"Blindside" blocks now illegal

Another step closer to flag football

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap30...gue-owners-vote-to-eliminate-blindside-blocks

Reading the definition... they're going to need graphics and someone to explain what parallel means to like half the country.

NFL owners voted to eliminate blindside blocks, which the league defines as a foul "if a player initiates a block when he is moving toward or parallel to his own end line and makes contact to his opponent with his helmet, forearm or shoulder."

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That's going to be complete BS. That's a rule the Refs call against the Seahawks, but ignore against "Legacy Teams."

Kind of like "illegal block in the back" on returns. It could be across the field, having nothing to do with the play, and be a freak occurrence, and they'd throw the flag.

ivotuk":2613fy8s said:

That's going to be complete BS. That's a rule the Refs call against the Seahawks, but ignore against "Legacy Teams."

Kind of like "illegal block in the back" on returns. It could be across the field, having nothing to do with the play, and be a freak occurrence, and they'd throw the flag.

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Not only that, but just what are you supposed to do as a downfield blocker now? Just ignore the guy who's about to tackle the runner?

The only positive is that's it's finally a rule that doesn't heavily favor the offense.

One-third of all concussions suffered by players on punts were caused by blindside blocks.

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It's a cheap and dirty way to play the game and I'm glad they're getting rid of it.

What you do is you impede somebody's progress rather than lowing your shoulder and annihilating them.

Think of it as the difference in the NBA between setting a screen and launching yourself into someone to level them. That difference is the language they're capturing in this.

I don't think it's that complicated.

Popeyejones":2crq3ql3 said:

One-third of all concussions suffered by players on punts were caused by blindside blocks.

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It's a cheap and dirty way to play the game and I'm glad they're getting rid of it.

What you do is you impede somebody's progress rather than lowing your shoulder and annihilating them.

I don't think it's that complicated.

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How do you impede without "contact to his opponent with his helmet, forearm or shoulder." ?? Use your legs and it's tripping, turn your back and he blows you up.

Osprey":2mpl6fqh said:

Popeyejones":2mpl6fqh said:

One-third of all concussions suffered by players on punts were caused by blindside blocks.

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It's a cheap and dirty way to play the game and I'm glad they're getting rid of it.

What you do is you impede somebody's progress rather than lowing your shoulder and annihilating them.

I don't think it's that complicated.

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How do you impede without "contact to his opponent with his helmet, forearm or shoulder." ?? Use your legs and it's tripping, turn your back and he blows you up.

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You're quoting the wrong part. It's saying you cannot initiate a block using your helmet, forearm, or shoulder.

Save for blindside blocks, 99% of all blocks in the NFL are not initiated using helmets, forearms, or shoulders. (anyone who regularly tries to initiate blocks those ways has had it coached out of them long before they get to the NFL).

In practice, the rule is basically going to be as follows: a blindside block is not a free pass to try to kill someone.

I don't see what the issue is.

FWIW this rule is basically already in the rulebook under the "Defenseless Player" rules (12.2.7). They're just tweaking it and highlighting it as a point of emphasis, as it should be, IMO (and as the concussion data suggests).

I thought this was the rule they changed after Golden Tate hit Sean Lee?

Oh goody, another subjective rule.


Streamline the rulebook and call only the obvious infractions not the ticky tack subjective crap.

XFL will be here soon.

Osprey":ylbq9diy said:

Popeyejones":ylbq9diy said:

One-third of all concussions suffered by players on punts were caused by blindside blocks.

Click to expand...

It's a cheap and dirty way to play the game and I'm glad they're getting rid of it.

What you do is you impede somebody's progress rather than lowing your shoulder and annihilating them.

I don't think it's that complicated.

Click to expand...

How do you impede without "contact to his opponent with his helmet, forearm or shoulder." ?? Use your legs and it's tripping, turn your back and he blows you up.

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Use your hands like you're supposed to when blocking?

themunn":ad8fol11 said:

Osprey":ad8fol11 said:

Popeyejones":ad8fol11 said:

One-third of all concussions suffered by players on punts were caused by blindside blocks.

Click to expand...

It's a cheap and dirty way to play the game and I'm glad they're getting rid of it.

What you do is you impede somebody's progress rather than lowing your shoulder and annihilating them.

I don't think it's that complicated.

Click to expand...

How do you impede without "contact to his opponent with his helmet, forearm or shoulder." ?? Use your legs and it's tripping, turn your back and he blows you up.

Click to expand...

Use your hands like you're supposed to when blocking?

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I probably over analyzed initially, but I still think it’s an issue. Hand fighting is more natural from a static start, two bodies in motion will limit the effectiveness and potentially lead to holding calls.

sdog1981":356w4a57 said:

I thought this was the rule they changed after Golden Tate hit Sean Lee?

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That was a CLASSIC block. Loved it!
To me it seemed more like Lee was over-focused on pursuing Russell Wilson and failed to account for or consider the fact that a WR might be a threat to block him.

Sports Hernia":1hvzok6x said:

Oh goody, another subjective rule.


Streamline the rulebook and call only the obvious infractions not the ticky tack subjective crap.

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Technically, human perception makes everything subjective as our perceptions are recreations of reality and not reality itself. I'm unsure of how tick tacks relate to this utterly fascinating dynamic, however. Perhaps you could provide a series of peer-approved, scholarly resources pertaining upon the presently discussed materials to less tentatively provide illumination in the precise direction of this accord.