Allen's face mask penalty: You Wouldn't Like Me When I'm Angry

[The Dean]

3 hours ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

"Mr. McGee, Don't make me angry. You wouldn't like me when I'm angry." - Dr Bruce Banner

 

I have never seen anything like it.  And I really don't want to see anything like it again.

First we have Justin Hollins, #58, 6'5", 248 pounds.  Allen shifts the ball to his left hand, stiff-arms him with his throwing arm and holds him off.

Then we have a second linebacker, Leonard Floyd (I think), 6'5", 240.  Allen sidesteps, ducks, and shoves Hollins into his path (by the face mask) before wrestling Hollins to the ground (by the face mask) like an old-school dog owner shoving a bad puppy's face into its mess.  Yes, that face mask penalty was entirely legit.  Allen corkscrewed the LB into the ground by the face mask, using him to take out the second LB like two bowling pins in the process.

Allen turns, and Aaron Donald is right there.  "Not this time".  Allen stiffarms and deflects him.

Donald's momentum carries him past Allen.  Allen steps up while Donald is still collecting himself and throws in the face of an onrushing 4th guy.  Through the back of the endzone, fortunately - not where it could be picked off.  But you know if he'd seen a  receiver with a throwing lane at that point, Allen would have tried to make a play.
 

Here's what I don't like - while Allen is stiff arming and wrestling Hollins around with his right arm, the ball is fully extended in his left arm and waving around in the air like a chunk of tuna over the Orca tank at Seaworld.  All it would have taken at that point is for a guy Allen was unaware of (or for Floyd) to change their target and go for the ball instead of Allen.  Fumble, and that's the ball game.

 

It was exciting to watch, though.  It's like "Offensive line?  I don't need no damned offensive line, I AM a damned offensive line!" 

You could tell it juiced our guys up a bit when they were pretty well exhausted there at the end of the game, too.

 

Question: can anyone else remember a QB being called for a face mask penalty, where it was well-deserved, ever?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Terrific write up. Hap.  I may have seen a QB called for a facemask, but nothing like that. And while I don't want Josh doing that stuff, and taking penalties, I kind of dig it!

 

Has anyone explained the UC conduct penalty on Allen? Certainly it can't be for sitting on the ground complaining to the official. If that was considered a penalty, Brady would lead the league in UC calls. My only conclusion is he said something REALLY nasty. But I've read nothing about it.

[Ralonzo]

4 hours ago, matter2003 said:

I mean Allen is like a one man wrecking crew...last week he trucks Kyle Van Noy and stiff arms him to the ground effectively putting him in time out and telling him to "think about what you are trying to do and if that is something you should be doing while you are there" and then a 315 lb DLineman wants to get in on the action after he saw what Allen did to his teammate and said "Oh hell no! Nobody does that to Kyle without answering to me!" and Allen tells him to bring it and trucks him too...

 

Is this real life anymore?? Like is our QB just the baddest Mofo on the field every week??

 

[JMF2006]

1 hour ago, ROCBillsBeliever said:

 

I seem to recall a certain Buffalo Bills QB who had a knack for punishing defenders...

 

 

Ouch !!

[Big Turk]

1 hour ago, The Dean said:

 

 

Terrific write up. Hap.  I may have seen a QB called for a facemask, but nothing like that. And while I don't want Josh doing that stuff, and taking penalties, I kind of dig it!

 

Has anyone explained the UC conduct penalty on Allen? Certainly it can't be for sitting on the ground complaining to the official. If that was considered a penalty, Brady would lead the league in UC calls. My only conclusion is he said something REALLY nasty. But I've read nothing about it.

 

Allen said in one of the things I read that he has to watch his language and what he says in those situations so I am assuming you are right.

[NoHuddleKelly12]

And to think he neutralized the aforementioned Rams one-handed while refusing to be brought down to the ground--simply imposed his will in that moment--the sheer grit this kid has in spades is mind-boggling. IIRC the announcers gave him a similar compliment in that moment to what was often said about Kelly, that he plays QB with a linebacker's mentality--Buffalo Ball! 

[fansince88]

To answer the age old question: https://www.buffalorumblings.com/2020/9/28/21458982/buffalo-bills-vs-los-angeles-rams-josh-allens-qb-facemask-penalty-doesnt-happen-frequently BTW, yes. If a tree falls and nobody is there to hear it it does make noise.

[NoHuddleKelly12]

 

6 hours ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

 

I think "like a chunk of Tuna over the Orca tank at Seaworld" is more illustrative of the allure that temptingly poised ball has for defenders, but I fundamentally agree with you on all points.   It can not too much be emphasized that this is a Very Dangerous Play.

 

I *think* Kelly may have drawn an unsportsmanlike once or twice, but that's the last I can remember.

 

 

Was he called for a facemask on that one?  Offensive players are allowed "incidental contact"

 

Found this little gem in the way back archives:

 

"Louis Oliver gained a measure of revenge from his benching in the playoff loss. He played the whole game, made 13 tackles (11 solo), broke up one pass and intercepted one in the end zone. He would have returned it 103 yards for a touchdown if he had eluded quarterback Jim Kelly. Kelly tackled him out of bounds, grabbing his facemask. But no penalty was called, much to Shula's chagrin."

https://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/fl-xpm-1991-09-02-9102030396-story.html

[The Wiz]

4 hours ago, matter2003 said:

 

Horsecollar tackles are LEGAL and specifically mentioned as legal in the NFL rule book if the QB is in the pocket. It WAS a horsecollar tackle but it was NOT a penalty.

Not just in Allen's case, but for any qb, don't you think that's a pretty dumb rule when they have done everything that they can to protect qbs in the league? 

[Hapless Bills Fan]

2 hours ago, The Dean said:

Terrific write up. Hap.  I may have seen a QB called for a facemask, but nothing like that. And while I don't want Josh doing that stuff, and taking penalties, I kind of dig it!

 

Has anyone explained the UC conduct penalty on Allen? Certainly it can't be for sitting on the ground complaining to the official. If that was considered a penalty, Brady would lead the league in UC calls. My only conclusion is he said something REALLY nasty. But I've read nothing about it.

 

You can see in the game film that Allen gets to his feet steaming and tugging on his jersey with both hands indicating horsecollar.  He approaches the ref after the ref signals LA ball.  Allen doesn't touch the ref or do the physical intimidation chest-to-chest thing, but you can see by his posture he is making a case (hands out, palms up) then is really angry when it's denied (hands close to fists)

It doesn't seem to occur to Ford, Kroft, and the other lineman there (Williams?) that at that moment, having totally failed to protect their QB from being strip-sacked, they might need to protect their QB from being ejected! 

 

Perhaps next time it will.

[NewEra]

What a sad 2nd half performance by our OL and/or the coaching staff in pass protection.  Josh would drop back and run for his life...not afraid of taking casualties along the way 

Edited September 28, 2020 by NewEra

[Warcodered]

 

[SlimShady'sSpaceForce]

As someone said. Maybe a ref had $ on the over

 

 

 

i kid I kid

 

sort of

[The Dean]

2 hours ago, NoHuddleKelly12 said:

And to think he neutralized the aforementioned Rams one-handed while refusing to be brought down to the ground--simply imposed his will in that moment--the sheer grit this kid has in spades is mind-boggling. IIRC the announcers gave him a similar compliment in that moment to what was often said about Kelly, that he plays QB with a linebacker's mentality--Buffalo Ball! 

 

2 hours ago, NoHuddleKelly12 said:

 

 

Found this little gem in the way back archives:

 

"Louis Oliver gained a measure of revenge from his benching in the playoff loss. He played the whole game, made 13 tackles (11 solo), broke up one pass and intercepted one in the end zone. He would have returned it 103 yards for a touchdown if he had eluded quarterback Jim Kelly. Kelly tackled him out of bounds, grabbing his facemask. But no penalty was called, much to Shula's chagrin."

https://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/fl-xpm-1991-09-02-9102030396-story.html

 

1 hour ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

 

You can see in the game film that Allen gets to his feet steaming and tugging on his jersey with both hands indicating horsecollar.  He approaches the ref after the ref signals LA ball.  Allen doesn't touch the ref or do the physical intimidation chest-to-chest thing, but you can see by his posture he is making a case (hands out, palms up) then is really angry when it's denied (hands close to fists)

It doesn't seem to occur to Ford, Kroft, and the other lineman there (Williams?) that at that moment, having totally failed to protect their QB from being strip-sacked, they might need to protect their QB from being ejected! 

 

Perhaps next time it will.

 

 

I know he's often compared (understandably) to Big Ben and Cam, I think Kelly might be as apropos. He clearly has more physical tools as JK and it looks like he has all the grit, too.  Comparing one's toughness at QB to Kelly is a very high compliment. That just HAS to fire your teammates up.

 

 

1 hour ago, Warcodered said:

 

And there it is!

[RiotAct]

great write up.  I dunno how he does it.  If any of these behemoths were running after me at full speed, I’d probably crumple like a cheap newspaper while simultaneously pi**ing my pants!

[The Wiz]

16 minutes ago, The Dean said:

 

 

 

 

I know he's often compared (understandably) to Big Ben and Cam, I think Kelly might be as apropos. He clearly has more physical tools as JK and it looks like he has all the grit, too.  Comparing one's toughness at QB to Kelly is a very high compliment. That just HAS to fire your teammates up.

 

 

And there it is!

Never happened. Just like the reception never happened and it was a clear int. 

[Simon]

10 hours ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

 

 "like a chunk of Tuna over the Orca tank at Seaworld"

 

He does this so often (I think twice a game I have to deny my instinct to jump through the TV screen and chop his wrist) that we should come up with a short catchphrase for it.

 

Uh-oh, he's Dangling the Lure again!

There's The Tuna Loaf......

No Orca Calls today, Josh.

 

[Warcodered]

54 minutes ago, The Dean said:

And there it is!

I' mean it's not a big deal or anything only caused the fumble that let the Rams take the lead no biggie penalty to Josh for complaining about it.

[The Dean]

6 minutes ago, Warcodered said:

I' mean it's not a big deal or anything only caused the fumble that let the Rams take the lead no biggie penalty to Josh for complaining about it.

 

 

When you win, it's no big deal. But that's the kind of s#it that has cost the Bills in the past. I think/hope this is the kind of team that can play through that. 

 

BTW, I understand stuff like that has probably cost most/all teams, from time to time. But I'm clearly more invested when he happens to the Bills.

Edited September 28, 2020 by The Dean

[Saxum]

10 hours ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

 

Well if he gets in their face after a strip sack and says whatever he said that drew the "unsportsmanlike", he's not going to be popular and he'll get the "Jerry Hughes" treatment.  Hopefully he apologized to the guy and today will send him a "make up note" (or a case of Josh wine, or both, whatever is allowed).

 

 

Nuts and cantaloupes.  Let player figure out meaning.

[Saxum]

10 hours ago, Billzfan37 said:

It's like the Jim Kelly era where the threw a pick and broke the guy's leg tackling the defensive back that had picked him off.  Check out the video on-line of Jim Kelly destroying Anthony Phillips after a pick.  That's who we have at QB now - except a much stronger and overall more athletic guy.

 

One of my favorite plays.  It was a clean tackle.  It is clear from his expression he was thinking "You are a QB so what are you doing tackling?"  Unfortunately quality is very poor.