The League Needs a Rule Around the Scrum

[RonWashington]

I’m just waiting on Lane Johnson for getting flagged leaving early . He’s at least a half second ahead of the snap .

I don’t know you stop a QB sneak , like somebody said quit putting yourself in 4th and a half yard situations . I had them winning double digits and to be up by 10 at half . Talk about adjustments hats off to the Chiefs they schooled the Birds second half .

 

[Silly]

I don't mind it. Finding something that works shouldn't be a reason for it to be banned.

But what about Field Goals? It is against the rules to use the back of another player to block the ball. You can't use another play to jump up and block the ball.

 

[Cowpolk]

It is a good play leave it alone way to many rules already

 

[InPhiltraitor]

Gotta give credit (again) to the Eagles for playing within the guidelines and essentially rendering themselves the only team that targets 8 yards as a first down marker knowing that they’re going for it on 4th and 2. I would imagine it simplifies coaching when the playbook is still wide open on 3rd and 5. Not to mention, how much clock did Philly eat up this year getting an extra set of downs by employing this strategy? Is it ironic that an organization that has displayed such an incredible amount of intelligence of late has a fanbase that is so mentally challenged?

If Jalen were to run this play without the aid of two players leaning on his backside, he probably still wins a very large percentage of these battles given his ability to squat 600+ and the O-lines well-trained technique. I’ve got no issue lining-up hat on hat and having the QB make a play. My preference would be to NOT see two world class athletes, who when working in tandem can lift a car, pushing a teammate well past the line to gain. It’s just too much of a physical advantage.

It would be a simple rule change and it’s not even subjective for once. No assisting on a QB run when the snap is taken from under center. Of course, the NFL would add a few other caveats but I would hope the details would be minute in nature.

 

[Hoofbite]

But what about Field Goals? It is against the rules to use the back of another player to block the ball. You can't use another play to jump up and block the ball.

What about anything? You could make a rule for anything if you wanted to. The game would suck, but at least there would be rules, right?

We aren’t talking FGs. This has always been a thing but mostly with other skill positions. You gonna ban plays where others are pushing a RB, too?

 

[conner01]

WANT IT TO STOP? Play better defense so they don't have 4th and short or short yardage

Or just go back to the rule you can’t push a runner from behind. That was the rule until 2005.

 

[Fritsch_the_cat]

There are too many rules now. I like the scrum, it's old fashioned football. It's how the game was meant to be played.

 

[RonnieT24]

Gotta give credit (again) to the Eagles for playing within the guidelines and essentially rendering themselves the only team that targets 8 yards as a first down marker knowing that they’re going for it on 4th and 2. I would imagine it simplifies coaching when the playbook is still wide open on 3rd and 5. Not to mention, how much clock did Philly eat up this year getting an extra set of downs by employing this strategy? Is it ironic that an organization that has displayed such an incredible amount of intelligence of late has a fanbase that is so mentally challenged?

If Jalen were to run this play without the aid of two players leaning on his backside, he probably still wins a very large percentage of these battles given his ability to squat 600+ and the O-lines well-trained technique. I’ve got no issue lining-up hat on hat and having the QB make a play. My preference would be to NOT see two world class athletes, who when working in tandem can lift a car, pushing a teammate well past the line to gain. It’s just too much of a physical advantage.

It would be a simple rule change and it’s not even subjective for once. No assisting on a QB run when the snap is taken from under center. Of course, the NFL would add a few other caveats but I would hope the details would be minute in nature.

This is probably something that is grossly overblown. I would wager half the guys in the NFL can squat 600 pounds. Not saying it's not a monumental achievement.. it absolutely is.. however when the announcers make it seem as if he's one a handful of players who can do it it comes off as disingenuous. Still I agree allowing the linemen to lift him over the line is out and out cheating. The defensive counter to that would be to assign guys to go take out the two "lifters" so they can't help. Problem solved. Then if the QB can win the scrum good on him. But he'll have to do it by himself.

 

[jazzcat22]

You want them to change rules fast. Get you DL to jump over the pile and land on the OL’s back a few time. That’s how you stop that crap and get it out of the game.

That is called launching, as they need to push off the back of one of the players to get over the top, unless they are a high jumper.
They made that illegal on FG attempts. So I am sure it will not be allowed or is not allowed on these type of sneaks.

 

[Coogiguy03]

Or just go back to the rule you can’t push a runner from behind. That was the rule until 2005.

You can push you can't pull them

 

[InPhiltraitor]

This is probably something that is grossly overblown. I would wager half the guys in the NFL can squat 600 pounds. Not saying it's not a monumental achievement.. it absolutely is.. however when the announcers make it seem as if he's one a handful of players who can do it it comes off as disingenuous. Still I agree allowing the linemen to lift him over the line is out and out cheating. The defensive counter to that would be to assign guys to go take out the two "lifters" so they can't help. Problem solved. Then if the QB can win the scrum good on him. But he'll have to do it by himself.

If nothing else, it would be humorous to watch your proposed scenario play out. I can just see two dudes coming of the edge with the sole purpose of removing "the lifters".

 

[jazzcat22]

I'm pretty sure they'll address this in the meetings there'll be no pushing and no pulling

The thing is, how will they handle the pushing, if a RB is pushing defenders and is moving forward. The refs will not, or should not call forward progress stopped. How often have we seen a player then push the RB to get that 1st down or TD even though it is 5 yards off the LOS.

Should the blow the play dead where it happened at. Who is to say the RB would not break through or as Barry and Emmitt did, step back and run around the pile.

Would they only make a no pushing the QB forward on a sneak. Then what if it is at the goal line. Way too much to be considered. It certainly should not be a refs judgment call.

 

[jazzcat22]

Defenses need to figure it out

Put their own scrum over the C. Like an opposite tug 'o' war, except both sides pushing.

 

[FVSTONE]

The Eagles are abusing this and it is a cheat code, imo. When you can't stop a team from. 3 yards away because the ball carrier is being carried by 3 guys, it is a problem. I am so sick of watching it. The Eagles lose many games if they are not able to do this bull....

They were hard enough to stop in 2017 with their sneaks...now it is ridiculous level.

What type of rules should be put in place to mitigate this football travesty? I am thinking something like, "No more than one player can push a ball carrier on a given play".

Here is an article on it that talks about how the league changed the rule in 2005...

https://www.latimes.com/sports/story/2022-12-30/pushing-the-pile-nfl-rule-officiating#:~:text=For decades, NFL rules prohibited,was too difficult to legislate.

The league's rule committee isn't going to mess with anything that helps the offense, just not going to happen. The only way to beat this is to either put a few Suma wrestlers or Rugby players to combat this offense play.

 

[raven55]

somebody has put forth the problem with this its kinda like rugby not football and what's gonna happen is someone will cold cock a player coming at his its a wonder it's not already happen, hurts is gonna be like lamar good running for a couple of years then someone is gonna fall on his legs and he will be out for a while he's a real good qb hope it doesn't happen don't wish pain on any one but the odds go up when you run the ball

 

[conner01]

You can push you can't pull them

Until 2005 you couldn’t push a runner from behind

 

[Cowboys22]

This is easy to fix. No ball carrier can have any assistance of any kind from a teammate to move them forward. Should another player assist a ball carrier causing him to move forward, the play will be blown dead and the ball brought back to the spot where the assistance initiated. There, fixed. Not really hard if you think about it. Why should they be allowing a rugby scrum in the first place? Simply make a rule that if you have possession of the ball, all forward progress must come from you alone.

 

[BrassCowboy]

really? how about no, don't change the rule. The NFL has already made this game so artificial as it is.
How about play defense and don't let it get to that on 4th down

 

[BoysfanfromCanada]

really? how about no, don't change the rule. The NFL has already made this game so artificial as it is.
How about play defense and don't let it get to that on 4th down

Its not really fair when the defense has to be in a 3 point stance and they can't get the same leverage or push the offence can in the same situation. its broken, good on the eagles for using it but if all 3rd an 1s or 2s become automatic then the game becomes boring

 

[Cowboys1966]

The Eagles are abusing this and it is a cheat code, imo. When you can't stop a team from. 3 yards away because the ball carrier is being carried by 3 guys, it is a problem. I am so sick of watching it. The Eagles lose many games if they are not able to do this bull....

They were hard enough to stop in 2017 with their sneaks...now it is ridiculous level.

What type of rules should be put in place to mitigate this football travesty? I am thinking something like, "No more than one player can push a ball carrier on a given play".

Here is an article on it that talks about how the league changed the rule in 2005...

https://www.latimes.com/sports/story/2022-12-30/pushing-the-pile-nfl-rule-officiating#:~:text=For decades, NFL rules prohibited,was too difficult to legislate.

They did it all season and we’re never call for it… That tells me that it’s not illegal, no matter what the rulebook says.
The fact that no one else was doing it also tells me that It might not be as easy as you think… Maybe a QB who can squat 600 pounds combined with the best OL in football is what made it work.
Regardless, if it’s as easy as some fans here think then perhaps our Fred Flintstone should’ve done more of it.