GB@Chicago - Horse Collar Tackles

[bisonlj]

There were two plays toward the end of the game that were borderline horse collar tackles. The first was on the GB kick return after the tying Chicago TD. The defender grabbed the inside back of the shoulder pads and ran with the player out of bounds. At least 3 yards out of bounds (while still holding the inside of the shoulder pads), he picked up the returner and threw him to the ground. There was a flag and it was announced as unnecessary roughness, late hit out of bounds. The announcers kept referring to it as a horse collar tackle as well. I tried to explain to the person watching the game with me that it was not a horse collar tackle, but he kept believing the announcers. The late hit was definitely the right call.

The second one came on the first play from scrimmage in OT for Chicago. The TE catches a pass in the flat and runs toward the sidelines. The defender grabs the inside of the back of the shoulder pads, but then gets his other arm around the front of the runner, runs with him for 3-4 yards and then tackles him with both players falling forward. The official flagged it for a personal foul - horse collar tackle. The person I was watching with said, "See, I told you that was a horse collar." I tried to argue with him that it wasn't and the official got it wrong (it happens). He said if the official was wrong then the announcers would have said so or the Packer coach would have complained. I had to remind him again that the announcers do not know the rules and the coaches often don't either. I also pointed out they never showed the GB coach so we have no idea if he was complaining or not.

Does anyone else feel these were not horse collar tackles by rule?