Tyron's injury - Someone please explain

[Boyzmamacita]

Tyron Smith was running to block. The defender's job is to tackle the ball carrier. Instead he hit Tyron low while the runner was advancing down field. What am I missing here? I understand an offensive player throwing a hit/block but what was that defender doing? I just found it odd.

 

[CATCH17]

Tyron Smith was running to block. The defender's job is to tackle the ball carrier. Instead he hit Tyron low while the runner was advancing down field. What am I missing here? I understand an offensive player throwing a hit/block but what was that defender doing? I just found it odd.

He was trying to cause a "pile" so it would detour the runner.

 

[slomoxn]

Tyron Smith was running to block. The defender's job is to tackle the ball carrier. Instead he hit Tyron low while the runner was advancing down field. What am I missing here? I understand an offensive player throwing a hit/block but what was that defender doing? I just found it odd.

Trying to injure Tyron Smith is what he was trying to do, he sure as hell wasnt tackling a tackle.

 

[DFWJC]

Tyron Smith was running to block. The defender's job is to tackle the ball carrier. Instead he hit Tyron low while the runner was advancing down field. What am I missing here? I understand an offensive player throwing a hit/block but what was that defender doing? I just found it odd.

It was.
I was asking this same question when it happened. Maybe his job was to occupy one of the lineman to free up someone else, but it was really awkward and unnecessary.

 

[Boyzmamacita]

He was trying to cause a "pile" so it would detour the runner.

OK. Maybe I need to rewatch it. I thought the runner was already past. If not that makes sense.

 

[Yoshimitsu]

It was dirty but it was more of a defense mechanism to not get killed. If he went head up with Tyron there wouldnt be much left of him.

 

[CATCH17]

OK. Maybe I need to rewatch it. I thought the runner was already past. If not that makes sense.

I actually need to rewatch it as well but what you described is what a defender is typically trying to do.

I'm sure there was some intent to injure as well but going for the legs is one way a smaller guy can take down a big guy and also force the RB to have to get through traffic.

 

[Boyzmamacita]

It was dirty but it was more of a defense mechanism to not get killed. If he went head up with Tyron there wouldnt be much left of him.

So he didn't want to lose the match up? It would still make more sense to pursue the runner than hitting low.

 

[CowboysLegend365]

I tried to get mad at it but I really couldn't. I've seen so many DBs do the same thing to slow down a sweep. Not much else you can do when a 325 pound guy is coming full speed at you (outside of running to the sideline and later losing your job lol) certainly not going head up with him.

Just glad Tyron wasn't hurt as bad as he could have been.

 

[AsthmaField]

OK. Maybe I need to rewatch it. I thought the runner was already past. If not that makes sense.

Yeah, catch is right... that is the standard operating procedure for those types of run plays.

However, typically what you see when a small DB sees a 325 pound guy running at them is for the defender to sort of hunker down because he knows he can't hold his ground against a guy like Smith. When they hunker down, the OT usually just falls over the DB, causing a bit of a pile up, like Catch mentioned.

What you don't see usually, is the defender running full speed and diving at the OT's knees as if he were the running back. It was designed to make the pile up but to also hit the knees of the OL much harder than is necessary.

You don't see that often. I'm not even sure there is a rule against it but if it happened often there would be a lot more knee injuries by pulling OL and the player(s) doing it would get a dirty reputation fast.

 

[CalPolyTechnique]

Tyron Smith was running to block. The defender's job is to tackle the ball carrier. Instead he hit Tyron low while the runner was advancing down field. What am I missing here? I understand an offensive player throwing a hit/block but what was that defender doing? I just found it odd.

Despite all the angst it's a common defensive football technique to bring down the lead blocker.

 

[Direwolf63]

The guy didn't want to get Eli Apple'd, so he went low on him.

Happens all the time.

 

[TheHerd]

Despite all the angst it's a common defensive football technique to bring down the lead blocker.

The guy didn't want to get Eli Apple'd, so he went low on him.
Happens all the time.

Going low and making a pile to deflect the runner is common. Diving at the blockers knees is not. At least that's how I saw that play in real time. I don't recall a lot of CBs diving at a the knees of the blocker.

 

[xwalker]

Tyron Smith was running to block. The defender's job is to tackle the ball carrier. Instead he hit Tyron low while the runner was advancing down field. What am I missing here? I understand an offensive player throwing a hit/block but what was that defender doing? I just found it odd.

Great question. I don't know what he was doing. That was not "standard protocol" in that situation. The league should definitely examine that play and consider a fine. It appeared to be a deliberate attempt to hit Tyron in the lower legs with no attempt to get to the ball carrier or impede the ball carrier.

 

[xwalker]

Despite all the angst it's a common defensive football technique to bring down the lead blocker.

I've never seen a play quite like that one.

He went right at Tyron's legs. Normally a player in that position will try to get inside or outside of the block and attempt to impede the runner, but this player just went straight for Tyron's knees.

The runner is just going to cut inside or outside of that block regardless of whether there is a "pile up" because it would only be a 2 man pile-up. If the defender takes himself out of the play there is no benefit to the defense.

 

[Don Corleone]

Tyron is a cool guy, but I suspect he will have a special treat for that DB if they meet again in the playoffs.

 

[AzorAhai]

Great question. I don't know what he was doing. That was not "standard protocol" in that situation. The league should definitely examine that play and consider a fine. It appeared to be a deliberate attempt to hit Tyron in the lower legs with no attempt to get to the ball carrier or impede the ball carrier.

It's a play that happens way too often imo. Going at any players knees in the open field like that is very dangerous, but unavoidable often times when trying to bring down ball carriers. On blockers in the open field though, it's something I would like to see eliminated. At the end of the day, your job is to either occupy or shed that blocker. Diving at the knees is just a dirty way of occupying.

I know it's not easy for a 200 lb DB to occupy a 300 lb OT, but just because you were out schemed on the play shouldn't be an excuse to go at a players knees in the open field. I actually think the same thing on OL down field as well. They shouldn't be able to dive at a players knees on a pull just because that player has a speed advantage and they can't reach their block.

 

[xwalker]

It's a play that happens way too often imo. Going at any players knees in the open field like that is very dangerous, but unavoidable often times when trying to bring down ball carriers. On blockers in the open field though, it's something I would like to see eliminated. At the end of the day, your job is to either occupy or shed that blocker. Diving at the knees is just a dirty way of occupying.

I know it's not easy for a 200 lb DB to occupy a 300 lb OT, but just because you were out schemed on the play shouldn't be an excuse to go at a players knees in the open field. I actually think the same thing on OL down field as well. They shouldn't be able to dive at a players knees on a pull just because that player has a speed advantage and they can't reach their block.

The defender could have just gone low and forced Tyron to slow up or trip over him, but instead he went full force into Tyron's legs.

 

[Jake]

Going low and making a pile to deflect the runner is common. Diving at the blockers knees is not. At least that's how I saw that play in real time. I don't recall a lot of CBs diving at a the knees of the blocker.

I think you saw it through silver and blue goggles, as is your right as a fan. I didn't see anything malicious. I saw a guy who didn't want to get steamrolled but knew he had to try to break up the play.

 

[AzorAhai]

The defender could have just gone low and forced Tyron to slow up or trip over him, but instead he went full force into Tyron's legs.

Agreed. Laying down in front of a 300 lb OTs feet is most likely going to cause a fall. I don't think you would see very many OTs hurdle the defender, even Tyron as athletic as he is. It felt dirty to me.