Hit to Crabtree's head

[Krusty]

Hey everyone!

 

So I don't want to incite anything or accuse the refs, I'm just curious about the 3 and goal play to Crabtree on the last series last night.

 

Specifically, it appeared to me that as he was receiving the ball, he was hit directly to the head, stunning him, and successfully separating him from the ball.

 

While I have no issue with the play being "dangerous," it looks like the 100 other similar plays this year that would have drawn a flag for hitting a defenseless receiver. 

 

So was this a legit non-penalty, or did it more have to do with the refs not calling borderline penalties in the last minutes of the Super Bowl?

 

Thoughts?

 

 

[CR91]

he was not defenseless because the ball didnt come out til that second hit which was the helmet hit. it was still in his possession which means its fair game. defenseless wr is only if wr doesnt attempt to make the catch and is hit or if he is hit as soon as the ball gets there.

[21isSuperman]

he was not defenseless because the ball didnt come out til that second hit which was the helmet hit. it was still in his possession which means its fair game. defenseless wr is only if wr doesnt attempt to make the catch and is hit or if he is hit as soon as the ball gets there.

So a hit to the head of a regular receiver is ok, but a defenseless receiver is against the rules?

[CR91]

So a hit to the head of a regular receiver is ok, but a defenseless receiver is against the rules?

 

ive only seen head calls go to qbs to be honest

[dw49]

ive only seen head calls go to qbs to be honest

 

 

 

There were many calls against DB's for leading with there helmets and hitting a "defenseless WR." I guess the question is the "defenseless" part of the play.

[Krusty]

he was not defenseless because the ball didnt come out til that second hit which was the helmet hit. it was still in his possession which means its fair game. defenseless wr is only if wr doesnt attempt to make the catch and is hit or if he is hit as soon as the ball gets there.

 

Interesting.. I never knew that

[RGIII]

he was not defenseless because the ball didnt come out til that second hit which was the helmet hit. it was still in his possession which means its fair game. defenseless wr is only if wr doesnt attempt to make the catch and is hit or if he is hit as soon as the ball gets there.

 

Under the current rules a blow to the head in the situation Crabtree was in would constitute a defenseless receiver.  You are a defenseless receiver until you are able to protect yourself and become a runner, regardless of whether you attempt the catch or not.

 

Smith's hit was a glancing blow to the facemask, though.  That's kind of a dodgy call.

[CR91]

Under the current rules a blow to the head in the situation Crabtree was in would constitute a defenseless receiver.  You are a defenseless receiver until you are able to protect yourself and become a runner, regardless of whether you attempt the catch or not.

 

Smith's hit was a glancing blow to the facemask, though.  That's kind of a dodgy call.

 

crabtree took a couple of steps then was hit from behind and then hit on the head.i dont think that counts as defenseless

[RGIII]

crabtree took a couple of steps then was hit from behind and then hit on the head.i dont think that counts as defenseless

 

From the point where he secured the ball he took only one step forward and hadn't even begun to turn upfield, all-in-all he had less than a second from reception to hit in the jaw.  The Ravens would have been flagged had it been a more direct hit.

[ruksak]

 

It was a legal hit. Did not lead with the crown. Did not strike the receivers helmet. 

 

The Ravens won. The 49ers did not. Sometimes all this hair-splitting just comes off as pathetic (Not aimed at OP, just sayin about all this garbage in general). 

[CR91]

From the point where he secured the ball he took only one step forward and hadn't even begun to turn upfield, all-in-all he had less than a second from reception to hit in the jaw.  The Ravens would have been flagged had it been a more direct hit.

 

one step forward is all it takes as it signifies him about to make a football move, but if he didnt make any attempt to advance the ball and he was hit as soon as the ball got there that would be defenseless wr but in this case its not

[GoPats]

That was a 3rd down play, right?

 

I don't think it matters. It feels like the 49ers could have had 10 shots on that goal-line-stand, and still not gotten in.

[BOTT]

So a hit to the head of a regular receiver is ok, but a defenseless receiver is against the rules?

Correct