Report: Rule banning leaping FG blocks expected to pass

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

Sorry, Shea McClellin. Your signature move soon will be illegal.

The NFL owners are expected to pass a rule Tuesday banning players from leaping over the offensive line to block field goals and extra points, a source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

McClellin employed that tactic twice for the New England Patriots this past season, successfully blocking a field goal against the Baltimore Ravens and batting away an Atlanta Falcons extra point in Super Bowl LI but drawing a dubious penalty in the process. Jamie Collins, Kam Chancellor and Bobby Wagner also have used the move in the past.

It’s an exhilarating play but, some around the league have argued, also a dangerous one, both for the leaper and for the players who are being hurdled. The Philadelphia Eagles proposed the rule change ahead of this year’s NFL Annual Meeting.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nfl/report-rule-banning-leaping-fg-blocks-expected-to-pass/ar-BByY4Pj?li=BBnba9I

[atreides1]

1. Why even bother anymore?

Before you know it, the players are going to be issued 'stress cards' to be used when they don't want a certain play to go forward!

[JonLP24]

2. It was a penalty if you landed on the center but merely grazing wasn't enough to draw a flag

I always hated that distinction because if the snap count was timed perfectly the center is usually still bent over which I felt could lead to scenarios where the center snaps up quickly in an attempt to trip the leaper in order to draw the flag.

[ProfessorGAC]

3. Don't Agree Jon

It is a terrifically athletic move by the leaper and the risk is understood. If it's important enough and the guy thinks he can do it, i think it's silly to ban it as long as he isn't actually using the bent over lineman as a vaulting horse. That is clearly unfair, makes it dangerous for the other guy, and makes getting high enough to touch the ball a slamdunk

But simply leaping over a large man, because of speed, athleticism, and great timing doesn't seem to me to be something they should eliminate.

[JonLP24]

4. I think it would be dangerous when teams would try to defend that or draw the flag

Because even if they grazed the center it wasn't enough to draw a flag they had to land on them in order to draw the flag.

[hughee99]

5. I agree. The only real defense for this is to intentionally put the center or guard in harm's way.

As far as I know, so far, there hasn't been any injuries from this, but that would seem to be the only real way to defend this is to either have the center leap or drop back and get landed on.

[ProfessorGAC]

6. I Get What You Guys Are Saying

I just don't like legislating athleticism out of sports. And, just remember that the easiest way to defend it is to use the snap count like a QB does. Don't be so predictable and no matter how athletic a guy is, he can't time it right.

I think that play only works because the snap cadence on kicks is so reliable that after a couple views, the fast guys can predict it. If a guy is offsides once or twice and creates a first down that turns a FG drive into a TD drive, they'll quit doing it.