Dumb Rule: Illegal Blindside Block
Posted: Mon Sep 25, 2023 2:20 pm
So, this became a rule in 2019 and then kind of went into mothballs as 'over-officiating' led to numerous misapplications of the rule. So I haven't seen this penalty called in a few years, until this past Saturday.
Midway through the 4th quarter, my college team was driving for a game-clinching score. On 3rd and 6, a normal football play occurred. From the I formation, the FB motioned to the right and lined up on the wing next to the RT. At the snap, the RT pulled and the FB blocked the DE. The TB ran right, got the pitchout, and cut inside the RT's block for a 1st down. But wait! Flag on the play!
After a lengthy ref discussion, the FB was called for a personal foul with the penalty being "illegal blindside block". So instead of 1st and 10, it was 3rd and 21. My team had to punt and eventually lost the game, and I thought this call was totally out of nowhere. The announcers were equally perplexed. I went to the rulebook:
It is a foul if a player initiates a block when his path is toward or parallel to his own end line and makes forcible contact to his opponent with his helmet, forearm, or shoulder.
Note: It is not a foul for a blindside block if the forcible contact occurs in “close-line play” prior to the ball leaving that area. The ball is not considered to have left that area if the player who takes the snap, either from a shotgun position or from under center, retreats in the pocket immediately or with a slight delay, and hands the ball to another player, or runs with the ball himself. This exception does not apply to any action other than a designed play. Any forcible contact in “close-line play” is still subject to the restrictions for crackback and peel back blocks.
So I don't get it. The rule actually allows for a blindside block in "close-line play" (the FB blocked a DE), and the play in question was obviously a designed play...block down on the DE while the RT pulls to the outside. I think football would be better served with less rules...decrease the probability that the refs will misapply a rule to a situation that isn't called for. Since the intent is to keep offensive players from taking gratuitous kill shots on unsuspecting defenders, just leave it as 'unnecessary roughness' and leave it up the refs' discretion. I think both the NFL and NCAA are creating a paradox whereby having more specific rules just increases the subjectivity of the referee's calls.
Midway through the 4th quarter, my college team was driving for a game-clinching score. On 3rd and 6, a normal football play occurred. From the I formation, the FB motioned to the right and lined up on the wing next to the RT. At the snap, the RT pulled and the FB blocked the DE. The TB ran right, got the pitchout, and cut inside the RT's block for a 1st down. But wait! Flag on the play!
After a lengthy ref discussion, the FB was called for a personal foul with the penalty being "illegal blindside block". So instead of 1st and 10, it was 3rd and 21. My team had to punt and eventually lost the game, and I thought this call was totally out of nowhere. The announcers were equally perplexed. I went to the rulebook:
It is a foul if a player initiates a block when his path is toward or parallel to his own end line and makes forcible contact to his opponent with his helmet, forearm, or shoulder.
Note: It is not a foul for a blindside block if the forcible contact occurs in “close-line play” prior to the ball leaving that area. The ball is not considered to have left that area if the player who takes the snap, either from a shotgun position or from under center, retreats in the pocket immediately or with a slight delay, and hands the ball to another player, or runs with the ball himself. This exception does not apply to any action other than a designed play. Any forcible contact in “close-line play” is still subject to the restrictions for crackback and peel back blocks.
So I don't get it. The rule actually allows for a blindside block in "close-line play" (the FB blocked a DE), and the play in question was obviously a designed play...block down on the DE while the RT pulls to the outside. I think football would be better served with less rules...decrease the probability that the refs will misapply a rule to a situation that isn't called for. Since the intent is to keep offensive players from taking gratuitous kill shots on unsuspecting defenders, just leave it as 'unnecessary roughness' and leave it up the refs' discretion. I think both the NFL and NCAA are creating a paradox whereby having more specific rules just increases the subjectivity of the referee's calls.