A Hater's Take

[Tony Oday]

So does Kuhn get a half TD for the Cobb catch?

[RashanGary]

Well said. Cobb has a long way to go before he's on par with Jennings as a wide out, but as a runner, I agree. He breaks tackles better. Jennings is a special WR though. Hard to imagine Cobb being as dominant pre catch as Jennings is.

[KYPack]

That play should have been called back. They don't call this much anymore, but it's illegal to assist the runner. Kuhn caught him and then gave him a tiny shove forward. Can't do that. Good, it's about time we got a call.

Jarius Wynn had a great game. Played tough, aggressive ball and was always in position. He looked like a different guy. 3 tackles and an assist, one tackle for a loss. We needed somebody to come out of the shadows, looks like Wynn is one of those risers.

[SkinBasket]

Played tough, aggressive ball and was always in position. He looked like a different guy. 3 tackles and an assist, one tackle for a loss. We needed somebody to come out of the shadows, looks like Wynn is one of those risers.

More of a floater than a riser, but we'll see.

[channtheman]

That play should have been called back. They don't call this much anymore, but it's illegal to assist the runner. Kuhn caught him and then gave him a tiny shove forward. Can't do that. Good, it's about time we got a call.

Jarius Wynn had a great game. Played tough, aggressive ball and was always in position. He looked like a different guy. 3 tackles and an assist, one tackle for a loss. We needed somebody to come out of the shadows, looks like Wynn is one of those risers.

I was wondering about this. Thanks for the clarification.

[smuggler]

if it wasn't for that horrible call we would be calling hawks play at the end of the game an early candidate for play of the year. that was just insane

Even considering the fact that he was flagged for it, that was a game saving play. Sproles makes the catch if not for that sweet aerial swat. As it turns out, Hawk saved a touchdown either way.

[mraynrand]

That play should have been called back. They don't call this much anymore, but it's illegal to assist the runner. Kuhn caught him and then gave him a tiny shove forward. Can't do that. Good, it's about time we got a call.

Nah, Kuhn was just protecting his ankles. Cobb putting his hand down was the key element to his Matrix moment.

[mraynrand]

Even considering the fact that he was flagged for it, that was a game saving play. Sproles makes the catch if not for that sweet aerial swat. As it turns out, Hawk saved a touchdown either way.

Yup. It was a good play, great effort.

[denverYooper]

Nice post.

I was wondering what went wrong here:

Rodgers was sharp 90% of the game but he did let the rush get to him at the end of the game when he didn't step up in the pocket and buy time for his tight end to get open across the middle. Instead he forced it to Kuhn. He missed some throws on third down, but all in all he is cerebral with his disection of defenses and honestly Payton Manning has nothing on Rodgers when it comes to running an offense. Again Rodgers is starting this season like Favre started the 1996 season in total control.

because it looked like McCarthy was pretty riled up about it. He usually has that reaction on a play that wasn't run as designed. If the play is run correctly but just gets beat by the D, he usually has that pursed-lips "well, shit" look on his mug.

[red]

Even considering the fact that he was flagged for it, that was a game saving play. Sproles makes the catch if not for that sweet aerial swat. As it turns out, Hawk saved a touchdown either way.

thats actually a great point smuggler, i never even thought of that

[MadtownPacker]

Great post by Nutty, proof he is more than just skinbaskets personal sperm donor.

Can't really hate on the defense. The saints will be scoring 30 points on a bunch of teams this season.

[Fritz]

I have a question about some of Rodgers's choices. Several times during the game, he'd get pressure and step up and keep looking down the field, while (it seemed to me) he'd have a running back - usually Starks, I think, but sometimes Grant - slipped out wide in the flat and seemingly wide open.

Why did Rodgers not go to that safety valve in some of those sticky situations? It looked like there was yards to be had by going that way, and Rodgers could have gotten rid of the ball at less risk of getting belted.

[pbmax]

I'm with Mad, Nutz. It's a great read. Thanks for posting it. Forget the hater label. Cold, emotional logic is fine by me.

[Lurker64]

That play should have been called back. They don't call this much anymore, but it's illegal to assist the runner. Kuhn caught him and then gave him a tiny shove forward. Can't do that. Good, it's about time we got a call.

Thought that was illegal in college, but not in pro ball. I remember hearing that the "Bush Push" in the USC-Notre Dame game a few years back was technically illegal in that game, but that sort of thing is totally legit in the pros.

Okay, I looked it up. In the 2010 rulebook (I don't have the 2011 one yet). Rule 12, Section 1, Article 5 says:

No offensive player may:
(a)lift a runner to his feet or pull him in any direction at any time; or;
(b) use interlocking interference, by grasping a teammate or by using his hands or arms to encircle the body of a teammate; or
(c)trip an opponent; or
(d)push or throw his body against a teammate to aid him in an attempt to obstruct an opponent or to recover a loose ball.

So what Kuhn did was borderline, he didn't so much "lift" or "pull" Cobb, he more "stabilized him" which is borderline.

[KYPack]

Thought that was illegal in college, but not in pro ball. I remember hearing that the "Bush Push" in the USC-Notre Dame game a few years back was technically illegal in that game, but that sort of thing is totally legit in the pros. Do you know the rule number?

Yeah, it's illegal.

This from the NFL site:

Digest of Rules Main

Use of Hands, Arms, and Body

1. No player on offense may assist a runner except by blocking for him. There shall be no interlocking interference.

It rarely gets called. Like palming in the NBA. That would have been a tough call, shit I couldn't figure out how Cobb spun himself around until I watched a few replays. I thought Peyton was gonna protest, but he can't toss the Red flag anymore, right?