Gryphon
Merge Ahead
- Messages
- 3,407
- Reaction score
- 31
sf4d9erfan1's SportingBlog
May 03, 2007 10:08 AM
The second entry in this series is strictly addressing the Roughing the Passer penalties that were called last season. I have referred to this in my Peyton Manning blog but must iterate that it just didn’t happen to the Colts. One of the most memorable plays last year involved a play when the Giants ( I think) virtually lost a game solely based on the threat of a roughing the passer penalty. As the pass rusher was in the process of tackling the quarterback something inside his helmet must have clicked. He had the QB all but wrapped up but because he was afraid of getting a costly penalty released him. The passer then completed a vital pass which resulted in the game winning play. How easy is the NFL going to make it for QB’s? Players like Michael Vick and Vince Young should be able to take full advantage of this new rule. Simply, it allows them to move more freely in the backfield without the worries of having obstructed views (can’t hit their head thus, have to keep hands away to avoid penalty) or a fear of footsteps! A slap to their helmet and the defender is eating a yellow cloth lunch and washing it down with their coaches spit. A tackler who doesn’t come equipped with instant air brakes is also relatively screwed. In short, defenders are having to slow down their blitz rushes as well as their chasing speed for fear that if the QB does release the ball before they arrive they will be penalized for an unnecessary hit. The NFL obviously doesn’t see the same things I do. I see a 300 pound man running his guts out to tackle a faster Quarterback.(In most cases) I know that I am no physics expert but once 300 pounds is set in motion it is a little hard to stop it on the turn on a dime. Therefore, through simple math, we can see that these 300 pound beasts are not going to be able to avoid some contact. However, in their efforts to direct their hits from the QB’s head they lower their attack to below the waste. This results in another referee provided penalty luncheon! I mean, are they drafting players with telepathy now because the only way to avoid some of these hits is to know the exact moment the quarterback is going to release the ball. Further still, defenders are getting hit where it really hurts, their wallets. Last season I saw an increase in defender to quarterback fines. I know that if I were making big money but had some of it threatened because of contact, I would try to limit my contact. Therefore, this is also responsible for the slow done in pass rushing that we saw against Peyton and other quarterbacks in the playoffs and regular season. I mean this is football right? The quarterbacks don’t have special clauses in their contracts that say they can’t be touched. Maybe the NFL should issue each quarterback a flag to attach to their waist as to make it fair for defenses. Now, I realize that late hitting penalties are necessary and I totally agree with the helmet to helmet rules but when a slap to the helmet draws 3 flags things have gone a little overboard! I think the rules should go back to the Pre-Carson Palmer injury and the NFL should just chalk that injury up to accident!
May 03, 2007 10:08 AM
The second entry in this series is strictly addressing the Roughing the Passer penalties that were called last season. I have referred to this in my Peyton Manning blog but must iterate that it just didn’t happen to the Colts. One of the most memorable plays last year involved a play when the Giants ( I think) virtually lost a game solely based on the threat of a roughing the passer penalty. As the pass rusher was in the process of tackling the quarterback something inside his helmet must have clicked. He had the QB all but wrapped up but because he was afraid of getting a costly penalty released him. The passer then completed a vital pass which resulted in the game winning play. How easy is the NFL going to make it for QB’s? Players like Michael Vick and Vince Young should be able to take full advantage of this new rule. Simply, it allows them to move more freely in the backfield without the worries of having obstructed views (can’t hit their head thus, have to keep hands away to avoid penalty) or a fear of footsteps! A slap to their helmet and the defender is eating a yellow cloth lunch and washing it down with their coaches spit. A tackler who doesn’t come equipped with instant air brakes is also relatively screwed. In short, defenders are having to slow down their blitz rushes as well as their chasing speed for fear that if the QB does release the ball before they arrive they will be penalized for an unnecessary hit. The NFL obviously doesn’t see the same things I do. I see a 300 pound man running his guts out to tackle a faster Quarterback.(In most cases) I know that I am no physics expert but once 300 pounds is set in motion it is a little hard to stop it on the turn on a dime. Therefore, through simple math, we can see that these 300 pound beasts are not going to be able to avoid some contact. However, in their efforts to direct their hits from the QB’s head they lower their attack to below the waste. This results in another referee provided penalty luncheon! I mean, are they drafting players with telepathy now because the only way to avoid some of these hits is to know the exact moment the quarterback is going to release the ball. Further still, defenders are getting hit where it really hurts, their wallets. Last season I saw an increase in defender to quarterback fines. I know that if I were making big money but had some of it threatened because of contact, I would try to limit my contact. Therefore, this is also responsible for the slow done in pass rushing that we saw against Peyton and other quarterbacks in the playoffs and regular season. I mean this is football right? The quarterbacks don’t have special clauses in their contracts that say they can’t be touched. Maybe the NFL should issue each quarterback a flag to attach to their waist as to make it fair for defenses. Now, I realize that late hitting penalties are necessary and I totally agree with the helmet to helmet rules but when a slap to the helmet draws 3 flags things have gone a little overboard! I think the rules should go back to the Pre-Carson Palmer injury and the NFL should just chalk that injury up to accident!
