don't mean this as a jab at the OP, as I'm sure that wasn't the intention, but that's what it feels like.