Willie McGinest sack/penalty question?

[Armen Da Pats Fan]

During one of Willie McGinest's sacks during the rout of the Jaguars, Willie had taken a few shots at Leftwiches head. I know that any shot to the head of a quarterback is a penalty, and that they blew that call in our favor. My question is, even if they had made that call, Willie still would have gotten credit for the sack right?

I know the play you're referring to...

I said the same thing, but then my buddy Mike said it looked like he was reaching up swatting at the ball/pass to disrupt Leftwich...

I'll tell you which one they DID miss, though:

Wilson's helmet to helmet smack on the running back that caused the fumble. I thought we were getting 15 on that for sure!

ADPF

 

[brdmaverick]

am I mistaken though, isn't any contact to the head of a quarterback illegal?

Willie clearly made contact with his head.


I know that some on this board defend the infamous 'tuck play' by saying that Charles Woodson should have been called for a blow to the head on Brady. There was nothing malicious about that one though either.

Mike Vrabel got some of Warner's helmet on the Ty Law interception play in the Super Bowl.

so I guess it is just left up to the officials

 

[brdmaverick]

oh, and by the way, I know Willie broke the single game postseason sack record, but can anyone tell me what the previous record was?

I know Reggie White had three sacks in the Super Bowl against us.

 

[groundgame]

am I mistaken though, isn't any contact to the head of a quarterback illegal?

Willie clearly made contact with his head.


I know that some on this board defend the infamous 'tuck play' by saying that Charles Woodson should have been called for a blow to the head on Brady. There was nothing malicious about that one though either.

Mike Vrabel got some of Warner's helmet on the Ty Law interception play in the Super Bowl.

so I guess it is just left up to the officials

Wille made repeated touches to the QB's head but they were not "blows to the head" which would trigger a flag. The only hit to the head of a QB that is always called, whether lightly, incidental or not, is a defensive player's helmet hitting the QB's helmet.

 

[Alk]

oh, and by the way, I know Willie broke the single game postseason sack record, but can anyone tell me what the previous record was?

I know Reggie White had three sacks in the Super Bowl against us.

I believe they said Bruce Smith had 14.5

 

[alamo]

I'll tell you which one they DID miss, though:

Wilson's helmet to helmet smack on the running back that caused the fumble. I thought we were getting 15 on that for sure!

Yes. Another way you can be certain it was really helmet-to-helmet was the fact that Geno got his bell rung pretty badly too. After the ball came loose and was sitting right in front of him, he didn't make any move for it at all, in fact he started getting up before Seymour fell on the ball.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

Yes. Another way you can be certain it was really helmet-to-helmet was the fact that Geno got his bell rung pretty badly too. After the ball came loose and was sitting right in front of him, he didn't make any move for it at all, in fact he started getting up before Seymour fell on the ball.

There was some discussion of this on one of the many postgame shows I watched. I recall the conclusion was helmet to helmet per say is not illegal. Something about certain contact points of the defenders helmet vis a vis spearing, certain contact spots and whether the player with the ball is in a defenseless position. There is lots of incidental helmet to helmet contact going on all the time. I think they concluded that Geno's helmet impacted between the shoulder and helmet on an upward angle that caused the receiver to drop what was in his arms. And while there was some helmet to helmet contact it was not within the parameters of the penalty rules.