Are picks illegal in the NFL?

Harbaugh in an article saying goal line play was a good pick play. I thought they were illegal and you had to either br blocking for someone, or look like you're trying to run a route.

Everyone calls this a pick play, hence my question.

I thought they were unless you're a Bronco.

Pick plays are illegal. That said, WR's have certain rights wrt freedom of movement, even if that poses problems for defenders. Short version is that the WR has to look like he is running a route and can't go out of his way to impede the defender, i.e. can't suddenly veer over and knock the defender off.


Here's a really good article that gets into the details about picks. It looks at both the Pats and the Broncos.

http://mmqb.si.com/2014/01/15/new-england-patriots-denver-broncos-afc-championship-game-pick-plays/

Demosthenes said:

Pick plays are illegal. That said, WR's have certain rights wrt freedom of movement, even if that poses problems for defenders. Short version is that the WR has to look like he is running a route and can't go out of his way to impede the defender, i.e. can't suddenly veer over and knock the defender off.


Here's a really good article that gets into the details about picks. It looks at both the Pats and the Broncos.

http://mmqb.si.com/2014/01/15/new-england-patriots-denver-broncos-afc-championship-game-pick-plays/

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Great article, thanks. So pick plays inside the 1 are always legal. You learn something every day. Besides that it seems mostly political, if you ask me. You have to read the guys mind to see if he meant to do what he did, instead of calling a penalty for what he did.

Those pictures don't help much at all either IMO. They should have used videos.

I didn't know they were legal inside the 1 either

While I think Browner is getting plenty of credit among Pats fans, I don't think he gets enough credit elsewhere for knowing the pick play was coming (as Butler did as well) and disrupting the pick to spring Butler to make The Play

Maybe Browner and President Obama can discuss that when they meet at the White House as Browner makes good on his guarantee to be back

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/eye-on...n-browner-to-president-obama-see-you-in-a-few

AWTE elaborates on this subject here.

Oswlek said:

AWTE elaborates on this subject here.

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Without question, when it comes to actual football talk, AWTE's posts are what I miss the most about not hanging out at the planet anymore.

JoeSixPat said:

I didn't know they were legal inside the 1 either

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They are legal within 1 yard of the line of scrimmage so they would be legal at the goal line but not a yard deep in the end zone.

dhamz said:

They are legal within 1 yard of the line of scrimmage so they would be legal at the goal line but not a yard deep in the end zone.

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I miread, thanks. How the hell they police that, I'll never know. OK, it's been one yard, I'll stop picking you now. I suppose that just means give and take when they're trying to jam you at the line.

By the way, picks in the NFL are not like picks in basketball. Most are extended blocks, like Kearse? tried to put on Browner.

RayClay said:

By the way, picks in the NFL are not like picks in basketball. Most are extended blocks, like Kearse? tried to put on Browner.

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I'd have to disagree with that as an awful lot of picks happen down field. Picture Gronk out wide right with Edelman in the slot. Defenders are in man coverage. Gronk takes an inside release and Edelman comes underneath him into the flat. The defender covering Edleman would have to avoid Gronk as well as the defender covering him. Or it could happen further down field with Gronk running a post and Edleman running a deep out. Pretty sure that this type of pick is much more prevalent.

PATS16N0 said:

I thought they were unless you're a Bronco.

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Still laughing my ass off at that like 6 game streak of LaFell getting called for interference on a Dola catch.

Demosthenes said:

I'd have to disagree with that as an awful lot of picks happen down field. Picture Gronk out wide right with Edelman in the slot. Defenders are in man coverage. Gronk takes an inside release and Edelman comes underneath him into the flat. The defender covering Edleman would have to avoid Gronk as well as the defender covering him. Or it could happen further down field with Gronk running a post and Edleman running a deep out. Pretty sure that this type of pick is much more prevalent.

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I didn't say they didn't happen down the field. They don't stop and bend over in a wide stance, they still need to seem like they are a legitimate receiver. They rub.

RayClay said:

I didn't say they didn't happen down the field. They don't stop and bend over in a wide stance, they still need to seem like they are a legitimate receiver. They rub.

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Here is what you said:

By the way, picks in the NFL are not like picks in basketball. Most are extended blocks, like Kearse? tried to put on Browner.

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I disagreed pointing out that a large number of picks happen down field. I.e. they AREN'T "extended blocks" like Kearse tried to put on Browner". On most picks, there isn't anything remotely close to being an "extended block". Either there's no contact at all, or the contact is initiated in such a way as that it doesn't look like a block at all.

When a WR goes down field and looks like he is trying to block someone, that's when offensive PI gets called.

Demosthenes said:

Here is what you said:



I disagreed pointing out that a large number of picks happen down field. I.e. they AREN'T "extended blocks" like Kearse tried to put on Browner". On most picks, there isn't anything remotely close to being an "extended block". Either there's no contact at all, or the contact is initiated in such a way as that it doesn't look like a block at all.

When a WR goes down field and looks like he is trying to block someone, that's when offensive PI gets called.

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I didn't say, like the browner play. It could be a rub, or something like this, which does not resemble anything on a basketball court.

This "pick" was legal, although I am sure some 'Hawks fans are crying for someone to come up with a way that it wasn't...

RayClay said:

I didn't say, like the browner play. It could be a rub, or something like this, which does not resemble anything on a basketball court.

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Ray, I quoted exactly what you said

RayClay said:

By the way, picks in the NFL are not like picks in basketball. Most are extended blocks, like Kearse? tried to put on Browner.

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FTR, Browner wasn't even the one who was supposed to be picked on that play. Kearse was supposed to either take his route across Butler's path or if he was jammed, was supposed to bring Browner into Butler's path. Butler was the one who was supposed to be "picked".

If a WR goes down field and tries to put an "extended block, like Kearse? tried to put on Browner", he'll be called for offensive PI most of the time.

Demosthenes said:

Ray, I quoted exactly what you said

FTR, Browner wasn't even the one who was supposed to be picked on that play. Kearse was supposed to either take his route across Butler's path or if he was jammed, was supposed to bring Browner into Butler's path. Butler was the one who was supposed to be "picked".

If a WR goes down field and tries to put an "extended block, like Kearse? tried to put on Browner", he'll be called for offensive PI most of the time.

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He pretty much was supposed to lead, or push browner into the path Butler would need to take to make the play, but big browner didn't cooperate.

Yes, some of these "blocks" are called pass interference and some aren't. My understanding is, they read the receivers mind and determine if his intent was to run an actual route.

RayClay said:

He pretty much was supposed to lead, or push browner into the path Butler would need to take to make the play, but big browner didn't cooperate.

Yes, some of these "blocks" are called pass interference and some aren't. My understanding is, they read the receivers mind and determine if his intent was to run an actual route.

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Yes, they (the refs) try to determine intent. And if the WR is downfield making " extended blocks, like Kearse? tried to put on Browner," they will usually get flagged. It's why I disagreed with your contention.

What happened with Kearse and Browner generally only happens within 1 year of the LoS because it's completely legal for a WR to straight up block in that situation. Down field requires more finesse. On most of those routes, the goal isn't to actually contact the defender. Rather, it's to take a route that forces the defender to go over/under/around, opening up the other receiver.