Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

Tom Brady tells Ravens to learn the rule book
Josh Sanchez
Jan 12th 2015 9:53AM
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady had some words of advice for the Baltimore Ravens following this weekend's game: "Study the rule book."
During Saturday's divisional round playoff matchup between the New England Patriots and Baltimore Ravens, Tom Brady drove the Patriots down the field from a formation that included just four offensive linemen.

http://www.aol.com/article/2015/01/12/t ... d%3D597237

It was clever and I don't think any rule changes need be made. I have always thought it was pretty lame that they have to announce when a lineman is an eligible receiver, anyway. Let the defense figure it out. Why the need to tell anyone. Obviously a team should tell the ref so he knows, but the other team....why should they be told? Is there any reason having to do with injury, or did the NFL not like the occasional trick play?

luckyshow wrote:It was clever and I don't think any rule changes need be made. I have always thought it was pretty lame that they have to announce when a lineman is an eligible receiver, anyway. Let the defense figure it out. Why the need to tell anyone. Obviously a team should tell the ref so he knows, but the other team....why should they be told? Is there any reason having to do with injury, or did the NFL not like the occasional trick play?

Unfair advantage is the only reason. The defense may not be able to simply figure out who is eligible based on the formation (as was the case in the NE game).

Byron wrote:

luckyshow wrote:It was clever and I don't think any rule changes need be made. I have always thought it was pretty lame that they have to announce when a lineman is an eligible receiver, anyway. Let the defense figure it out. Why the need to tell anyone. Obviously a team should tell the ref so he knows, but the other team....why should they be told? Is there any reason having to do with injury, or did the NFL not like the occasional trick play?

Unfair advantage is the only reason. The defense may not be able to simply figure out who is eligible based on the formation (as was the case in the NE game).

The formation always tells the story. If a player is not at one end of the line and is not a yard behind the line of the scrimmage, he's not eligible.

rhickok1109 wrote:

Byron wrote:

luckyshow wrote:It was clever and I don't think any rule changes need be made. I have always thought it was pretty lame that they have to announce when a lineman is an eligible receiver, anyway. Let the defense figure it out. Why the need to tell anyone. Obviously a team should tell the ref so he knows, but the other team....why should they be told? Is there any reason having to do with injury, or did the NFL not like the occasional trick play?

Unfair advantage is the only reason. The defense may not be able to simply figure out who is eligible based on the formation (as was the case in the NE game).

The formation always tells the story. If a player is not at one end of the line and is not a yard behind the line of the scrimmage, he's not eligible.

I don't actually think its so easy, in this day and age they let linemen get away with what I was taught was illegal formation constantly by having tackles and even guards line up a yard behind the center. This complicates the identification of a legal receiver. This is, along with the total non-enforcement of an offensive player pushing a ball carrier, my biggest pet peeve ignored rule in recent years.

rhickok1109 wrote:The formation always tells the story.

Yup. Watching the game I noticed it instantly - though I always look at formations - so I haven't 'got' all the complaints and confusion over the past few days? It's still being talked about today on NFL Network! Football fans - fans of the sport, not those that like just one level - would see similar formations and such at the HS and college levels much more frequently, so not like it's new or anything, though I love that NE lined up like that.

I do agree with Webster about the OL, that's an annoyance for me. Not just because it's an illegal formation, but I also don't like the aesthetics of it. One of the great pictures of football is a crisp OL alignment. It's sloppy now.

NWebster » Tue Jan 13, 2015 8:43 pm
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luckyshow wrote:
It was clever and I don't think any rule changes need be made. I have always thought it was pretty lame that they have to announce when a lineman is an eligible receiver, anyway. Let the defense figure it out. Why the need to tell anyone. Obviously a team should tell the ref so he knows, but the other team....why should they be told? Is there any reason having to do with injury, or did the NFL not like the occasional trick play?
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Byron wrote:
Unfair advantage is the only reason. The defense may not be able to simply figure out who is eligible based on the formation (as was the case in the NE game).
---
rhickok1109 wrote:
The formation always tells the story. If a player is not at one end of the line and is not a yard behind the line of the scrimmage, he's not eligible.
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"I don't actually think its so easy, in this day and age they let linemen get away with what I was taught was illegal formation constantly by having tackles and even guards line up a yard behind the center. This complicates the identification of a legal receiver. This is, along with the total non-enforcement of an offensive player pushing a ball carrier, my biggest pet peeve ignored rule in recent years."


A lot of people remember a lot of different things about a lot of different games.
There is a thread focusing on the Ice Bowl.
Among my more vivid recollections of that game is of Chuck Mercein with his "hands up" - NOT to signal Touchdown but to let the officials see he was NOT aiding the runner, Bart Starr.
Just another brainy Ivy-Leaguer...

luckyshow wrote:I have always thought it was pretty lame that they have to announce when a lineman is an eligible receiver, anyway. Let the defense figure it out. Why the need to tell anyone. Obviously a team should tell the ref so he knows, but the other team....why should they be told? Is there any reason having to do with injury, or did the NFL not like the occasional trick play?

The 'reporting' is about a players uniform number.

NWebster wrote: I don't actually think its so easy, in this day and age they let linemen get away with what I was taught was illegal formation constantly by having tackles and even guards line up a yard behind the center. This complicates the identification of a legal receiver. This is, along with the total non-enforcement of an offensive player pushing a ball carrier, my biggest pet peeve ignored rule in recent years.

Pushing the ball carrier is against NCAA rules but it is not against NFL rules. It is against NFL rules to pull the runner.

NWebster wrote:I don't actually think its so easy, in this day and age they let linemen get away with what I was taught was illegal formation constantly by having tackles and even guards line up a yard behind the center. This complicates the identification of a legal receiver.

Very true. I have no doubt that they wouldn't have allowed the linemen to do that back in the 1960s or '70s. What used to be a nice straight line now looks like a mild version of the flying wedge.