Saints LB Jonathan Vilma said Jets QB Mark Sanchez hit him with a "dirty block" during New Orleans' 24-10 win on Sunday. After throwing an interception to New Orleans safety Darren Sharper, Sanchez dove at Vilma's legs during Sharper's 99-yard return for a touchdown. Officials flagged Sanchez for a personal foul. "He got my knees," Vilma said, via the New York Daily News. "Thank God, I didn't get hurt. I hope he gets fined for it, like Brett Favre in the preseason." Source: USA Today
Part of the game. Smaller guys usually go low to avoid the contact as opposed to trying to hurt someone. Liked it better when the players used to settle it on the field than in the press.
'smaller guys usually go low'= makes sense 'they go low to avoid the contact as opposed to trying to hurt someone' = makes no sense --- how could rolling your entire body weight into someone's knees as they are running be any MORE dangerous to the other player? That's why I asked for an explanation.
That was pointless block anyway. He was the last guy to beat on the field and the was no one else there to make a tackle.
"= makes no sense" to you perhaps if you're taking Vilma's perception. If you're taking the side of a smaller player, the contact from going low is greatly reduced than trying to hit someone high. If you read it in context, my point was simply that I don't believe Sanchez was trying to hurt Vilma by going low regardless of the risk to Vilma's knees. It's a bang bang play, not a premeditated dirty move IMO. As an off hand example, there was a crack back call in the Bear game against Rashied Davis, a WR, for going low against a DE, can't remember the name, but, while being a bad call since Davis's helmet was in front of the DE, it was simply a case of a smaller playing not wanting the contact up high against a player far bigger than him, not an intent of playing 'dirty'. Just reacting to the "dirty" term...
I didn't think it was all that bad really. It is against the NFL rules, and he got the penalty. Nothing more to see here IMO.
qb's should try and make a td saving tackle, not go after the mlb's knees. really the guy should have jogged off the feild instead of trying to be super mark sanchez
There was no reason for Sanchez to go low. He was still a good 4 yards from Sharper and had no chance of making the play.
exactly. and i think everyone defending Sanchez is ignoring the fact that Sanchez was actually the defender in that situation. If he actually wanted to be in on the play, he shouldn't have been 'blocking' (if that's what we're calling it), he should have been AVOIDING the block by Vilma and moving towards the ball carrier. He flat out rolled into Vilma's knees on purpose.
Ironic, this coming the same week as the whole Brady thing. QB's are part of the game. They're one of the 11 players on the team, and should be treated equally. If a quarterback completes a quick pass to a receiver, is the defender allowed to block the quarterback to the ground? I mean, if the pass is already caught. Any two offensive and defensive players can engage in blocking when a player is trying to advance with the football, right? If not, I think that maybe it should be like that. You have these 250, 260 pound guys in the league who are playing quarterback, why not teach them to block?
It wasn't that bad, but the QB's always get called for this penalty...and Sanchez was called for it in the game...
