Blocked Kicks

[Holy Diver]

Anyone notice Bruschi pushing Wilfork on all of the extra points and field goal attempts?

Now I know its illegal to jump on someone's back while attempting to block a kick, but is the 350lb lineman PLOW illegal? If not, good luck to teams trying field goals against big vince this year.

 

[bbabin]

I was wondering about this as well. I had read some comments noting that in both blocks the linemen were being pushed by both Bruschi and Vrabel. Is this common practice, or something new dreamed up by BB? If its an original idea, it sure seemed to work Friday night. Maybe Carolina just had some special teams problems but can you imagine if kicks could be blocked with regularity? It could change the 'take the easy three' mindset.

 

[Metaphors]

Anyone notice Bruschi pushing Wilfork on all of the extra points and field goal attempts?

Now I know its illegal to jump on someone's back while attempting to block a kick, but is the 350lb lineman PLOW illegal? If not, good luck to teams trying field goals against big vince this year.

I didn't notice the LBers pushing the DL. What I did notice was the middle of Carolina's line exploding backwards like they were playing on ice. Never seen anything like it and it happened twice! The long snapper is probably in therapy for PTWD (post-traumatic Wilfork disorder).

The amazing part for me wasn't that the Carolina protection melted like butter...it was the fact the Wilfork was able to stay upright. He must have gotten incredible leverage to ragdoll the protection and not get cut down.

 

[Flying Fungi]

It was described as Bruschi and Vrabel 'bench-pressing' Wilfork and Green respectively. Wilfork got the first block, with the assist to Bruschi, and Green was powered into the second block by Vrabel.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Anyone notice Bruschi pushing Wilfork on all of the extra points and field goal attempts?

Now I know its illegal to jump on someone's back while attempting to block a kick, but is the 350lb lineman PLOW illegal? If not, good luck to teams trying field goals against big vince this year.

If it isn't legal, it should be.

Seriously, though, I would think it isn't legal, but I guess it is. . . .

 

[FreeTedWilliams]

It is illegal to push the ball carrier, so I guess it is not illegal to push a lineman. What is illegal is that you can not use the lineman in front of you as a trampoline during a kick. You can not jump onto or off another player while trying to block a kick.

So I think the push Vince through the long snapper's head is a legal play. Watch the next game, and I guarenntee at least one bad snap because the guy is worried about getting plowed over by VINCE!!!!

I think that thier is a rule about not pounding the head of the long snapper into the ground. I'll try to look it up.

 

[FreeTedWilliams]

Here is the rule:

It will be illegal for a defensive player to jump or stand on any player, or be picked up by a teammate or to use a hand or hands on a teammate to gain additional height in an attempt to block a kick (Penalty: 15 yards, unsportsmanlike conduct).


http://www.nfl.com/rulebook/kicksfromscrimmage

So I guess pushing lineman is OK.
no rule against it:
http://www.nfl.com/rulebook/useofhands

Imagine they have blocked two kicks without Seymour in there.

 

[patsox23]

I wondered about the "bench-pressing" comment, too. Clearly it's legal, but is it common? Is this simply "how it's done" or some kind of innovation? I'd be pretty surprised if no one had ever thought to do this about a zillion times in the history of the league, but I've just never heard it described that way.

 

[willdeespats]

It looks to me like this is something new that BB has come up with. When Seymour was in there, it was a vertical leap to try to use his height to get a hand on the ball. Nor do I ever recall, Wilfork being in there for field goals. I suspect the Carolina game was a trial and this new approach will get further refined in future use. Now that other teams have seen how effective this horizontal approach is, I suspect they will also try it (and maybe on us). I wonder if BB has a counter developed yet!

 

[Fixit]

It looks to me like this is something new that BB has come up with. When Seymour was in there, it was a vertical leap to try to use his height to get a hand on the ball. Nor do I ever recall, Wilfork being in there for field goals. I suspect the Carolina game was a trial and this new approach will get further refined in future use. Now that other teams have seen how effective this horizontal approach is, I suspect they will also try it (and maybe on us). I wonder if BB has a counter developed yet!

That man probably perfected the counter before he taught the original tactic, kind of like perfecting the antidote before releasing the poison.

 

[Oswlek]

That man probably perfected the counter before he taught the original tactic, kind of like perfecting the antidote before releasing the poison.

The biggest issue I could see is a susceptibility to fakes.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

It looks to me like this is something new that BB has come up with. When Seymour was in there, it was a vertical leap to try to use his height to get a hand on the ball. Nor do I ever recall, Wilfork being in there for field goals. I suspect the Carolina game was a trial and this new approach will get further refined in future use. Now that other teams have seen how effective this horizontal approach is, I suspect they will also try it (and maybe on us). I wonder if BB has a counter developed yet!

Well, if it depends on having a stud 3-4 NT, good luck to them. :singing:

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Well, if it depends on having a stud 3-4 NT, good luck to them. :singing:

BTW--any videos of these blocks available? They're not on NFL.com, of course <sigh>.

 

[jczxohn1]

Another factor invoved in this technique is the new ruling that no one can line up directly over the center.That puts Wilfork and Green lined up on the gap either side of center and, with the LB's help makes them almost impossible to block. Leave it to BB to take advantage of a rule change. Expect Polian to address this in the Competition Committee before the season starts..........

 

[loosebearing]

Both FG tries were blocked by the LB's pushing the linemen
Plus the extra point that was made was also touched by a Patriot

Polian will be in the rules committee to protect his steal - Adam V.

 

[patsfan55]

Here is the rule:

It will be illegal for a defensive player to jump or stand on any player, or be picked up by a teammate or to use a hand or hands on a teammate to gain additional height in an attempt to block a kick (Penalty: 15 yards, unsportsmanlike conduct).


http://www.nfl.com/rulebook/kicksfromscrimmage

So I guess pushing lineman is OK.
no rule against it:
http://www.nfl.com/rulebook/useofhands

Imagine they have blocked two kicks without Seymour in there.

didnt brushci jump on someone to block a kick just last year?

 

[patsfan55]

Both FG tries were blocked by the LB's pushing the linemen
Plus the extra point that was made was also touched by a Patriot

Polian will be in the rules committee to protect his steal - Adam V.

polian will get the pro bowl rule in effect
which is just stand there and look pretty

 

[bbabin]

That's interesting about the rule change. If this is indeed the case of BB creating a new scheme to take advantage of it, I'd be very impressed. Not surprised though.

 

[MalaysiaPatsFan]

This is not the first time. I remember something like this with the Pats before. Finally found a link.

http://www.patriotworld.com/TTMedia/2003articles.htm

Scroll down to "On the blocked field goal:"

On the blocked field goal:

Seymour said he knew he'd get the block. ``I saw it before it happened,'' Seymour said. ``When we were out on the field, me and Tedy (Bruschi) were talking and he said, `All right, Seymour, it's a big play for you.' And I was like, if you give me a good push, I'm gonna block it. ``The ball was snapped and Tedy gave me a good push and I just blocked it. It was one of those things where it was like slow motion. I thought Troy was going to pick it up and take it to the house.''

Bruschi said it's not as easy a play as it looks. ``You've got your hands on a man's butt that weighs over 300 pounds,'' Bruschi said. ``It is a massive amount of humanity that you just have to keep pushing. There are no words to describe it.''

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Bruschi said it's not as easy a play as it looks. ``You've got your hands on a man's butt that weighs over 300 pounds,'' Bruschi said. ``It is a massive amount of humanity that you just have to keep pushing. There are no words to describe it.''

I think we have our second nominee* for Patriot quote of the year!

[*The first is Tom's Welker = Labrador quote.]