There goes our run game.

Chop blocks are now illegal. Is Tom Cable obsolete?

No, because cut blocks are still allowed.

In other words, our run game is dependent on judgement calls?

Mick063":21n9j5nz said:

In other words, our run game is dependent on judgement calls?

Click to expand...

The difference between a cut and a chop is pretty clear. And all actions on a football field are judgement calls.

From Rappoport's twitter:


And yes, cut blocks are still allowed. The ZBS will not go away. Try not to get too incendiary too quickly. The sky is not falling.

It's all good. Minimal impact on the Hawks running game.

Uhh this is actually good for this O-line, because Cable because chop and cut blocks are about timing and technique. While they are effective when implemented how many times have when seen players completely whiff on thier assigment. I rather players use the old-fashion way and just pancake players to take them out of plays.

The most effective runs from what I remember are plays in which guys totally dominate one on one blocks off the ball and drove thier guys downfield. If these means more of that, I think it will do well for a young O-line that has one or two less techniques to implement that doesnt work all to well if your just diving at air.

This will definately challenge the Seahawks way of imposing the physicality and fear based mental game of an opponent worring about thier knees.

But I like the idea of just putting classic one on one blocks on the opponent and imposing consistent sucessful blocks rather the hit or miss nature of trying to create holes by creating a pile away from the ball. Its highly effective when it works but completely useless when it doesnt.

??? I thought chop blocks were already illegal....

Saw this from Pat Kirwan (I immediately thought Pete Carroll, Pat's buddy vs Tom Cable's view):

[tweet]https://twitter.com/PatKirwanCBS/status/712373780220407808[/tweet]

fenderbender123":18s3jbr8 said:

??? I thought chop blocks were already illegal....

Click to expand...

Yes mostly they were already illegal. Now they are totally illegal. I'm sure that the posters who are more knowledgeable about Xs and Os could explain the nuances but it doesn't seem to be a big change. You can still cut block as long as the defender is not engaged by another blocker above the waist.

Here's one example of an (illegal) chop block:
http://ftw.usatoday.com/2014/10/calais- ... ius-thomas

I'd like to think our OL doesn't rely on chop blocks, but really have no idea.
In any case, the timing of the rule change allows us to make any draft plan adjustments. We'll no longer be looking for guys who can chop block? Lol, chop blocks have been illegal in college football since 1980, according to Wikipedia, so not like we were scouting that anyway.

olyfan63":1xxls63w said:

Here's one example of an (illegal) chop block:
http://ftw.usatoday.com/2014/10/calais- ... ius-thomas

I'd like to think our OL doesn't rely on chop blocks, but really have no idea.
In any case, the timing of the rule change allows us to make any draft plan adjustments. We'll no longer be looking for guys who can chop block? Lol, chop blocks have been illegal in college football since 1980, according to Wikipedia, so not like we were scouting that anyway.

Click to expand...

Pretty good demo of the illegal block. I think there used to be a technicality that the blocked player had to be engaged high for it to technically be an "illegal chop block" but it has been modified, I guess, because of that kind of situation, where the rusher is being set up-"lured"- for the high block and then hit low.

Cut blocks are, I believe, a block from the front aimed between the waist and knees. The idea is you take the guy down without serious danger to the knee/ankle joints. O-linemen don't think so, but the D--linemen practice aiming for the thigh pads and up. As long as the blocked player is not engaged with another guy, it is legal.

sutz":3vs8zd2u said:

olyfan63":3vs8zd2u said:

Here's one example of an (illegal) chop block:
http://ftw.usatoday.com/2014/10/calais- ... ius-thomas

I'd like to think our OL doesn't rely on chop blocks, but really have no idea.
In any case, the timing of the rule change allows us to make any draft plan adjustments. We'll no longer be looking for guys who can chop block? Lol, chop blocks have been illegal in college football since 1980, according to Wikipedia, so not like we were scouting that anyway.

Click to expand...

Pretty good demo of the illegal block. I think there used to be a technicality that the blocked player had to be engaged high for it to technically be an "illegal chop block" but it has been modified, I guess, because of that kind of situation, where the rusher is being set up-"lured"- for the high block and then hit low.

Cut blocks are, I believe, a block from the front aimed between the waist and knees. The idea is you take the guy down without serious danger to the knee/ankle joints. O-linemen don't think so, but the D--linemen practice aiming for the thigh pads and up. As long as the blocked player is not engaged with another guy, it is legal.

Click to expand...

Cut blocks really aren't all the nasty as long as it is in trenches. There are a ton of drills, on any football level, where defensive players practice on staying square, feet always moving and hands down. For instance side straddling big bags and a coach throws another bag at your legs at the end. The real issue is getting chopped (essentially getting cut blocked) while being engaged because your feet a planted as opposed to both feet moving. Madden has been lobbying against the chop block for years.

Another block that is really brutal sometimes and I can see being made illegal someday is a RB chip blocking an end. While it doesn't affect the legs, it is at times a blindsided hit and can mess someone up. IMO it's just as bad as a crack back block which is now illegal.

Basis4day":vztvdgeu said:

Mick063":vztvdgeu said:

In other words, our run game is dependent on judgement calls?

Click to expand...

The difference between a cut and a chop is pretty clear. And all actions on a football field are judgement calls.

Click to expand...

But I dont think he knows that difference.

Mick063":2i42iqql said:

Chop blocks are now illegal. Is Tom Cable obsolete?

Click to expand...

No, but J.R. Sweezy is.

Chop blocks have always been illegal, but as far as I understand it, a player had to be engaged for it to be a chop block.

the "Lure" chop block wasn't illegal, and I don't think Thomas was flagged for that play. I think they're saying all of it was illegal now.

A cut block is a block from the front or side where the player isn't engaged. You can even get a guy around the ankles as long as you do it with your body and not arms, hands or legs (tripping).

A clip is when you cut block a guy from behind.

I was a bit worried about this, in that defensive coaches have been lobbying against cut blocks for years, and I was hoping that the media didn't mix up "chop" block with "cut" block. I'm honestly not sure what the big deal is for this to be "official" outside of the "lure" chop block.

This is a thread worth bookmarking.

I'll spring it when the "That chop block call was bull$&!t" thread pops up.

We had one chop block penalty all last season...it was on Sherman. During a kick return.

The way the rule is reading it sounds like cut and chexop blocks will be illegal. It sounds like any block below the thigh pad will be illegal. I hope I am not reading that correctly but I am not so sure the nfl distinguished between the two.

Chop blocks were previously illegal on just passing plays and certain uncommon run blocking situations (non-adjacent blockers). Now, they are illegal on all running plays. This would outlaw a player from going low on a schemed combo block/double team.

I would imagine this would affect us.