You Make The Call: Pass And Crash

[Camron Rust]

Originally Posted by rsl

Unlike billiard balls, humans can change their direction. I think at least part of the passer's 90 degree exit on this play was because he had turned to make the pass and it was natural to step straight back. I agree with BadNewsRef- you need to see the defender step forward to get the call right. You can be fooled by physics.

Yes, people can add their own movement to the collision....but that doesn't make both people move differently. The key is not so much the offensive player's direction but the defender's. With your statement that the passer stepped that way, then the defenders subsequent fall in that same direction is even stronger evidence that it was a block....if he still fell that direction, he could have only done so if he was moving that direction.

And yes, you need to see it, but the reactions tell a lot....a confirmation that, yes, he did step into the passer.