OK - What *should* the rule on QB hits be - New England Patriots Forums

pencilneckgeek · 10-07-2009, 04:17 PM

We've heard everybody (and their sister-wife) opine about whether Suggs, Ngata, Wright committed penalties when rushing the QB last week. A good chunk of those posters (myself included) don't seem to care for the rules as they are. I'd be interested in getting folks opinions on what the rules should look like.

pencilneckgeek · 10-07-2009, 04:27 PM

Can't seem to get my poll done right. I'm a dummy. One last try I promise. Mods, please put htis thread out of its misery.

pencilneckgeek · 10-07-2009, 04:28 PM

Took too long starting my poll. Mods please delete. I'll get the thread right one of these times.

letekro · 10-07-2009, 04:33 PM

There should be two guiding principles: 1. Preventing, to the extent possible, serious injury; 2. Eliminating, to the extent possible, official subjectivity. Applying these principles, I come up with only one that satisfies both conditions:

Hitting below the knees.

*Note that helmet to helmet hits are already prohibited. There should be no additional rule for merely hitting the QB on the head with some other body part.

We can minimize knee injuries and head injuries by simply applying the Brady rule and the helmet to helmet rule. That leaves only shoulder injuries as a potential serious injury to a QB. I don't think there's anything you can do about that one because it usually is caused by a player falling on top of the QB. I think we just have to live with this one because the "driving the QB into the ground" penalty is just too subjective.

supafly · 10-07-2009, 04:33 PM

Personally I think the calls were mostly correct on Sunday. If our team had lost, you wouldn't have heard anything from our team about it, you would've heard about the drop, the failed 4th down conversion, poor execution, etc.

Once the QB throws the ball, he is basically a defenseless player. I think going at someone's knees should be called, and we've already been on the other end of the Brady rule already this yr--as I'm sure we will be again soon.

If anything, the Wilfork hit was BS. Even Mike Pererra's explanation as to how Wilfork 'slid' down T.Edwards was total BS too, he didn't slide down, he hit him square on. Some calls you win out on, some you lose out on, that's just part of the game. That said, I think BAL will have even more motivation should we play them again--which I do not really want to do.

Big-T · 10-07-2009, 04:37 PM

You can hit the QB between their waist & shoulders, but only if releasing the ball or a moment after they've released if a player is already committed to making a tackle on the QB, simple enough for even the likes of Ray Lewis to understand?

***KontradictioN*** · 10-07-2009, 04:57 PM

I posted this in another thread, but I'll post it here as well:

1. Knees: These can end seasons as well as careers. I'm all for the knees being protected from a dirty hit. If the QB moves outside of the pocket and the defender only has the knees/legs to grasp at in order to make the tackle, that should be legal.

2. Head: This is only in the event of a hard helmet to helmet hit in which the defender launches himself at the QB. If the arm or shoulder pad hits the helmet (in the case of Ngata, the arm), there should not be a 15 yard penalty assessed UNLESS the quarterback has gotten rid of the ball for two or more seconds and it becomes a LATE hit.

3. Chest: Open season as long as the hit is not coming in late and the QB still has the ball in his hands.

4. Back: Open season as long as the hit is not coming in late and the QB still has the ball in his hands.

5. Midsection: Open season as long as the hit is not coming in late and the QB still has the ball in his hands.

That's what I think. On top of that, I think WRs should be allowed to get obliterated if the ball is in their hands (which wasn't the case of Welker last year) and as long as the hit isn't made with the crown of the helmet to the head of the receiver. Calling 15 yard unnecessary roughness penalties for a big hit is flat out ridiculous. Same thing with defenders and crackback blocks as long as, again, the knees and head aren't aimed for. But then again, I'm a fan of old school (a.k.a. real) football. If the NFL keeps tinkering with the rules to take big hits out of the equation, they are going to lose tons of their viewership.

PlanB · 10-07-2009, 06:12 PM

i think if the officials blew the whistle earlier (the old "in-the-grasp") that some of the controversy would go away. But the defense is in a no-win situation when the qb keeps on trying to get free and they know they'll be penalized if they bring him down. just my .02

NovaScotiaPatsFan · 10-07-2009, 07:12 PM

It's fine the way it is now. It took too freakin long to get there is all, it should have been done when Palmer went down.

Two Eight · 10-07-2009, 08:07 PM

Above the knees, below the neck, and within a second of releasing the ball.

I don't think they should call every little inconsequential contact either, like brushing the side of the QB's helmet with your fingertips.

TB was really working the ref's on Sunday and I'm not really a big fan of that Peyton Manningish behaviour. Did anybody catch on the Nagta hit how TB pushed his helmet up with his left hand as he was falling? I didn't catch it the first time I saw it, I thought Nagta almost knocked his helmet off but that was all Brady.