Protecting the QB (1 Viewer)

[Billy Bats]

He is the head of the offiicials and Rich Eisen just had the weekly under review segment where he asks Mike about certain rulings during the previous week. Eisen brought up roughing the passer, and showed 3 clips of roughing the QB penalties that were obvious overreactions, IMO, and shouldn't have been called. One negated a safety. In asking Mike to explain these flags, he replied "You can't lower your head to make a tackle. We tell the players to wrap and tackle, not to lead with the crown of the helmet." He went on the to say that "the QB is the least protected player on the field."

Is he serious? On the one play the NYJ player lowered his head and at the same time Leftwich lowered his head and they touched. How can you ask a player not to lower their head when tackling. I've seen that happen and the player was flagged for roughing the passer because their face masks collided. This overprotection of QB's is only fueled by the owners and the contracts that they give them, unfortunately the defensive players are paying the price. I'm not calling for open season on QB's, but give the defenders a little more slack. It's football, it's violent, the QB's shouldn't be removed from the equation.

Thanks for listening.

 

[Warpig]

Agreed.

They should just make it to where you can't touch the QB at all and you can't cover the WR's. You must allow them to run their routes without resistence and if the ball is in the air you must allow them to catch it. After they have caught the ball...then you may pursue but can not "tackle" them. Instead you may gently hug them and craddle them to the ground.

It's getting ridiculous.

 

[Andrew]

It's also fueled by the fact that football is now a passing game, and very few teams have a chance without their starting qb. And even with the rules, qbs still get hurt quite often.

I'm not saying that I agree with every applicaton of the qb protection rules, but I do agree with them in principle. Quarterbacks have to stand in there and take shots to the ribs while stepping into a throw. There aren't many other positions where you have to take shots like that without being able to brace yourself for the hit.

 

[Billy Bats]

It's also fueled by the fact that football is now a passing game, and very few teams have a chance without their starting qb. And even with the rules, qbs still get hurt quite often.I'm not saying that I agree with every applicaton of the qb protection rules, but I do agree with them in principle. Quarterbacks have to stand in there and take shots to the ribs while stepping into a throw. There aren't many other positions where you have to take shots like that without being able to brace yourself for the hit.

I agree with the principle too, but when they're not allowing defenders to make a tackle, then we might as well hook flags to the QB's belt. I think the only time a flag should be thrown for roughing the QB, is an obvious late hit where the defender sees the QB throw the ball then takes a step into him and intent to injure. Even if you put your hands up to try and block the pass, then your hand happens to graze the QB above the shoulder, it's a flag. Players flying around at full speed making a typical football tackle should not be penalized for accidental helmet or facemask contact.

 

[jonessed]

Ironically, their zealous in trying to over-protect WRs to maintain offensive scoring has led to QBs getting more pressure. They need to go back and fix what they broke. The only way to stop a passing offense now is to get to the QB. Shutdown corners no longer exist, nor can they.

I understand the NFLs concern, but they need to find a different way of going about it. Ticky-tack calls interpreting webs of overly complicated infractions is just going to cause everyone a lot of frustration.

 

[Z-Dog]

I'm ok with protecting the QB, but plays that look like good clean hits are drawing flags that require an NFL spokesman to explain the next day at a presser. If you can't tell me in one sentence what a guy did wrong to draw the flag, it's not a personal foul, imho.

Maybe they need to add an unintentional roughing penalty, like the unintention face-mask, and make it just a 5-yarder.

 

[Andrew]

That's a good point, Z-Dog. I totally agree that some plays are being flagged that definitely should not be. And I also think that it's because refs are choosing to err on the side of protecting the qb. Let's face it, if you're the ref when Peyton Manning gets his spleen ruptured because a 350 lb lineman hits him late and drives him into the ground, you're not going to want to have kept the flag in your pocket.

On the other hand, if a db comes loose and taps Daunte Culpepper on the helmet with his hand when trying to tip a pass, does anyone really think that hurt him?

An unintentional roughing would be an interesting idea. It would at least let the ref wriggle out of a personal foul call when he throws the flag and then realizes nothing really happened.

 

[Rovers]

Actually, Barton's helmet nor his facemask ever touched Lefty's helmet at all. Bartons' helmet was actually under the QB's shoulder pad. Barton almost imperceptable lowered his helmet, perhaps an inch. The Vilma penalty was just as ridiculous. Vilma wrapped the QB there, AS he released. Vilma couldn't even know if Lefty still had the ball. The penalty was called for Vilma going to the ground with the QB and being the guy on top... that was it. That was a 3rd down play too.

That NFL official, whatever his name, KNEW they were bad calls. His only defense was to say if it's uncertain, throw the flag. Huh? That is what they are telling the refs... if you don't know, throw the flag.

They had better make these reviewable if they are going to make calls like that. If the Jets had any chance of a comeback in that game (no, I didn't think they would) those two calls killed it.... the non safety and the extra 4 points when Jax scored, not to mention a change of possession that would have resulted from that safety.

I know Mangini complained, but it won't do any good. What the heck is up with the idiots on the competition commitee?

 

[wharf rat]

Actually, Barton's helmet nor his facemask ever touched Lefty's helmet at all. Bartons' helmet was actually under the QB's shoulder pad. Barton almost imperceptable lowered his helmet, perhaps an inch. The Vilma penalty was just as ridiculous. Vilma wrapped the QB there, AS he released. Vilma couldn't even know if Lefty still had the ball. The penalty was called for Vilma going to the ground with the QB and being the guy on top... that was it. That was a 3rd down play too. That NFL official, whatever his name, KNEW they were bad calls. His only defense was to say if it's uncertain, throw the flag. Huh? That is what they are telling the refs... if you don't know, throw the flag. They had better make these reviewable if they are going to make calls like that. If the Jets had any chance of a comeback in that game (no, I didn't think they would) those two calls killed it.... the non safety and the extra 4 points when Jax scored, not to mention a change of possession that would have resulted from that safety. I know Mangini complained, but it won't do any good. What the heck is up with the idiots on the competition commitee?

I have to disagree. It was obvious to me that barton lowered his head and led with his helmet.

 

[Rovers]

Actually, Barton's helmet nor his facemask ever touched Lefty's helmet at all. Bartons' helmet was actually under the QB's shoulder pad. Barton almost imperceptable lowered his helmet, perhaps an inch. The Vilma penalty was just as ridiculous. Vilma wrapped the QB there, AS he released. Vilma couldn't even know if Lefty still had the ball. The penalty was called for Vilma going to the ground with the QB and being the guy on top... that was it. That was a 3rd down play too. That NFL official, whatever his name, KNEW they were bad calls. His only defense was to say if it's uncertain, throw the flag. Huh? That is what they are telling the refs... if you don't know, throw the flag. They had better make these reviewable if they are going to make calls like that. If the Jets had any chance of a comeback in that game (no, I didn't think they would) those two calls killed it.... the non safety and the extra 4 points when Jax scored, not to mention a change of possession that would have resulted from that safety. I know Mangini complained, but it won't do any good. What the heck is up with the idiots on the competition commitee?

I have to disagree. It was obvious to me that barton lowered his head and led with his helmet.

I TiVO'd it and played it back at least 10 times. If Barton had stayed up, he would have hit with the crown of his helmet on Lefty's facemask. Since when are players supposed to tackle leading with their chest? Lefty is not a little guy. If you dance up to him leading with your chest, he might not go down. Besides that, it was Barton's facemask that hit the QB's shoulder pads, not the crown of his helmet. That call was STUPID, period.