News: PFT: Blindside block foul called against the Saints was proper application of horrendous rule

[Creeper]

Hey, I'm all about the rules, no doubt. I usually post them and they say what they say, dumb rule or not. I'm being semi-facetious in that people are fine ignoring the minutiae of the rules on a correct call against us like the Waller no-catch vs. fumble and now they're ref supporters when the letter of the rules favors us. Just funny to watch the twisting.

I think those people are being consistent in the application of the rules as they are written.

 

[JayFord]

to me it does not matter if it benefits us or not

its a bad rule

if the defender is a threat to make a play you square up and take him out of the play

 

[stuckindc]

Welp..we certainly get our fair share of horrible calls..seemingly ever game...so they cannwhine all they want..isnt that what they tell us when we lose our collective minds on the blatant horrendous calls?!..so ,zero sympathy from this Cowboys fan,Zero!
Rams game last year, Bucs game this Year.
Patriots game,Raiders ,etc
Let's not forget the Full Hand smashing to Dak's face on the interception...wasnt just a light touch
.
Uncalled...if that were Brady and Rodgers..yellow would have rained down like Superbowl confetti..if we're gonna get consistantly robbed..them other teams whining, falls on deaf ears..suck it up and stop complaining..right..that's what we're told..whinny Cowboys fans is what we get called...

 

[Runwildboys]

Here is the rule:

ARTICLE 7. BLINDSIDE BLOCK
It is a foul if a player initiates a block when his path is toward or parallel to his own end line and makes forcible contact to his opponent with his helmet, forearm, or shoulder.

Note: It is not a foul for a blindside block if the forcible contact occurs in “close-line play” prior to the ball leaving that area. The ball is not considered to have left that area if the player who takes the snap, either from a shotgun position or from under center, retreats in the pocket immediately or with a slight delay, and hands the ball to another player, or runs with the ball himself. This exception does not apply to any action other than a designed play. Any forcible contact in “close-line play” is still subject to the restrictions for crackback and peel back blocks.

Penalty: For a Blindside Block: Loss of 15 yards.

I rewatched the play several times and the Saints TE comes from the opposite side of the formation and is clearly moving towards his own goal line. The contact is initially helmet to helmet with the Saints TE initiating contact with his helmet first. You may not like the rule, but it was the right call according to the rulebook. If the Saints TE did not lead with his helmet, it probably would not have been called. Forget what Aikman and Buck said. They obviously did not know the rule.

What we need now is to know what the rule means by "forcible". To me, that would mean a somewhat violent blow, not the incidental contact that was made here. Kearse also leaned in toward him, which helped complete the helmet to helmet contact. I think this was at best a ticky tack call, and at worst, a violation of the intent of the rule.

 

[Runwildboys]

Welp..we certainly get our fair share of horrible calls..seemingly ever game...so they cannwhine all they want..isnt that what they tell us when we lose our collective minds on the blatant horrendous calls?!..so ,zero sympathy from this Cowboys fan,Zero!
Rams game last year, Bucs game this Year.
Patriots game,Raiders ,etc
Let's not forget the Full Hand smashing to Dak's face on the interception...wasnt just a light touch
.
Uncalled...if that were Brady and Rodgers..yellow would have rained down like Superbowl confetti..if we're gonna get consistantly robbed..them other teams whining, falls on deaf ears..suck it up and stop complaining..right..that's what we're told..whinny Cowboys fans is what we get called...

As expected, they made up for the call later in the game anyway. The non-call on the hand to the face of Prescott, which IMO caused the interception.

 

[links18]

What's the difference between a blindside block and a block in the back?

 

[Creeper]

What we need now is to know what the rule means by "forcible". To me, that would mean a somewhat violent blow, not the incidental contact that was made here. Kearse also leaned in toward him, which helped complete the helmet to helmet contact. I think this was at best a ticky tack call, and at worst, a violation of the intent of the rule.

True, the term forcible does introduce subjectivity and this is where the refs screw up a lot. But I think lowering his head and making enough contact with Kearse's helmet to cause his head to move in the opposite direction would constitute forcible impact at least in the refs mind. Had the Saints TE not lowered his head to make contact and had just pushed Kearse with his hands it probably would not have a drawn the flag. Although then Illegal Block in the Back could have been called.

If you watch the Pollard TD run you will see Malik Turner block the Saints DE who sniffed out the play and broke free into the Cowboys backfield. Turner turns towards the Cowboys goal and shoves the DE with his arms causing him to miss Pollard. That is how you make that block legally.

 

[Aviano90]

Goodell hates the Saints.

 

[stuckindc]

Goodell hates the Saints.

And the Cowboys..although I think much of what the Cowboys get is worked from Mara to Goodell to us..Mara has been behind the scenes of screwing us for years..the Collusion with Us and the Skins..the Zeke suspension
.Jerry with his fight against Mara,Rooney and Blank. And their little power club
.No doubt Peyton and the Saints have had some of the worst calls ever against them..Maybe its cause Peyton was a Cowboy coach and friends with Jerry

 

[Creeper]

What's the difference between a blindside block and a block in the back?

The rule for block in the back:

1. Blocks an opponent (from behind) in the back above the opponent’s waist, or uses his hands or arms to push an opponent from behind in a manner that affects his movement, except in close-line play.
   Note: The prohibition also applies to a player of the kicking team while the ball is in flight during a free kick or scrimmage kick.

The use of hands on the back is not a foul when:

1. a player is making a personal attempt to recover a loose ball;
2. the opponent turns away from the blocker when contact is imminent;
3. both of the blocker’s hands are on the opponent’s side. (If either hand is on the back, it is a foul.)

Illegal block in the back is not a personal foul and is a 10 yard penalty. Any block from behind whether it is with the hands or shoulder is a penalty.

A blindside block is called when the blocker is moving towards or parallel with his own goal line and uses his head, shoulders of forearm to block a defender. I blindside block is not a penalty is the blocker just uses his hands to shove the defender out of the play. Blindside block is a personal foul and a 15 yard penalty.

 

[speedkilz88]

The rule for block in the back:

1. Blocks an opponent (from behind) in the back above the opponent’s waist, or uses his hands or arms to push an opponent from behind in a manner that affects his movement, except in close-line play.
   Note: The prohibition also applies to a player of the kicking team while the ball is in flight during a free kick or scrimmage kick.

The use of hands on the back is not a foul when:

1. a player is making a personal attempt to recover a loose ball;
2. the opponent turns away from the blocker when contact is imminent;
3. both of the blocker’s hands are on the opponent’s side. (If either hand is on the back, it is a foul.)

Illegal block in the back is not a personal foul and is a 10 yard penalty. Any block from behind whether it is with the hands or shoulder is a penalty.

A blindside block is called when the blocker is moving towards or parallel with his own goal line and uses his head, shoulders of forearm to block a defender. I blindside block is not a penalty is the blocker just uses his hands to shove the defender out of the play. Blindside block is a personal foul and a 15 yard penalty.

So basically the head contact is why it was called. The league is trying to prevent the head injuries.

 

[Praxit]

NFL=Fascism

 

[JBond]

Looked like it should be called a block in the back. Both hands were on the numbers.

Correct!

It is a simple call.

 

[khiladi]

He is not running towards his own goal line and he is blocking with his hands and arms. This is a legal block.

There are two issues here, completely separate:

1. Helmet to helmet
2. Blindside block

The former applies to any LEADING with the helmet on any play, including a RB with the ball initiating contact by leading with the helmet. People are pretending like this was a dirty play because of this type of contact which is STANDARD for any linemen on any block, as the GIFs demonstrate. If one is going to argue from this point, that the hit by Tyron Smith was DIRTY period.

As far as the second rule, this was not a BLINDSIDE block, as the note under the rule states. That is in reality what the rule is discussing, not any block that occurs parallel or towards the end-zone of the blocker. That situation for example is found when the receiving team of a punt is blocking the punting team from running to the guy receiving the kick.

What makes that blindside so dangerous is that the person getting hit has no way to protect themselves. He’s completely exposed and has no way to know a hit is about to happen.

Both GIFs I showed are demonstrating how asinine this “helmet to helmet” rule is in regards to blocking. This isn’t leading with the helmet as it’s generally understood on the field, blockers do this ALL THE TIME.

To cry about what this TE did, while pretending it was dirty, is bogus.

 

[khiladi]

Here is the rule:

ARTICLE 7. BLINDSIDE BLOCK
It is a foul if a player initiates a block when his path is toward or parallel to his own end line and makes forcible contact to his opponent with his helmet, forearm, or shoulder.

Note: It is not a foul for a blindside block if the forcible contact occurs in “close-line play” prior to the ball leaving that area. The ball is not considered to have left that area if the player who takes the snap, either from a shotgun position or from under center, retreats in the pocket immediately or with a slight delay, and hands the ball to another player, or runs with the ball himself. This exception does not apply to any action other than a designed play. Any forcible contact in “close-line play” is still subject to the restrictions for crackback and peel back blocks.

Penalty: For a Blindside Block: Loss of 15 yards.

I rewatched the play several times and the Saints TE comes from the opposite side of the formation and is clearly moving towards his own goal line. The contact is initially helmet to helmet with the Saints TE initiating contact with his helmet first. You may not like the rule, but it was the right call according to the rulebook. If the Saints TE did not lead with his helmet, it probably would not have been called. Forget what Aikman and Buck said. They obviously did not know the rule.

Again, the wording in the NOTE states:

Note: It is not a foul for a BLINDSIDE block…

One can argue the rule is not defining a blindside block, it’s defining a scenario when the blindside block becomes illegal…. What this means is for this rule to apply, you need to know what a blindside block is.

There is NO BLINDSIDE here.. Even Kearse takes a deeper route, because the defense is coming towards his front..

This is further substantiated by the fact OL do it EVERY TIME in a game around an edge rusher in particular or a defender running a stunt.. or against a blitzed coming around the edge…

Otherwise, the NFL simply needs to toss the term “blindside”, because they are completely redefining it.

 

[Runwildboys]

True, the term forcible does introduce subjectivity and this is where the refs screw up a lot. But I think lowering his head and making enough contact with Kearse's helmet to cause his head to move in the opposite direction would constitute forcible impact at least in the refs mind. Had the Saints TE not lowered his head to make contact and had just pushed Kearse with his hands it probably would not have a drawn the flag. Although then Illegal Block in the Back could have been called.

If you watch the Pollard TD run you will see Malik Turner block the Saints DE who sniffed out the play and broke free into the Cowboys backfield. Turner turns towards the Cowboys goal and shoves the DE with his arms causing him to miss Pollard. That is how you make that block legally.

I think a block in the back penalty can only be called when the would be tackler is facing the ball carrier, which Kearse didn't seem to be. The helmet to helmet might be what drew the glad, but if so, that's weak. That contact was very light and probably wouldn't have happened at all if Kearse hadn't leaned in too.

I think that if the flag hadn't been thrown, even the more conspiracy minded Cowboys fans on this forum wouldn't have mentioned that block. If you agree with that, then you have to say it was a really bad call. Lol

 

[CWR]

When was that rule out in place. I remember Sean Lee was laid out by a WR but was on a ST play. No flag then..

Golden Tate and we did nothing to answer. Made me sick.

 

[dogunwo]

As predicted, our fans are all “yesssiir, that was the proper call!!!”

We’d be on page 33 of a whinefest had that same play been called against the Cowboys.

See the blocked punt and fumble recovery in the Broncos game if you want proof.

I think most people on the blocked punt issue said it was the correct call of an awful rule. I don't recall people complaining about it being the incorrect call.

 

[Hardline]

Saints got royally screwed .

 

[Creeper]

Again, the wording in the NOTE states:



One can argue the rule is not defining a blindside block, it’s defining a scenario when the blindside block becomes illegal…. What this means is for this rule to apply, you need to know what a blindside block is.

There is NO BLINDSIDE here.. Even Kearse takes a deeper route, because the defense is coming towards his front..

This is further substantiated by the fact OL do it EVERY TIME in a game around an edge rusher in particular or a defender running a stunt.. or against a blitzed coming around the edge…

Otherwise, the NFL simply needs to toss the term “blindside”, because they are completely redefining it.

I believe close-line play refers to the blocking that takes place around the line of scrimmage. In this case Kearse was 5 yards into the backfield and in space.