NFL players react to ban on chop blocks
Among the several rule changes announced by the NFL on Tuesday was the banning of all chop blocks heading into the 2016 season.
A chop block, not to be confused with the still-legal one-on-one cut block, is a maneuver where two offensive players combine to block a defender both above the waist and by going low.
Defensive players around the league were understandably encouraged by the decision to outlaw the play that's long been considered dangerous.
No more chop blocks huh 🤔🤔🤔 now some of y'all who been hiding gotta step to the front now. ✊🏾 thanks NFL. Can't cut this (MC Hammer voice)😂😂
— Damon Harrison (@BigDame900) March 22, 2016
Thank you @NFL much appreciated... https://t.co/s4afSS4UGu
— Ian Williams (@IWilliams95) March 22, 2016
Certain variations of the chop block were already illegal, including last year's change to prevent running backs from going low on a defender already engaged, but the new rule now bans the play in every situation.
Having found the use of the chop block to be valuable in those now formerly legal instances, though, there was some relative confusion on the part of some offensive linemen.
Most times we cut we get help from the guy next to us b/c we’re out-leveraged. Not sure how much of that is allowed. https://t.co/wJFozEqerF
— Mitchell Schwartz (@MitchSchwartz72) March 22, 2016
The best way to get a DT to not hold us on double teams, is a chop block. Now there's nothing to stop them. Fun times.
— Geoff Schwartz (@geoffschwartz) March 22, 2016
There are dirty chop blocks. Those have been illegal. But legal ones are vital to the run game. And very rarely does it injure someone.
— Geoff Schwartz (@geoffschwartz) March 22, 2016
Defensive holding calls on running plays have been a rarity since a 2010 rule change re-positioned umpires in the offensive backfield.
With Schwartz suggesting that a chop block was a lineman's lone way to combat such a move from his opponent, the latest rule change could stand to have a significant impact in the ground game going forward.