Roberts low hit sack on Mac: penalty or not?

[Pape]

This is a penalty by todays standards. Should it be a penalty? Absolutely not, but the NFL didn't ask me when making the rule.

For those that asked what the NFL wants Roberts to do there. They wanted Roberts to break down after he ran over Ramondre, and wrap tackle Mac. If a defender breaks down in front of a player with the ball it's very difficult for them not to tackle the player above their knees and below their chest.

1. It absolutely should be a penalty. Want to go thru another 2008? I don't.

2. What the NFL wants is players to stop going at qb knees.

 

[Midship]

100% a penalty by today's standards, not sure why there is so much debate on this

 

[sb1]

Agreed. That was a game I was at, too. Rodney and Tedy were quick to run their mouths when each started their jobs 10 years ago. I think they wanted to show the public they weren't homers as studio analysts.

Yeah. Dumb comment by Rodney on a national platform. Suggs launched himself at Brady's surgically repaired knee, and I would have thrown that flag too.

 

[1960Pats]

Agree. His problem was that there wasn't time to take the extra step required to make a legal play, so he made an illegal one.
QB's are too important to the competitive, qualitative, and financial success of the NFL. There needs to be rules like this to keep them on the field as much as possible. Old school, tough guy mentality about this is just wrong.

I went to the old school when it was built. Back then the guys going after the QB were smaller.

 

[1960Pats]

Again, no need for foaming-at-the-mouth homerism.

Is that what you call that? Not me. The Roberts plays described were dirty, especially the hit to Jones' knee. That could have ended the kid's career. It reminded me of the dirty play by the Steelers in the 2001 AFCCG.

I don't remember Roberts being that way when he was here, but I could be wrong because of my foaming-at-the-mouth homersim.

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

Is that what you call that? Not me. The Roberts plays described were dirty, especially the hit to Jones' knee. That could have ended the kid's career. It reminded me of the dirty play by the Steelers in the 2001 AFCCG.

I don't remember Roberts being that way when he was here, but I could be wrong because of my foaming-at-the-mouth homersim.

That's fine if someone thinks it's a dirty play. Go see JMC's posts if you'd like to know what foaming-at-the-mouth homerism is. Having a fit at people who disagree, etc.

 

[1960Pats]

by rule it's a penalty, like it or not

I like anything that prevents a vulnerable player from being taken out at the knee.
I also like the penalty for a crack-back block and a few others.

 

[Kontradiction]

I like anything that prevents a vulnerable player from being taken out at the knee.
I also like the penalty for a crack-back block and a few others.

I like penalties in general. The more, the better. Sometimes, the pace of the game is just way too fast. I need to catch my breath. Watching a man fire a yellow handkerchief across my television screen allows me to do just that.

 

[1960Pats]

You don’t understand the rule.
By rule if the only place you can hit the qb is low, you can’t hit the qb.
The only exception id if someone blocks you and forces you into the hit and you have no way to avoid it.
It doesn’t require diving, twisting, spearing or anything.
By the rule, Roberts responsibility is to not make contact because the only way he can is hit low.

It's a great rule.

 

[1960Pats]

That's fine if someone thinks it's a dirty play. Go see JMC's posts if you'd like to know what foaming-at-the-mouth homerism is. Having a fit at people who disagree, etc.

There's something different about the dirty hits now and those from the 50's and 60's and I can't quite figure out why. The dirty hits now seem more dangerous.

I get foaming-at-the-mouth homersim whenever I think of the Pats. It's been a hell of a ride.

 

[Kontradiction]

There's something different about the dirty hits now and those from the 50's and 60's and I can't quite figure out why. The dirty hits now seem more dangerous.

I get foaming-at-the-mouth homersim whenever I think of the Pats. It's been a hell of a ride.

HD TV. If Terry Bradshaw got suplexed onto the crown of his head against the Browns with the clarity of the TVs these days, it would be much more horrific.

 

[1960Pats]

I like penalties in general. The more, the better. Sometimes, the pace of the game is just way too fast. I need to catch my breath. Watching a man fire a yellow handkerchief across my television screen allows me to do just that.

I don't think the problem with penalties is because of the obvious dirty hit calls. There aren't really many of those. The delays and extra flags are coming because of other factors.

 

[Steve102]

My first reaction was why does Stevenson block like he weighs 140 lbs.

 

[Kontradiction]

I don't think the problem with penalties is because of the obvious dirty hit calls. There aren't really many of those. The delays and extra flags are coming because of other factors.

I think we need more penalties, personally.

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

I don't think the problem with penalties is because of the obvious dirty hit calls. There aren't really many of those. The delays and extra flags are coming because of other factors.

On the Roberts play, I bring it back to what Brady just talked about: the defense gets penalized for the offense's mistakes. Roberts blew up the block; he was off balance, but he's just doing his job, which is running at the quarterback. In addition, Mac Jones could have given himself up seeing him come in. Was it a penalty? Yes. Could you call it a cheap shot? I wouldn't call it that, but one could interpret it that way. I thought he was falling down and trying to stay up but couldn't make it.

It was a dangerous play, so a penalty isn't about intent but danger only.

But the Patriots are the ones who put Jones in danger by such a crappy block and Jones not protecting himself either, seeing Roberts coming in and flailing low. Again, what Brady said: offense bailed out by penalty for their own failures.

 

[tom444]

There's something different about the dirty hits now and those from the 50's and 60's and I can't quite figure out why. The dirty hits now seem more dangerous.

I get foaming-at-the-mouth homersim whenever I think of the Pats. It's been a hell of a ride.

Think so? God, I remember some unbelievably questionable hits that they often just let go back in those days.

 

[rogerthat]

Terrible call. Not a penalty.

 

[Pape]

I think we need more penalties, personally.

 

[Pats1971]

1. It absolutely should be a penalty. Want to go thru another 2008? I don't.

2. What the NFL wants is players to stop going at qb knees.

Well we still might go through 2008 but not in the way you are talking about. Anyway, yeah its a penalty. The rule was changed in 2006 after Carson Palmer got nailed in his plant leg. I do not think it was a dirty play, the guy broke through a block and basically dove to get to the QB. He didnt like dive at his knee while being upright, he was losing his balance and went for the QB, but by the letter of the rule, it was a flag.

 

[PatsWSB47]

Think so? God, I remember some unbelievably questionable hits that they often just let go back in those days.

Do you remember the "He got jacked!" segments on ESPN?