08-24-2015, 09:43 AM
I haven't been on the message board in a while, but when I saw the play/penalty/aftermath, I wanted to see if and how this was being brought up.
On the old boards, we had this discussion when Suggs hit Dalton low on a read-option play and Hue Jackson wanted to submit the tape to the league. Someone was adamant that it was an illegal play, despite the rules/evidence to the contrary. The play isn't illegal, and I don't find it particularly dirty in either case. The QB isn't protected as a passer. Roughing the passer can't happen on a run play. In a read-option posture, the QB isn't protected as he would be on a normal running play. There isn't an all-encompassing rule that says you can't hit quarterbacks around the knees.
On the old discussion, I posted a few pictures of hand-offs and posturing on different run plays. When the QB-RB exchange happens and the QB has two hands on the ball, in a option posture, he's going to get hit. That's assignment football, and well within the rules. If the QB hands the ball off with one hand on the ball, he's not declaring himself a runner, and unless he bootlegs (opening up the passing option) he's protected as he's no longer a part of the play.
It's interesting that initially (since it was flagged incorrectly) everyone is quick to jump on Suggs, to point out the penalty. Now that the dust has settled and analysts/talking heads/former refs are all in agreement that it shouldn't have been a penalty, the outrage just brings to light how many people don't know the rules/game.
On the old boards, we had this discussion when Suggs hit Dalton low on a read-option play and Hue Jackson wanted to submit the tape to the league. Someone was adamant that it was an illegal play, despite the rules/evidence to the contrary. The play isn't illegal, and I don't find it particularly dirty in either case. The QB isn't protected as a passer. Roughing the passer can't happen on a run play. In a read-option posture, the QB isn't protected as he would be on a normal running play. There isn't an all-encompassing rule that says you can't hit quarterbacks around the knees.
On the old discussion, I posted a few pictures of hand-offs and posturing on different run plays. When the QB-RB exchange happens and the QB has two hands on the ball, in a option posture, he's going to get hit. That's assignment football, and well within the rules. If the QB hands the ball off with one hand on the ball, he's not declaring himself a runner, and unless he bootlegs (opening up the passing option) he's protected as he's no longer a part of the play.
It's interesting that initially (since it was flagged incorrectly) everyone is quick to jump on Suggs, to point out the penalty. Now that the dust has settled and analysts/talking heads/former refs are all in agreement that it shouldn't have been a penalty, the outrage just brings to light how many people don't know the rules/game.
![[Image: HZgos1.png]](https://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/617x366q90/904/HZgos1.png)
