This hit is illegal? Foster v Ocho

[pr_capone]

I may be wrong but it looks like Foster lit him up square in the chest well after Ocho had caught the ball.

I understand protecting a WR with this defenseless receiver rule but this looks clean. Does the NFL expect defenders to concede the catch? If so, prepare for the NFL equivalent of a soccer flop, basketball's jumping into the defender to draw a foul, and baseball's acting as if hit by pitch.

/not my own video

[-King-]

Originally Posted by kysirsoze

OK. The point is it was an illegal hit. You can disapprove of that, but it's a fact. He clearly falls under the definition of a "defenseless receiver". What more do you need?

What does a defender do in that situation? Let him catch it?

The point of being a DB is to dislodge the ball. As long as he doesn't hit the WR before the WR touches the ball, he's good in my book.

I seriously don't understand what a defender is supposed to do. Wait until the ref and the WR give him a thumbs up before hitting him?

If you make contact with the ball, you no longer fall under the defenseless category IMO. If you do, then there's no point in DBs even trying to defend balls anymore.

[|Zach|]

Originally Posted by Bump

whether it was a clean hit or not, any hard hit is going to be fined nowadays

That simply isn't true.

[|Zach|]

Originally Posted by Kraus

Looked clean to me. He was trying to separate the ball from the receiver. No malicious intent behind it.

Doesn't make it not illegal.

[Just Passin' By]

Originally Posted by -King-

What does a defender do in that situation? Let him catch it?

The point of being a DB is to dislodge the ball. As long as he doesn't hit the WR before the WR touches the ball, he's good in my book.

I seriously don't understand what a defender is supposed to do. Wait until the ref and the WR give him a thumbs up before hitting him?

If you make contact with the ball, you no longer fall under the defenseless category IMO. If you do, then there's no point in DBs even trying to defend balls anymore.

“Defenseless” has formally been defined for 2011 and eight categories of “defenseless” players have been created: 1.) a player in the act of throwing a pass. 2.) a receiver attempting to catch a pass who has not clearly become a runner. 3.) a runner in the grasp whose forward progress has been stopped. 4.) a returner attempting to field a kick in the air. 5.) a player on the ground at the end of a play. 6.) a kicker or punter during the kick or during the return. 7.) a quarterback at any time after a change of possession. 8.) a player who receives a blindside block when the blocker is moving toward his own end line and approaches the opponent from behind or from the side (peel-back block).

http://www.packers.com/news-and-even...mpaign=t110806

[-King-]

2.) a receiver attempting to catch a pass who has not clearly become a runner.

So a DB has to wait until a WR becomes a runner? WTF?

[|Zach|]

I am surprised people are talking about absolutely everything about this play except what made it illegal.

What the part of the body the defender used to make the contact and the part of the body of the WR that received the contact.

The intent...the ball...it being touched or not...none of that is why a flag was thrown.

[|Zach|]

Originally Posted by -King-

So a DB has to wait until a WR becomes a runner? WTF?

You are confused.

[-King-]

Originally Posted by |Zach|

You are confused.

Explain.

[Just Passin' By]

Here's an NFL video which lays it out:

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-videos...ts-of-emphasis

[|Zach|]

Originally Posted by -King-

Explain.

If he leads with his shoulder it isn't a flag.

[Just Passin' By]

Originally Posted by -King-

Explain.

Head shots against defenseless players are illegal.

[|Zach|]

Originally Posted by Just Passin' By

Here's an NFL video which lays it out:

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-videos...ts-of-emphasis

3:20 is a perfect example. It isn't illegal to get a nice hit on a WR.

[MagicHef]

Originally Posted by -King-

Explain.

There are 3 things that need to be true for the hit to be illegal.

1) The player being hit must be "defenseless."

2) Contact must be made with the defenseless player's head or neck.

3) Contact must be made with the hitter's head or arm.

If any of those things are not true, the hit is legal.

[|Zach|]

Originally Posted by MagicHef

There are 3 things that need to be true for the hit to be illegal.

1) The player being hit must be "defenseless."

2) Contact must be made with the defenseless player's head or neck.

3) Contact must be made with the hitter's head or arm.

If any of those things are not true, the hit is legal.

This is a great way of putting it.

[Just Passin' By]

Originally Posted by |Zach|

If he leads with his shoulder it isn't a flag.

Defenseless players cannot be hit in the head or neck area with the helmet, facemask, forearm or shoulder.

http://nflfootballnow.com/2011/05/25...-changes-2011/