The Lane Johnson Controversy

[Redline360]

Would love to see Dlaw or whomever just plow through the OL as soon as he moves his leg and point every time the ref throws a flag lol

Start blowing people up on the OL when his teammates haven't moved yet lol

 

[ghst187]

It’s been all over Twitter this week. Lane Johnson false starting on nearly every play. Eagles fans claim it’s a loophole and the RT is allowed to adjust his right leg. But Johnson’s whole body moves before the snap quite often.

I hope all the negative attention benefits us this weekend!

Oh, btw, I reached the definite conclusion that Eagles fans are the worst cry-babies in all of NFL fandom. Definitely, the NFL’s worst fan base.

Worst fan base but not for whining, just being despicable humans

 

[KingCorcoran]

Would love to see Dlaw or whomever just plow through the OL as soon as he moves his leg and point every time the ref throws a flag lol

Start blowing people up on the OL when his teammates haven't moved yet lol

Defensive lineman often point to the perceived culprit when they think someone moved pre-snap. Rarely does anyone point at Johnson. I do not have an explanation for that.

 

[LovinItAll]

Look, if any Eagle blinks before the snap when they play us, it should be a penalty. We should be able to run wind sprints without getting a flag.

The end.

 

[Beaker42]

It's not a false start. It's elite timing. We've been going over this for like a decade. 2 decades if you include Jason Peters

LOL did you even watch the vids linked above your post? It is MOST DEFINITELY a false start on Johnson and the refs let him get away with it. I want to see Steele do it once and see if he gets away with. Betcha he doesn't.

 

[Beaker42]

This is something that’s easy to see. Watch it in slow motion and many times he moves before the ball moves.

Sometimes I’m sure he times it perfect. They need to call it when he doesn’t. It’s simple.

I'm betting Kelce snaps when he sees Lane start to move out of the corner of his eye. No other explanation for the timing.

 

[SlingBoy]

OK I'll admit it was driving me CRAZY that he was getting away with it on nearly EVERY passing play. He wasn't doing it on run plays. Just pass plays that he had to get back in protection quicker than the defender. I had to slo mo record one just to make sure I was not crazy. Sure enough his arm, helmet and leg all kick back before the snap but the crazy thing is the LEFT TACKLE DOES IT TOO.

 

[SiCk_DiAbLo]

I kept thinking I was seeing things, said he was jumping but seen No Flags..

 

[unionjack8]

All 100% false starts.

 

[Cowboys5217]

Sure is weird how Philly is getting all the ref help both in calls and non calls this season. They didn't use to be ref darlings so why now all of a sudden?

 

[DogFace]

There’s never a bias. It’s not possible. Refs can’t be swayed in any way. Ever. They are the best mankind has to offer on this regard.

And anytime anyone suggests that refs could and do sometimes show favoritism they will be dismissed as alleging there’s an intricate conspiracy involving Goodell calling the shots.

And the “slow motion police” can just go away with those facts. Facts are dumb.

 

[Creeper]

Is there an unusual number of offsides penalties called against Eagles’ opponents? The proof it simulates the start of a play would be defenses thinking the play has started. If it doesn’t draw the defense offsides it obviously does not simulate the start of a play.

The rule does not require the defense to be drawn offsides for a false start to be called. It only requires the players who are set not make any sudden movements. What people are doing is trying to rationallize Johnson's actions even though they violate the rule as it is written. If what he is doing is not a penalty then the league should clarify the rule so that all players can take advantage of it. As I asked once already, is there another playing in the league that does this and getting away with it? Is anyone drawing attention to any other OTs for leaving early?

What people are missing is that Johnson's leg kick is the start of his back peddle. It is not just some unnecessary, or benign movement. Kicking his leg up like he does give him a head start in setting up for the oncoming pass rushers.

 

[Cowboysheelsreds058]

The rule does not require the defense to be drawn offsides for a false start to be called. It only requires the players who are set not make any sudden movements. What people are doing is trying to rationallize Johnson's actions even though they violate the rule as it is written. If what he is doing is not a penalty then the league should clarify the rule so that all players can take advantage of it. As I asked once already, is there another playing in the league that does this and getting away with it? Is anyone drawing attention to any other OTs for leaving early?

What people are missing is that Johnson's leg kick is the start of his back peddle. It is not just some unnecessary, or benign movement. Kicking his leg up like he does give him a head start in setting up for the oncoming pass rushers.

Can’t remember the first game of this season on Thursday night, but I think on the very first play of the game, whoever had the ball first that OT did the very same thing the whole game but never got called. My have been the KC RT.

 

[ElGatoGrande]

They'd call us offsides for sure lol

And don't forget in that same game, with the game on the line and in the redzone for the go-ahead score, they called Tyler Smith for beginning a millisecond before the ball was snapped.

 

[Creeper]

Watch the videos in this article and tell me how this is not a false start penalty. It is not Johnson with quick feet. It is Johnson leaving early and it should be a false start. But it wasn't called. If it was just this play no one would care. The refs miss calls like this all the time, even though it is obvious. But Johnson does it several times every game and does not get called. It is unfair to the rest of the league. If they allow this then why not let Dante Fowler line up with his hand in the neutral zone. That's a penalty and it really does not give him much of an advantage.

The NFL should explain this and should allow every OT in the league to do the same thing. And why just OTs? Why not let every player on the offense leave a little early?

 

[Cowboy-33]

The rule has kinda become a joke. If you watch - on some plays guys are pointing and turning their heads all over the place. So how do you decide what movement is a penalty unless the guy completely fires and jumps towards the defense? There’s ways they could do their signals without all the moving.

 

[Blue&Silver]

He jumped an hour early when they FINALLY were forced to call one on him.

He absolutely jumps early on almost every snap, and the Eagles are a cheating POS team that gets away with it.

Call it whatever you want: you're insane if you think a Cowboys OT would be afforded that same leeway.

I did notice when he jumped offsides he was flagged. That's all that matters. I don't agree that he jumps offsides every play. If that were the case the league would have made him change styles 8 years ago. I'm not into conspiracy theories. The referees do the best they can and more times than not both teams are penalized accordingly. The better coached teams get penalized less, and sometimes may get the benefit of doubt. Like last week watching that 49er game they could have been flagged all day for pass interference, but the referees let them play. Seriously go back and watch the tape. While the Eagles do what they usually do play 10 yards off the receiver 49ers were in their pocket all day. The Eagles got mugged. The referees let them play, and it made for a good game easier to watch. If that was Washington those dB's probably wouldn't have gotten away with that.

 

[StarOfGlory]

Johnson and Kelce have been playing on the line together for about ten years? They just have the timing down. I can't think of any other center/tackle combo that have been together for that long over the past decade.

 

[Cowboys5217]

The rule has kinda become a joke. If you watch - on some plays guys are pointing and turning their heads all over the place. So how do you decide what movement is a penalty unless the guy completely fires and jumps towards the defense? There’s ways they could do their signals without all the moving.

I don't like those either, but at least their feet are still set. What the refs are letting Johnson get away with gives plenty of ammo for the theory of refs fixing games and outcomes.

 

[gimmesix]

My post from the other thread:

Here is an explanation from Lane Johnson himself. He looks at what he sees from Kelce and leg kicks based on that so it does appear he's moving before the ball because he is, but he's not moving before Kelce starts the snap. If what Kelce does before the ball actually moves is considered part of the snap, similar to the pump of a long snapper before launching the ball between his legs, it's not a false start. I have to think many teams have brought it up and that Johnson has talked to officials himself so he doesn't get called. What's funny is no one talks about how Guards, including Martin, point forward before the snap while set to signal to the Center to snap the ball and that's not considered a false start. Obviously, officials allow that move to benefit the OL. Maybe it's similar with Johnson. Would love to hear a ref weigh in on his move.

My only problem with that is that it is not equal. Johnson actually is getting a jump on the ball being snapped, which helps him to get into position quicker than other linemen. If he's moving before the ball moves, it's a false start. If he's moving as the ball moves, it is not. From what I've seen, he is moving before the ball actually moves and should be flagged for it.