Face masking penalties.

Just saw the article on best returners and they have a shot of Hester stiff-arming a guy with his fingers inside the facemask.


Got me wondering, how many other PF penalties have been called on Offensive players this year besides the key ones against Brown and Bell?

 

Actually just saw one tonight in the 1st qtr of the Thurs. nite game.
Funny, because the announcer had to backtrack after he first said it was a great stiff-arm, before the flag was thrown.
I`m not sure if they changed the rule, or just made it a "point of emphasis", this year, or last, but, honestly, I think it`s LONG OVERDUE!!!
It`s been one of my biggest gripes, to watch a rb/receiver, just latch onto a defender`s facemask, penalty-free, while a defender gets 15 yards for pretty much touching a facemask, even unitntentionally, esp when they got rid of the 5 yd version of the penalty.
Anything that helps the defense is a good thing, in my book, at this point, after all the protection the offenses have gotten.
Although, I`m still not sure I like the rule about the rb not being allowed to use his head as a battering ram.
Good, in theory, but it is instinct, to lower their head, to protect themselves at impact, kinda too subjective to call, in a lot of cases, except the most extremely blatant.
GO STEELERS!

 

I don't watch every NFL game but I'm willing to bet that there are FM penalties called on other offensive players.

 

Now that you mention it, has anyone seen that new 'battering ram' rule enforced this year? I've missed a couple of the Steelers games this year, but I haven't seen it in ANY game.... which is just fine if you ask me.

 

I was just asking if anyone had seen it more this year in other games. I haven't seen it in games I've watched.

 

I thinking there must've be some conversation about enforcing it more strictly this season. As far as I know as long as you weren't wrenching the guy's head around you were fine as an offensive player.

I think both of them called this year were BS, especially the one on Bell.

 

ask DWYER if he has

 

The call on Bell was iffy, I thought it was a fairly clean stiff arm..

 

At least they decided it wasn't a fine worthy offense.

 

Defenses are getting wise to the rule shifts. Defenders know to flick their heads if the runner's hands are going near their facemask, and that draws a penalty.

That said, there's no excuse for the runner to have a hold of the defender's mask in a stiff arm. But defences are certainly wising up to how to get the flag thrown.

 

am I wrong and not remembering correctly that Dwyer got a fine but not a penalty for using his helmet in a long run down field?
I could of swore it was his first game back ,a 12 yd run or so open field and he lowered his head into a dback , it drew the attention of the announcers but no flag but then a fine later.
I was thinking
shoot he doesn't make the money anymore but got hit with a big fine.

 

Bears game $21K for leading with crown of helmet, no flag

 

Interesting angle, I hadn't thought of that. Speaking of embellishment - Luck had a good dive against Denver the other day, drew the flag. With all the new rules I wonder if the NFL will need to start flagging for that as well

 

thank you.
that's the only one I've heard of in the entire nfl
and of course
it's against
MY STEELERS

GUCKING FOODELL

 

They're going to have to. Once Defenders start throwing the head around drawing flags, you got to put a stop to it. Flopping is flopping. (Unless it's a punter)