Is the league protecting QBs too much? (1 Viewer)

[spec1alk]

In week 4 Terrel Suggs was flagged for going at the knees of Tom Brady in a very close game. In the week 5 "Random Shots" email by Joe Bryant, Joe wrote "And what the rules don't say are just as important: You cannot TOUCH the knees of Tom Brady / Drew Brees / Peyton Manning. And maybe Carson Palmer if you're the Steelers. Just accept that and move along.".

This got me thinking. I understand that the QB is arguably the most important player on the field. They typically have the highest salaries/investment, touch the ball on nearly every offensive play, and can hurt your team the most by missing time with an injury. I get that, but I think it has crossed over to being excessive the way QBs are protected. It has gotten me warmed up to the idea of flags or a buzzer. I guess I just don't agree with the special rules for QBs. They should be treated just like any other player. If we are going to create special rules to protect the QB, then it should not create an unnecessary advantage.

It seems like I am regularly seeing roughing the passer/unnecessary roughness/unsportsmanlike penalties extending drives and negating big plays (pick-6 called back in last nights CHI/ATL game).

 

[munchkin]

God was flagged yesterday for hitting Brady on the head with snow. The refs weren't going to call it but the wind was also blowing which showed intent.

 

[Zoomanji]

There have been a half dozen threads on this the last few weeks.

And if they are why wasn't Lewis suspended or penalized for breaking McNabb's rib on a late hit?

 

[PhilLynott]

"QB's today are F*&^ing babied". Sincerely, John Unitas.

 

[spec1alk]

There have been a half dozen threads on this the last few weeks.And if they are why wasn't Lewis suspended or penalized for breaking McNabb's rib on a late hit?

Sorry, I didn't see them.I haven't been very active on these forums since I dropped my fantasy teams. I just thought this was an interesting topic for discussion.

 

[Angus82]

There have been a half dozen threads on this the last few weeks.And if they are why wasn't Lewis suspended or penalized for breaking McNabb's rib on a late hit?

Sorry, I didn't see them.I haven't been very active on these forums since I dropped my fantasy teams. I just thought this was an interesting topic for discussion.

It is interesting. I also think that the "what constitutes a catch" threads are interesting. The open debate of ideas is what makes this board worth coming to.

 

[Zoomanji]

here

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[dgreen]

I think Haynesworth was the victim of a pansy call yesterday. I think the ref, in his explanation of the penalty, said something like, "Using all his weight and landing on the QB." He basically said, "15 yards for being a fat slob and landing on the QB."

 

[spec1alk]

There have been a half dozen threads on this the last few weeks.And if they are why wasn't Lewis suspended or penalized for breaking McNabb's rib on a late hit?

Sorry, I didn't see them.I haven't been very active on these forums since I dropped my fantasy teams. I just thought this was an interesting topic for discussion.

It is interesting. I also think that the "what constitutes a catch" threads are interesting. The open debate of ideas is what makes this board worth coming to.

The "what constitutes a catch" threads would be interesting reads. Seems like the calls have varied the last few weeks. There was one yesterday (forget if it was in the NYGvsNOS game or CHIvsATL, it was the one Hochuli ref'd), but the player got hit and the ball moved out of his hand but was still pinned between part of his hand and his chest, as he was going to the ground and when he hit the ground it popped out. Ed said that even though it moved, it was still pinned. Then I have seen other refs say that the ball moved and that constituted lose of control. Take the Lee Evans call yesterday. He was adjusting his grip on the ball, but as far as I was concerned he had posession and it was a catch. The ref said that since the ball moved, he did not have control and ruled it incomplete.Very inconsistent.

 

[spec1alk]

here

here

here again

The first and last links are the same.

 

[zed2283]

There have been a half dozen threads on this the last few weeks.And if they are why wasn't Lewis suspended or penalized for breaking McNabb's rib on a late hit?

Sorry, I didn't see them.I haven't been very active on these forums since I dropped my fantasy teams. I just thought this was an interesting topic for discussion.

It is interesting. I also think that the "what constitutes a catch" threads are interesting. The open debate of ideas is what makes this board worth coming to.

The "what constitutes a catch" threads would be interesting reads. Seems like the calls have varied the last few weeks. There was one yesterday (forget if it was in the NYGvsNOS game or CHIvsATL, it was the one Hochuli ref'd), but the player got hit and the ball moved out of his hand but was still pinned between part of his hand and his chest, as he was going to the ground and when he hit the ground it popped out. Ed said that even though it moved, it was still pinned. Then I have seen other refs say that the ball moved and that constituted lose of control. Take the Lee Evans call yesterday. He was adjusting his grip on the ball, but as far as I was concerned he had posession and it was a catch. The ref said that since the ball moved, he did not have control and ruled it incomplete.Very inconsistent.

The one you're talking about was whether or not it was a fumble, not if it was a catch. The debate I'm interested in seeing is the one on the Johnny Knox TD last night. Was it or wasn't it?

 

[Angus82]

Just a quick sideline and not to hijack the thread. I really hope that the league clarifies this "catch" rule. The NFL did a great job with the force out rule, now it is time to do the same with this "control" thing.

 

[treat88]

Just a quick sideline and not to hijack the thread. I really hope that the league clarifies this "catch" rule. The NFL did a great job with the force out rule, now it is time to do the same with this "control" thing.

Agreed.It's awful as it is being interpreted.If a guy goes to the ground after a catch, he's basically got to get up and hand the ball to the ref for it to be complete.

 

[spec1alk]

Just to be clear, I didn't start this as a bash Brady/Pats thread. I took issue with Joe basically saying that Manning, Brees, Brady, Palmer should be treated differently than any other QB by the refs.

You can't tell me that Kurt Warner, Tony Romo, Phillip Rivers, Ben Roethlisberger, Joe Flacco, Matt Schaub, Eli Manning, Aaron Rodgers, Brett Favre, or Matt Ryan is any less valuable to their respective teams.

Additionally, I think there are several non-QB players on teams that would consider them to be just as valuable (if not more-so) than their QB. Players like Adrian Peterson, Ronnie Brown, Chris Johnson, Larry Fitzgeral, Andre Johnson, MJD.

The problem I have is two-fold.

First, protecting some players more than others and giving them an unfair advantage.

Second, these penalties altering the outcome of games (keeping drives alive, negating big plays, etc).

It drives me crazy to see a legitimate pick-6 negated because the QB had his helmet grazed.