APThe NFL Competition Committee will ask the owners at next week’s league meeting to change league rules so that offensive players aren’t allowed to block defensive players from behind inside the tackle box. We want to know what PFT Planet thinks.
Rams coach Jeff Fisher, a member of the Competition Committee, explained that the rule change would make the ban on peeling back to block low consistent everywhere on the field.
“Currently, we allow offensive players to block back towards their end line low in the tackle box,” Fisher said. “It is a foul if they are outside the tackle box and they block low. We refer to it as the ‘peel back’ block. This proposal will make it a foul if they block low even if they are in the tackle box. Basically to simplify things, it is no longer permissible to block low in the peel backs any place on the field.”
Is this proposed rules change a positive step toward keeping defensive players’ knees safe? Or is it an unnecessary restriction on the way offensive linemen can block? Take our poll and post your thoughts in the comments.
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I just think their needs to be some fairness so that defensive players are protected to the same degree as offensive players.
Ban them, blocking low on the legs from behind is wrong.
Arian Foster’s rushing yards will be cut in half. Lol
Why would any idiot think that blocking people low from behind is okay?
if “safety” really is their number 1 concern then yes this is well iverdue
If its a block from behind, go high. No need to take out a dude’s knees. Just knock him down with a shove to the back.
Ban everything. Ban football. Ban logicalvoices.
But in all seriousness, this looks to the right call. I’m totally against the proposal to ban offensive players leading with their head as I feel it’ll expose RB’s to potential injury and restrict their effectiveness, but I’m on board with banning low blocks from behind.
Messed up me lnee in HS because a fat kid dove at the back of my leg.
Ban these blocks,
Ban fat kids.
The beginning of the PR campaign by Baby John Mara and his minion Goodell to ban the zone blocking scheme used by Shanahan to post the NFL’s highest rushing total. Baby John has successfully crippled the Redskins (and damaged the Cowboys) by his colllusion-based cap penalties. Now he will go after the schemes of his division rivals in the name of “competitive balance” or “player safety” – I mean, who can be against those things, right?
Ban blocks from behind? YES!
Going for the head is one thing, going for the knees is another. But blocking low from behind is absolute bush league.
I think defensive players need to also be protected as well from these cheap shots (especially off turnovers, from players who don’t normally tackle — QBs especially)
All this talk about “tackle box” makes me want to go fishing. And it’s even coming from a guy named Jeff Fischer!
According to HOF coach Don Shula, if you ban blocks from behind in the box, nobody will be able to run the ball.
You have to. You can’t change all of the rules to only benefit the offense. it needs to be fair and safe for everyone.
Another bad idea…The NFL needs to knock it off with these “judgement” calls. You just know the officials will be over calling this penalty and three times a game you’ll see someone flagged from blocking from the side or just outside the tackle box because the official thought he saw something he didn’t.
How about getting rid of some of these penalties and making the officials job easier?