12/21/24
October 22, 2013
Jets Told Refs to Look for Patriots' Push: Before the "push" penalty was called in overtime Sunday to give the New York Jets 15 yards and a second chance to kick a game-winning field goal over the New England Patriots, people on the Jets' sideline told the referees to look out for the Patriots using the illegal technique. This was the first time the new penalty has been called: "Team B players cannot push teammates on the line of scrimmage into the offensive formation."
Does this really provide safety improvements?
Apparently the rule was requested by players, so I'm guessing it does. And I noticed the following in the ESPN Boston's weekly chat with Tedy Bruschi:
"When I got behind Richard Seymour and put both of my hands on him and pushed at the snap, we would absolutely obliberate offensive linemen. It would get the point when I couldn't push any more and I would take my right shoulder and fire into the middle of Seymour's back. Nine times out of 10, there was a mass of humanity on the ground. I thought it was cool. I was always the one still standing getting to witness it. But I can just imagine what those offensive linemen felt each time. We used to crush those guys."My only complaint with enforcing the rule is the Jets did the same thing earlier in the game; why not notice it then?
posted by yerfatma at 01:22 PM on October 22, 2013
Like all things involving the Patriots, it is getting blown out of proportion by their critics
More like it's getting blown out of proportion by the Patriots and fans thereof. They committed a penalty, the penalty was called, end of story.
posted by cixelsyd at 01:24 PM on October 22, 2013
I understand the safety aspect but, as I also posted after the article, it's the providing of assistance to a teammate. You can double-team, side-by-side, just not one behind the other.
I see this as the same as providing leverage (player behind uses a teammate to gain height).
posted by jjzucal at 01:24 PM on October 22, 2013
I don't mind the rule but if the first time you call it essentially decides a game then the enforcement needs to be scrutinized.
posted by tron7 at 04:03 PM on October 22, 2013
Maybe it's an enforcement (of sorts) for stopping any versions of the "flying wedge".
posted by grum@work at 04:18 PM on October 22, 2013
As a Patriots fan, I don't have an issue with the rule enforcement or the Jets trying to use rules to their advantage to win the game. If the Patriots had controlled the game like they should have, it would have been a non-issue.
The Patriots have gotten lucky this season, and I love to see them win, but they're not nearly as strong a team as their record suggests. No doubt Brady and Belochik will squeeze out a few more improbable victories this season and they'll probably even make it to the playoffs, but I have a hard time seeing them even winning a playoff game this year.
Prove me wrong, Patriots! I'll be cheering for you either way!
posted by Joey Michaels at 05:38 PM on October 22, 2013
I feel like the Patriots losing that way was balancing the scales after the improbability of the way they beat the Saints.
One of the most amazing storylines to me this season is the Patriots winning with that ragtag receiving corps.
posted by rcade at 05:55 PM on October 22, 2013
they're not nearly as strong a team as their record suggests One of the most amazing storylines to me this season is the Patriots winning with that ragtag receiving corps
This season has been a constant example of why the Patriots have been so successful under Belichick. In no way am I discounting Tom Brady, but I feel like Belichick squeezes out one or two wins each year based on coaching. Strangely, the two best examples this year are the two losses: Rex Ryan is a terrific scheme/ Xs & Os coach, but his gameday management and his team's complete lack of discipline kept the Pats in that game. If Marvin Lewis could coach his way out of a paper bag, the Pats would have lost by 100 to Cincinnati. Even the Saints, who have a very good coach, helped the Patriots out to a great extent. If Rex Ryan or Mike Smith had half a damn clue during games, the Pats would be 3-4.
Now if Brady could pull his head out of his ass this year or if Belichick the GM could stop trying to amaze everyone by being the ultimate contrarian, they might actually be decent (right up until Wilfork and Mayo were knocked out for the year).
posted by yerfatma at 06:19 PM on October 22, 2013
Or if they could just go back to stealing signals.
posted by Hugh Janus at 09:30 PM on October 22, 2013
I haven't heard this much talk about coaching and pushing since I was in a Lamaze class.
posted by beaverboard at 10:18 PM on October 22, 2013
Or if they could just go back to stealing signals.
Who says they've stopped?
posted by yerfatma at 08:43 AM on October 23, 2013
That was just great scouting and heads up coaching by the Jets. And as a life long Raider fan I'm not really hurting for "The Hoodie."
posted by bo_fan at 08:50 AM on October 23, 2013
If Marvin Lewis could coach his way out of a paper bag, the Pats would have lost by 100 to Cincinnati.
Amen, brother.
posted by tahoemoj at 11:34 AM on October 23, 2013
They committed a penalty, the penalty was called, end of story.
Yup, just a routine, never-before-called penalty that resulted in an overtime defeat. Can't imagine why anyone would want to discuss that.
posted by Rock Steady at 12:43 PM on October 23, 2013
Kind of reminds me of January 19, 2002.
posted by steelergirl at 04:37 PM on October 23, 2013
A couple things I think about this:
1. It's OK for a team to alert the refs about potential infractions that the other team is prone to.
2. The Patriots violated the rule.
3. The Patriots did not think this was against the rules. It sounds like Belichick thought it had something to do with second level defenders pushing first level defenders.
4. Does this really provide safety improvements?
5. If so, shouldn't it be the rule on all plays, not just FG attempts?
6. Like all things involving the Patriots, it is getting blown out of proportion by their critics.