Hamlin Hit/ New leeway for fake slides

[Buffalo Boy]

    Mahomes and Wilson have taken advantage of defenders pulling up near the sideline to gain more yards for a few years now.  
     Some are calling it dirty. This off-season they said they would be allowing a little more wiggle room near the sidelines for defenders on slides. 
    To me, it was a clean play regardless as Hamlin and Pickett initiated their action at the same time….. a bang bang play. Also, Hamlin wasn’t head hunting but lead with his body and shoulder sideways and low and not spearing headlong.

    If you are going to run as a QB it SHOULD be your responsibility to get out of bounds and protect yourself when your are close to the sideline. Defenders should not be expected to protect the QB. 
   Pickett was trying to pick up as many yards as he could and was going forward till the last second and got smacked for doing it. I applaud Hamlin for his clean hit.
 https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/09/10/this-year-will-officials-treat-running-quarterbacks-like-running-backs/amp/

[BillsFanSD]

I agree that it was a legal hit, and should be, but I couldn't really have argued with a flag.  That's how the game is called these days -- you see it every week.

[scuba guy]

In the replays you could see he went to tackle about the same time Pickett was going down

[Stretch]

Agreed, it was a late slide and Hamlin dive at the same time.  Pickett was the guy who did the fake slide in college and scored off if it.  So he deserved this hit.

[Simon]

It was right on the edge but I thought there were two subtle reason the flags didn't come out.

 

1) it was right at the sticks. You tend to get more leeway at the goalline and the first down marker, as it should be.

2) Pickett has some history of fake slides and you can bet stripes knows it

 

Whatever the case, it was good to see an example of that auto call being de-emphasized just to get a better idea of where the line is drawn now.

[Buffalo Boy]

5 minutes ago, Stretch said:

Agreed, it was a late slide and Hamlin dive at the same time.  Pickett was the guy who did the fake slide in college and scored off if it.  So he deserved this hit.

NCAA changed the rule because of him.

[Zag20]

Probably worth mentioning that they were college teammates, so Hamlin probably a) knew his tendencies b) wouldn’t attempt to behead him 

[Protocal69]

Remember Pickett already has a fake slide in college career

 

[The Dean]

3 hours ago, scuba guy said:

In the replays you could see he went to tackle about the same time Pickett was going down

 

That's exactly the way I saw it. Yes, these days it might get called so the D needs to be careful. But I thought it was a legal hit

[LeGOATski]

It was clean. I got annoyed at the commentators afterwards trying to call for a penalty (and a little homerism with that on my part, too.)

 

In particular, I hated how when Romo asked the broadcast ref (I forget his name) if the hit was legal and the ref was super vague about it. It really sums up NFL officiating for me:

 

Romo: "Hey ref, was that actually a penalty?"

 

Ref: "Well...you don't want a see a QB hit like that. We want to protect the QB as much as possible. And the defender...uh...the defender is expected to try to protect the QB in that scenario..."

 

I was like, wtf just tell us if the hit was a penalty or not. Truth is the ref can't because he's used to making arbitrary calls on vague NFL rules.

 

[BillsShredder83]

6 hours ago, Buffalo Boy said:

    Mahomes and Wilson have taken advantage of defenders pulling up near the sideline to gain more yards for a few years now.  
     Some are calling it dirty. This off-season they said they would be allowing a little more wiggle room near the sidelines for defenders on slides. 
    To me, it was a clean play regardless as Hamlin and Pickett initiated their action at the same time….. a bang bang play. Also, Hamlin wasn’t head hunting but lead with his body and shoulder sideways and low and not spearing headlong.

    If you are going to run as a QB it SHOULD be your responsibility to get out of bounds and protect yourself when your are close to the sideline. Defenders should not be expected to protect the QB. 
   Pickett was trying to pick up as many yards as he could and was going forward till the last second and got smacked for doing it. I applaud Hamlin for his clean hit.
 https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/09/10/this-year-will-officials-treat-running-quarterbacks-like-running-backs/amp/

Funny cause I guarantee Hamlin was watching his Alma matter when this play happened lol mightve been in his head 

 

https://youtu.be/9Bb0n4pNwBw

[Bangarang]

If Josh takes that hit I would want a flag and so would he.

[wvbillsfan]

That hit was the prefect reason not to slide 

You’re too exposed and can’t protect yourself. 
 

[GETTOTHE50]

Picker is overrated af and a B word. His best outcome is a tier two QB. He won’t ever come close to JA17s level. 

[Matt_In_NH]

3 hours ago, Bangarang said:

If Josh takes that hit I would want a flag and so would he.

Their would be outrage if that was Fitzpatrick hitting Allen the same way.   The play was in no way dirty but maybe could have been a penalty.  Penalty for unnecessary roughness does not mean it’s a dirty hit

[Buffalo Boy]

4 hours ago, Bangarang said:

If Josh takes that hit I would want a flag and so would he.

But would he get it?

We have seen Josh get smacked in the pocket after throws and not get a flag so …..

[Ethan in Cleveland]

It was a clean hit. Close but good no call.  If he led with head or hit higher up then it would have been illegal. Next time it happens to Allen we need to see it the same way. 

 

I really like how Allen isn't giving the defenders chances at taking cheap shots. He is finishing his runs or he is making the slides blatantly obvious.

[Rochesterfan]

11 hours ago, Simon said:

It was right on the edge but I thought there were two subtle reason the flags didn't come out.

 

1) it was right at the sticks. You tend to get more leeway at the goalline and the first down marker, as it should be.

2) Pickett has some history of fake slides and you can bet stripes knows it

 

Whatever the case, it was good to see an example of that auto call being de-emphasized just to get a better idea of where the line is drawn now.

 

I agree and I would add that:

 

#3 - the hit was no where near the head or in a spearing motion - allowing the Refs some Leeway.

 

The only thing I was not sure I agreed with - was how the penalty was enforced.  The Refs called it unsportsmanlike conduct as part of the action - therefore moving it back 15 yards and not giving the Steelers the first down.  Which worked out for Buffalo.

 

I think the correct call as Hamlin hit Pickett as he slide and was down and then after the play was over the unsportsmanlike conduct occurred - it should have been a dead ball foul with Pittsburgh awarded the first down and then the 15 yard penalty making it 1st and 10 from the 29 rather than 3rd and 15 from the 29.

 

The outcome was better for Buffalo - just think based upon the play - the Refs did a poor job calling the foul on Pittsburgh.

 

 

[muppy]

Did you see at the end of the game Hamlin have words with Tomlin? I would guess he was telling coach "hey Man that play on Pickett was not intended to hurt/injure him,  I am not a dirty player." Something like that.

 

  Only complete a-holes like Burfict would have zero qualms being labeled a  cheap shots artist. I think most NFL players are Professional enough and saavy enough to realize getting that label is not a good look. What goes around comes around. The sport is violent enough when played legally much less with no qualms about being dirty.

[without a drought]

Real slide or fake slide, the ball should be spotted there.