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October 13, 2014Cleveland Browns Week 6 Winners and Losers
October 13, 2014Scott Brown of ESPN reported from the Steelers locker room that even after the game Cameron Heyward was none-too-pleased with the “dirty play” of the Browns on Sunday.
Defensive end Cameron Heyward didn’t hide his anger in the visiting locker room at FirstEnergy Field, and not just because the Steelers had been embarrassed by one of their archrivals. Heyward was still fuming at getting chop-blocked several times. Late in the fourth quarter, Heyward hurt his ankle and angrily pointed at Browns left tackle Joe Thomas several times as he walked off the field. Heyward did not sustain a significant injury, but that’s beside the point, the fourth-year veteran said. “It’s a dirty play,” Heyward said of chop-blocking. “We talk so much about safety. We don’t do a good job of keeping it safe for everybody. I think it’s cowardly thing, but if [the Browns are] going to coach it like that, that’s their call.”
Our friends over at Steelers Depot have the GIFs.
Steelers Depot also points out that this is not a new complaint for the Steelers. Nose tackle Steve McLendon accused the Browns of chop blocking illegally three times during Week 1.
There’s no doubt that it’s dangerous for an offensive lineman to go low in a blocking scheme. Anytime you are purposely making contact with a guy’s knees or lower leg, bad things can happen. It seems like Joe Thomas probably violated the rule in one form or another, if I’m being perfectly honest. If Heyward was engaged with another lineman, it would be illegal according to the rules.
CHOP BLOCK ON RUN (BY A LINEMAN)
(6) On a running play, A1, an offensive lineman, chops a defensive player after the defensive player has
been engaged by A2 (high or low), and the initial alignment of A2 is more than one position away from
A1. This rule applies only when the block occurs at a time when the flow of the play is clearly away
from A1.
And even if Heyward wasn’t engaged, Joe Thomas might have violated the new version of the rule because he blocked Heyward from a blind position. In order for it to be a legal “cut block” Thomas would have to square up the defender so he can see him coming.
Ed Bouchette from the Post Gazette…
It’s only legal if the “chop” comes from a lineman playing next to the one doing the initial blocking and not two men over. But the rule changed this year. Now, the “chop” blocker, to be legal, must get his head in front of the man he is blocking so the defender can see him and has a chance to defend himself.
We’ll see if the league has anything to say about it later this week. Even thought Thomas wasn’t penalized on the play, I am guessing the NFL has mechanism to fine him if they find his actions egregious.
26 Comments
James Harrison.
Suck it up, Steelers.
Enough said.
+1
The crybaby popped right up. If he was truly hurt he would have limped off or been carted off. I swear I hate them even more after beating them like rented mules.
Don’t forget Hines Ward. Voted dirtiest player by his peers.
Coming from the Steelers of all teams that’s hilarious.
Joesus drinks your delicious Steeler tears
The Italian national soccer team thinks the Steelers should stop whining.
Happy learned how to putt. Uh oh…
Steelers are the typical fat bully kid that finally gets punched back and then yells to his Mom. Hell, Pittsburgh and the Raiders developed dirty football.
I’m considering creating several new screen names so I can up-vote this some more.
Yet Roger “Butterfly Boy” Goodell will do nothing about it … until the Steelers start doing it. It is then that “Butterfly Boy” will take immediate action and Fine Steelers heavily!
He was a “hard hitter”. Those that felt his wrath termed him “dirty”. Get it right!
Sour grapes 🙂 There is no team that the league loves more than the Steelers.
The Steelers are so persecuted! 🙂
As a drinker I may have a new favorite whine, “The Sour Grapes of Steeler Wrath”.
I guess I’ll be the lone contrary voice: I sincerely hope players on my favorite team aren’t doing shat we would be up in arms about if it were happening to us. The fact that numerous Steelers’ players have been reviled by us for their at actions over the years does not make me want to join them in despicable behavior. I hope my guys are tough as nails but never as dirty as a Steeler.
full agreement. We’d be going nuts if that’s how Bryant was hurt. I haven’t heard that accusation leveled specifically at Thomas before, and wondering if he inadvertently crossed the line while trying to cover for Mack’s absence in a huge division game.
I’m not saying I want players to play dirty…just that the pot shouldn’t be calling the kettle black…
When they play like saints, they can take up the mantle for cleanliness in the NFL.
I get it. Two different things: Steelers are hypocrites. I hope Browns aren’t.
Blocking low has always been an issue with zone blocking schemes.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zone_blocking#Cut_blocking_controversies
The League (and NFLPA) has never done anything to outlaw it. The rules remain vague and enforcement is non-existence. Not sure any of that forgives what Thomas did as I’m not sure if Thomas did something illegal on that particular play. I’m also not sure if Thomas and the Browns o-line play dirtier than past zone blocking teams. Finally, I’m not sure of how less safe zone blocking
schemes really are for defenders. Anyway, I agree with you that we should be too proud of playing dirty, if that is what has happened here.
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it looks to me like Thomas fell or tripped. He seems way to far away from Hayward to execute a good chop block.
It’s not like he kicked a punter in the face for no reason.
Here. I made this.
He hit really hard. When people weren’t looking. That was his m.o. and what made him dirty, not “dirty.”
That’s the dumbest, yet funniest thing I have heard in awhile! No one ever has acussed him of that. They get their asses handed to them, and are done again for awhile, and this? I don’t care if he lops off lil Benny’s head. After all the things that Pinchedturd has done to the BROWNS? (Uh.. When was kicking people in the helmet, on a punt clean? James Harrison on C. McCoy?) Please.