More directly, the fans pay to see the star QB, not the cheap-shotting backup linebacker.
Or just down at the spot.
Quarterbacks dont have special protection when actually runners. Running backs, wide receivers, or even the trick lineman can all give themselves up by sliding feet first and receive the same protection. Quarterbacks just use it more often given the impact they have on the game outside of running.
The fake fair catch (technically invalid fair catch signal) is a 5-yard penalty and dead ball.
Absolutely not. It must be a penalty. Anything short of that creates an incentive to try it. If the ball is just down, then QBs have nothing to lose by trying it often and can benefit when a given Ref misses the call.
I think he may be referring to a “fake fair catch” play that occurred in a college game early this season. The returner never made a fair catch signal; the “fake” was that he caught the ball nonchalantly, and stood there for a full second or so after catching it, which led the coverage men to apparently assume that it had been a fair catch (and that they had not seen the signal).
Once the coverage men relaxed and began to leave the field, the returner then began to run, and scored a TD on the play.
Trickery is part of football. Hence fake handoffs or pump fakes. What gets people riled up is when rules intended to enforce safety are exploited by the people those rules are meant to protect. Imagine a QB who always lowers his head when he recognizes an incoming sack, to force the defender to touch the helmet and draw a “roughing the passer” penalty. A loss of down and yards is magically turned into a 15 yard gain an new set of downs.
The “make football safer” movement is already a sensitive subject for those who feel that the game is losing its appeal when players are limited in how physical they can be. Now those problems are exacerbated by folks taking advantage of them. Cheating and getting away with it.
Watching TNF, it’s hard to believe the Jaguars were almost in the Super Bowl last year.
The Pack is doing a little better than last week [conspiracy theory]they lost last week on purpose, and now are actually trying[/conspiracy theory]
Brian
Well, somebody sure woke up Clay Matthews today.
My personal conspiracy theory is that the Falcons suck.
Holy shit, Miami is behind the whole game, has like 80 yards to go with a few seconds on the clock, and actually pulls off a successful play with laterals after the clock hit 0 and won.
Just watched the play on the NFL website. Wow!
Couldn’t have happened to a nicer team. A New England loss is always fun, and when it happens like this it’s especially gratifying.
On a Fantasy note, I have the New England Defense, and I was very happy that there was no need for the Dolphins to kick the PAT, because that would have taken them to 35 and cost me 5 points.
Saints finally pulled it together after a terrible game last week and a terrible first half this week. And they clinch the NFC South – the first time they’ve had back-to-back division crowns.
Why was Gronk playing safety on that miracle play? Were they worried about a hail mary from the 31 yard line?
Chiefs 1# seed!
One word: Fu-u-u-c-k-k!!!
Colts won; Browns won; Patriots lost.
“Oh, what a day! What a lovely day!”
The refs are acting like Jerry Jones bribed them in Dallas.
And the Raiders. Nothing is more satisfying than to see the Steelers choke on their own steeliness.
What a day! Cowboys, Dolphins, Browns, Raiders, Giants and Chiefs all win.
My team went from 4-1 to utter garbage seemingly in the blink of an eye.