Questions about hitting an option QB

[chasa]

If a QB like Colin Kaepernick fakes the ball constantly and occasionally runs with it, are defenders allowed to hit him on a fake, similar to a play action pass when the running back hits the hole he tends to get lit up while the QB has a few extra seconds to throw a pass.

 

[DarrylS]

I believe if he asssumes that role of running back he is fair game, if he slides as Brady often does you cannot hit him.

Early on Vick did this, and it took its toll... the concern for so many of these kids is what is the long term effect on their bodies if they assume this role.

 

[Palm Beach Pats Fan]

If he leaves the pocket, he is fair game.

The gray area, I believe, is when he's still in the pocket but not in a passing stance. He still has some added QB protection that would not be afforded a RB--you'd better not even give a glancing blow with your hand to the helmet area, for instance-- but all that is given up once he leaves the pocket until the point he starts a feet-first slide.

 

[SONS_OF_BELICHICK]

Niko is going to pop him every time....he rolls out...

 

[chasa]

Niko is going to pop him every time....he rolls out...

that's what i'm thinking, every time he fakes it and rolls out hit him, the refs cant possibly call it a personal foul every time considering he just faked GB and ran for 200 yards.

 

[Nikolai]

Ninko popped him a couple times earlier this year, no flag. Tebow got popped several times like that last year and no flag. I don't think there will be a problem.

 

[IllegalContact]

for the most part, these QB's have no pocket awareness......their only instinct is to take off......a great majority of the times, they get away when they take off, but they are prone to much more violent hits.

the long term consistency in these guys has never been had....

if they slide, though, you can't hit them.

the pats are actually in the process of evolving to deal with this. to complete this evolution, they need to draft a guy like jesse williams from Alabama to put beside wilfork, and they will have the closest thing to a 2-5 defense you can have

4 LB's is not enough anymore......you need 5

 

[signbabybrady]

If he leaves the pocket, he is fair game.

The gray area, I believe, is when he's still in the pocket but not in a passing stance. He still has some added QB protection that would not be afforded a RB--you'd better not even give a glancing blow with your hand to the helmet area, for instance-- but all that is given up once he leaves the pocket until the point he starts a feet-first slide.

This is exactly what I was going to say but I also think despite this being a grey area and despite the Refs being instructed to air on the side of caution when it comes to player safety I think if he were in a rushing stance it would take something extreme to get a roughing the passer call.

 

[Metaphors]

It really depends on what the QB is doing at the time of the hit. If he hands off the ball (and it is clear he is empty-handed) and he is just standing there then hitting the QB is going to draw a flag. If the QB is still in the process of the "fake" or is making a football move (he is an eligible receiver until the RB clears the LOS), then popping the QB in the chest is not a problem.

And the OP is bringing up the key point that GB and Dallas (against RG3) just didn't understand. The read option run against them keys off the front-side DE. If they dive inside at the RB, keep the ball and run outside. If they stay outside, let the RB keep the ball and go. So what happened? Matthews and Ware looked lost and effectively took themselves out of the play.

Belichick has a plan for this after facing Tebow multiple times. Have the DE always take the QB and leave the RB to the DL/LB...which shouldn't be much of a problem since it is always a dive run. The 49ers are becoming too reliant on designed CK runs and I'm thinking that could burn them as soon as Sunday.