What do you mean roughing the passer?
By shamsta19
@shamsta19 (3224)
United States
January 12, 2010 11:35am CST
These new rules piss me off. I mean now you can't even tap the QB without a 15 yard penalty. These guys aren't ballerinas, they play a warriors sport called Football. The preferential treatment is taking away from the game. I am sorry but when you get out there on the field there is a chance you will get rocked. It's why you get paid and why you laced up your cleats to begin with. The issue came up this weekend with the Patriots QB Tom Brady. As you see the Ravens put him on his back and beat them good. Still how do you feel about the protection of the QB and these new rules? Should they just let em get hit like everyone else? How do you all feel?
2 people like this
4 responses
@RAVENBLADE0842 (493)
• United States
12 Jan 10
The are two key reasons for the rules being rewritten to heavily favor a QB. One the quarterback is considered the most important position on the football team. As we have seen over and over again that is not without merit. A great passing QB can take an otherwise good team and make them a Superbowl contender. The second part of that equation is the QB is also the highest paid player in the league. It's because of that fact, that team owners inacted these new rules. The problem at least the way they perceived it was to many QB's were getting hurt or seriously injured year in and year out. NFL teams don't want to invest 15-20 million dollars a year to a player that gets injured and has to sit on the bench. Is it right that quarterbacks are so heavily favored? Probably not, but that my friend is the politics of football.
2 people like this
@shamsta19 (3224)
• United States
15 Jan 10
You gave the technical answer. Even I understand the politics and "why" the new rules were enforced. But I am also an avid fan and former non professional participant. I love the game and I happen to come from an era where the QB's were just a lot tougher. I mean man up!!! They are the highest paid then they shouldn't be warranted any special favors either. I mean the roughing the passer rule isn't new but we all know now a defender can hardly touch a QB nowadays without penalty. I understand the reasoning though. Appreciate the response..
@bounce58 (17385)
• Canada
13 Jan 10
I could understand the implementation of the rules, as the QB's are the face of the franchise. They dictate how a team plays, and thus are paid well. As owners, this rule is equivalent to 'protecting their investment'.
But personally, I agree that this rule just perpetuate the perception that QB's are just such big babies.
1 person likes this
@shamsta19 (3224)
• United States
15 Jan 10
It's not the original rule, it's the new boundaries that are in effect that is taking away from the game play. It is the open preferential treatment being given to CERTAIN Qb's as well. I mean if a guy gets a pass off and gets hit, its cause for a penalty. Penalties shouldn't be issued because a guy took a QB down too hard when he was just doing his job. So now defensive players have to hold back on their coverage and give up potentially good plays?
That is the issue that bothers me about this whole thing though.
@sharone74 (4837)
• United States
13 Jan 10
On every play the defense is looking for a hole to the Quarterback so that they can put a hurting on him that is not only the game but good game. The QB has the ball for a while on every snap so that makes him an easy target, if his offensive line can't protect him then he deserves to get sacked. The QB is the team captain, the leader, and if he can't get the ball off in time or he can't aboid the sack then he deserves to end up on his back. After he has released the ball however if you so much as touch him you are "roughing" they aren't just giving him a poke they are trying to hurt him, and if he no longer has the ball that is bad sportsmanship. Other than that I say "GET HIM!"
@shamsta19 (3224)
• United States
15 Jan 10
THANK YOU. Im in complete agreement. Instead of spending ridiculous money for these QB's maybe team owners should invest more money in their offensive lines. Protect your QB's and leave the integrity of the game alone.
@MJay101 (710)
•
12 Jan 10
There is clearly a justification for the rule - at it's most extreme, "roughing the passer" is dangerous - not to mention bad sportsmanship - but I think it's gone a bit too far the other way now.
This seems to be a trend in modern sports. Have you ever watched a game of soccer in the English Premier League? (Or, God forbid, Serie A?) Most modern strikers will go down like a sack of spuds at a touch that would barely have knocked my stride, when I played in school!
I think it's dishonest, but it's a function of the mega-bucks game.
If you want to see proper rough-and-tumble, go to a lower league match! 
1 person likes this
@shamsta19 (3224)
• United States
15 Jan 10
Well I do understand your point as well. I explained above, the rule is not new but now the line between good tackling and penalty is very thin. And now a guy has to pull back when rushing a QB and risk giving up a good play instead of putting a guy on his back. And then we have certain Quarterbacks who are receiving special treatment to boot (ie Tom Brady). It just takes away from the game in my opinion.
