Quote:
Originally Posted by bisonlj
Almost every chop block by linemen is miscommunication. 95% of the chop blocks I call don't result in complaints by either linemen. They result in the two of them arguing who was supposed to block that defender.
It's baffling when a back cuts a defender who is already engaged because he can clearly see that guy is engaged as he's approaching him.
Another example I haven't seen in a few years is when one lineman is trying to get to the second level and he's being held by a defender and a second offensive player then cuts the defender. That's not a chop block unless the first blocker is addressing the defender. If the only reason he's on contact with the defender is because he's being held then it's a foul for defensive holding and not a chop block. The defender was baffled the one time I called that.
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I agree with all of this. Except I have seen a few instances of a non-chop-block due to a defensive hold in the last couple of seasons.
I did have one absolutely perplexing block a few years back. Started out as a textbook chop block... the C engaged the NT above the waist, and the LG came in and hit the NT right at the knee. Remarkably, the NT was able to remain upright, and as I was throwing my flag for the Chop Block, the NT performed a classic hook-and-turn defensive hold on the C, who by that point was attempting to escape to the second level. At no point when the chop block happened was there any defensive holding, the DH only developed about half a second after the Chop.
Hopefully that's the only time in my career as an umpire where I call a Chop Block and a Defensive Hold on the same play. When I reported it to my Referee he looked at me like I was from outer space, but when he saw the video he agreed with my call.
I've since shown the video of that block to 7 or 8 D-I and NFL umpires, and so far there's no consensus on if I should have called the CHB, the DH, or both.