When And When Not To Pull Up
November 21st, 2013
Bucs defensive end Adrian Clayborn wasn’t always able to drill Matty Ice last week.
Joe is sure most Bucs fans have seen the great NFL Films clip of Gerald McCoy mic’ed up against Atlanta. In the video, GMC along with Adrian Clayborn both pulled up on Matty Ice when each mistakenly thought Matty Ice had thrown a pass.
Matty Ice pulled away from GMC’s grasp and escaped. Both GMC and Clayborn didn’t realize this until it was too late.
GMC was upset because that would-be sack would have given him a franchise record four for a game. You can hear GMC say, “Not even 99 had four,” clearly referring to Hall of Famer Warren Sapp.
Joe knows why the duo didn’t bring Ryan down. With the NFL players protecting NFL quarterbacks like a bottle of nitroglycerin, defenders have become conditioned to, when in doubt, not even breathe on a quarterback.
That was exactly the case with Clayborn and GMC.
“Me, just getting a penalty I guess like two series before that, I was kind of hesitant about hitting him too hard so I kind of pulled up a little bit,” Clayborn said of the non-Matty Ice sack. “It is a lesson to itself. Whatever you do, keep it legal but still try to make the play. It is hard, but we have to play within NFL rules that are [in effect] these days.
“It is a split second decision how to gauge if he is going to move and whether to hit him high or him low. We are still working on it, obviously.
“I promise next time I will not hold up. I’m not missing a sack like that again.”
Fortunately for the Bucs, the game was already in hand by that time and Matty Ice escaping meant little to the outcome of the game. But what if the game was close or even tied? And by escaping Matty Ice was able to make a play to keep a drive alive for a winning score?
This nonsense of babying quarterbacks beyond reason could — if it hasn’t happened yet — decide outcomes of games.
November 21st, 2013 at 5:58 pm
According to Forbes, Fantasy Football generates up to $70 BILLION a year. They say theyre protecting their QBs and skill position players for health reasons, and that might be part of it, but I have a gut feeling that FF has everything to do with these rule changes. Just a thougt.
November 21st, 2013 at 6:02 pm
The QB position needs upgraded protection, maybe a high tech plastic bubble with a head stabilizer.
November 21st, 2013 at 6:07 pm
@ Joe
To be honest turns my stomach Joe. How in the hell can you call ANY of these freaking QB’s, WR’s, and TE’s GREAT now days, when you can’t even touch’em.
Sad thing is that I’ve watched Drew since his days at Purdue, thought he was a helluva young man. But ever since that damn bounty gate incident, everything that’s comes out of his mouth; has been DEPLORABLE.
November 21st, 2013 at 6:33 pm
It absolutely is “beyond reason”. Perfect choice of words.
I think that’s what drives me insane, it is ridiculous.
I heard Dungy today on TV talking about protecting the offensive players and the reasons for today’s rules. He also talked about protecting the defensive players and how there aren’t rules to protect them, to me this is nothing but hypocrisy. About. It is all about protecting the NFL’s wallets and scoring more points to bring more viewer$ .
$$MONEY$$
November 21st, 2013 at 6:34 pm
If it hasn’t happened yet? It happened against the Saints. AC hit Brees in the shoulder pad. As Brees was falling, AC’s helmet brushed Brees’ and it was a game-breaking penalty. There was a fumble on the play and McCoy recovered. Clayborn appealed, No fine iirc. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gGWdWVOgeuQ
November 21st, 2013 at 6:40 pm
This sounds like snark but I’m being serious. I remember that play and I was hacked.
They are GOING TO PROTECT THE Q.B’s. And so if they wish to do it fairly they have to give the defense a chance. Let’s just be honest about it. Put a belt with the flags used in flag football. A d lineman gets the flag the play is over. That would have prevented this particular play and others where guys pull up and the Q.B. still keeps on going.
Yes Levonte David made a mistake against the Jets but am I the only one who has watched a Q.B. look as if he’s running for the sidelines and then tiptoe for another ten yards?
November 21st, 2013 at 6:53 pm
Yep that play killed us.. Probably cost us the game and then to have Bree’s talk about how dirty someone on our D might be, he has lost a lot of my respect lately. He seems like a cry baby bizch.
November 21st, 2013 at 7:10 pm
Let’s just install mini air bags in the QBs helmet and uniform….that way we can smack them like a test drive dummy….
Actually, the way this is headed….a team can’t any longer count on building a championship with defense….the defense can’t defend.
November 21st, 2013 at 8:48 pm
Just put flags on ’em already. Better than watching players get flagged and fined for hits that were legal about 4 years ago.
November 21st, 2013 at 8:55 pm
Bucs v Saints, 49ers v Saints it has decided games!!!
November 21st, 2013 at 9:02 pm
@ Upgrayedd, love the name ( brought to you by Carl’s Jr.)
November 22nd, 2013 at 7:07 am
It would be one thing if it were consistent across the board but nobody knows what’s going to nee flagged from week to week. Brees gets a flag for a guy tackling him around the neck last week and then no flag for the same tackle on Ryan last night against the saints. It’s like they’re just making it up as they go. Or they’re throwing flags based not on rules but on how hard the hit was