The "emphasis" on illegal contact is going to make us...

[Smellyman]

The first problem is that "contact" is by nature necessary.

For a defender to be looking toward the ball (to avoid the PI) the defender needs to reach back and be able to feel for the receiver behind him so he can locate the receiver vs the ball.

So how is it materially different when you touch the receiver in front, if you do not alter the route?

The funniest part of this is that with guys like Baldwin and Harvin - the very thing everyone thinks will sting us will probably benefit us. People won't be able to brush guys like Harvin and Richardson to slow them down or screw up their timing. But it still is crap football.

The other area it is crap is that now the play can be called two entirely different ways in the same game and it still is "correct". This makes it much easier for the subjective assessments (and biases) of the refs to literally swing games.

What if we play the 49ers and they continually call any contact on our side but then allow them to defend like everyone could last year. Would that swing a game with teams so evenly matched? Likely. So it once again hammers the credibility of the league because whether we benefit or are punished by this there will be a valid perception that the game was handed to one team. Like an entire season where every game was SB XL.

And it will turn a game into a muddied disaster, a flurry of flags removing any continuity.

I think the league is juicing the baseball, shooting for the HRs and this is the result.

Actually Harvin will not benefit from it.

Harvin's average distance from the line of scrimmage on receptions over the last few years is less than 3 yards. I read about it a year ago and the author of the article pointed out that its HISTORICALLY LOW. As in no one else even comes close (for wrs). Harvin doesn't actually go out on routes very often except as an easily-detectable decoy.

Harvin catches at the line of scrimmage and is actually more of a runningback. If you actually pay attention to what he does on the field you would notice that he is actually a rb who simply starts the play lined up as a WR. He even takes handoffs like a rb.

Harvin can be a hell of a rb, but these new rules don't benefit him because he rarely runs real routes as a legit target.

in Minnesota

 

[ImTheScientist]

They will realize how dumb this all is and come regular season it's not getting called as much.

 

[lukerguy]

The problem I've had with many of the IC calls in the pre-season is that they've been initiated by the offense. The WRs put their hands on the DB at the top of the route and the zebras are calling it IC.

 

[oldhawkfan]

The thing that irritates me about calls like this is when the ref that clearly has the best position doesn't throw a flag, yet the one with the poor angle and farther away gets to make the call. On the Simon non interception, the ref in the shot is 2-3 yards away and has the best vantage point. Why doesn't he step up and say, no it wasn't interference I was right there.

 

[Hawknballs]

If these kinds of plays are called in the regular season, then they need to give coaches the ability to challenge them.

 

[SeatownJay]

What it's going to lead to is coaches telling their wide receivers to run into the DBs to cause contact and draw a flag.

 

[CANHawk]

Guys... Have you missed the fact that this is a "preseason point of emphasis"? They're just trying to make a point about the rule by calling to the letter of the law while the games don't count. No way is that ticky tack bullshit called in the regular season

That was a great defensive play by Simon and everyone knows it.

 

[BASF]

I actually think this is the league trying to point out how easy the penalty for illegal contact both offensive and defensive is to call and that is why it is called the way it normally is to get the any contact is cheating people to shut the hell up. It seems like every time a defense plays like we did last year there is backlash from the people who want to watch arena league type scores. It happened when the Patriots beat the Rams in the Super Bowl and all the fan boys who only want to watch scoring were saying how the Patriots cheated as they are saying about us now.

 

[jammerhawk]

What it's going to lead to is coaches telling their wide receivers to run into the DBs to cause contact and draw a flag.

You mean just like Baldwin did on his Illegal contact penalty in the end zone?

 

[Tech Worlds]

I see a receiver running into a defender who is back peddling to force a penalty. This will be maddening.

 

[getnasty]

This call was bad, and i think because its the pre-season and there is a emphasis on illegal contact is the only reason it's called. When we get to the regular season half the flags were seeing won't be thrown.

 

[MizzouHawkGal]

This call was bad, and i think because its the pre-season and there is a emphasis on illegal contact is the only reason it's called. When we get to the regular season half the flags were seeing won't be thrown.

You better be right or ratings will plummet. The fans are not happy at all over this. I am not talking about Seattle Seahawk fans but all fans.

Besides what I see is far more OPI then DPI anyway.

 

[253hawk]

So where's all of these penalties that were supposed to be called on WR's this year? You can't tell me that the DB's are still the only ones committing IC or PI.

 

[Tical21]

I think if that had been Percy and their guy picked it and took it back, we would be clamoring for the flag too.

While realistically knowing that such a flag was a joke.

Seriously.. what is Simon supposed to do here? Please tell me.

You know Tcal can't resist playing devil's advocate. It's what he doooo! [emoji6]

Yeah, you might have a point in there somewhere.

 

[Tical21]

I think pi is the better call there. It is borderline 5 yards but the flag comes out once the ball is thrown.

He starts to bring his arm down around the same time the ball is thrown too, so it's borderline in that area as well.

There is no grab, no diverting the route. He merely touched the WR for like a second to maintain his bearing, and this happened within 5 yards as well.

I think that if we're going to call penalties for just touching a WR no matter how minor, the league is going to have opened a big can of worms.

There was a similarly shitty call against San Diego that helped Seattle score a TD in the first half. The new emphasis contributed to at least two offensive TDs being scored (and robbed a defense of a score). Welcome to the golden age of QBs and WRs in fantasy football.

Obviously we need a wider shot, but I am thinking that Simon doesn't even lay a hand on the guy until the ball is in the air. Two thoughts. First, it just looks like it shouldn't be legal. The interpretation of the rule could certainly support the argument that it is a bad call. But it just doesn't look right.

Second, and this is usually a downfield PI argument, but Simon doesn't need to do it. If he never touches the guy, that ball gets thrown into Simon's lap for a touchdown. Is that what the refs are going for?

 

[MizzouHawkGal]

From what I see that is totally within the 5 yard rule, it's just wrong. What's next? Just have a batting machine throw up a ball and have everybody play centerfielder?

 

[scutterhawk]

Actually, it wasn't beyond five yards. Watch the play closely. That was legal, even with the new rules. Bad call.

PRECICELY!, it was well inside the 5 yard, that's what made the flagging on THAT particular play so ABSURD.
If that would have happen to Percy? ,what difference does that make?
In this instance, it was a CLEAN and LEGAL play made by a "Head's Up" Defender, that was erased by a mistaken Referee.
I know it's rare to see them make mistakes, :lol:

 

[Scottemojo]

I'm with Tical on one point, it was a great learning moment for Simon. He doesn't need to do it on this play. He has his eyes in the right place, he has the right leverage...maybe next time he will play it just a bit better. I don't think it is bad enough to call, but Simon didn't need to do it.

All part of the learning process.

 

[KitsapGuy]

:hmmmm:

David Allen ‏@65_dave 46m
People complain about Seahawks secondary. NFL responds by tightening & restricting defense ability to play. People complain about NFL rule.

:roll:

 

[scutterhawk]

The thing that irritates me about calls like this is when the ref that clearly has the best position doesn't throw a flag, yet the one with the poor angle and farther away gets to make the call. On the Simon non interception, the ref in the shot is 2-3 yards away and has the best vantage point. Why doesn't he step up and say, no it wasn't interference I was right there.

I think what also irritates the shit outta me on this flagging, is that the Ref that didn't have the advantageous angle on that play, had also thrown that flag prematurely.