Block on Tyrunn Walker legal? (1 Viewer)

[SengerCJ]

https://pbs.twimg.com/tweet_video/CQmhzsdUcAA-40Q.mp4

Walker looked and sounded like he broke his leg due to this block. This is an ugly block that I can't believe is legal, if it is legal. My knowledge of chop blocks is a bit fuzzy so feel free to educate me here. From what i'm reading it is legal on a running play if the two players were aligned next to each other on the LOS? If that's the case, why, why are chop blocks ever legal in this sport today?

 

[fridayfrenzy]

Cut blocks happen all the time in the NFL so injuries will of course happen.

In this case it seems a bit dicey because what makes a cut block illegal is if a defender is engaged with another player (i.e. being blocked by someone else). In the replay the Center brushes by Walker and basically gets in his way but doesn't really engage with him when the Guard is going in for the cut block. The Center brushing by Walker does seem to take his attention away from a Guard about to dive into his legs though.

Other than that questionable fact the block seems legal (i.e. blocked at thigh or lower).

 

[Run It Up]

He was engaged with the center and was cut by the guard. Absolutely illegal.

 

[ImTheScientist]

Just as Tom Cable coaches them. Cut those tree trunks down. Sorry a dude got hurt but thats football.

 

[biju]

He was engaged with the center and was cut by the guard. Absolutely illegal.

He need to be engaged *BY* the center while the guard chopped him for that to be illegal. The center didn't even look at him let along put his hands on him. Legal.

 

[treat88]

ARTICLE 3
.
CHOP BLOCK.
A Chop Block is a block by the offense in which one offensive player (designated as A1 for purposes of this rule) blocks a defensive player in the area of the thigh or lower while another offensive player (A2) engages that same defensive player above the waist.

(1) A Chop Block is a legal block in the following situations on Running Plays:
a)Offensive players A1 and A2, who are initially aligned adjacent to each other on the line of scrimmage, may chop a
defensive player.
b)
Offensive players A1 and A2, who are initially aligned more than one position away from each other on the line of
scrimmage, may chop a defensive player when the flow of the play is toward the block.

NFL Rulebook Rule 12, Section 2, Article 3
http://uaasnfl.blob.core.windows.net/live/1807/2015_nfl_rule_book_final.pdf

Its a horrible rule, but that was a legal block even if he was engaged since it was a running play.