bad idea

saintfan

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Notes: Offense plans to utilize debated cut block


By ROB REISCHEL and TODD ROSIAK
[email protected]


Posted: June 15, 2006


Green Bay - It's controversial. It's contentious. And even though it's frowned upon, cut blocking is not illegal.

It's a virtual certainty Green Bay's opponents will despise this philosophical change. But some Packers don't seem to care.

"Some people think it's dirty," center Scott Wells said. "I just think it's part of football. It's not dirty. The defense has just as good of an opportunity to defend it as you do to make the block."

Atlanta consultant Alex Gibbs was one of the originators of the cut block and used it for years when he was the offensive line coach in Denver. New Packers offensive coordinator Jeff Jagodzinski, who was the offensive line coach in Atlanta last year, learned the finer points of cut blocking from Gibbs.

The technique is legal as long as a defensive player isn't engaged with another blocker. But it's been widely criticized because it leaves defensive linemen susceptible to injury.

In fact, in a game Jagodzinski coached last season, Carolina defensive ends Julius Peppers and Mike Rucker both suffered sprained ankles after being cut blocked by Falcons players.

Two years ago, Cincinnati defensive tackle Tony Williams suffered a broken ankle after being cut blocked by Broncos tackle George Foster. And Green Bay fans will never forget defensive tackle John Jurkovic suffering a torn medial collateral ligament after being cut by Dallas' Erik Williams in the 1995 playoffs.

"Sometimes it's part of the game. But sometimes it's total B.S.," Green Bay defensive tackle Colin Cole said. "Regardless of how you look at it, it's bad that they do it."

The Packers have worked on the technique during various drills this off-season. But because the risk of injury is so great, they won't cut their own players during training camp. So it won't be until the exhibition season that Green Bay's offensive linemen begin cut blocking during live action.

"It's a tough thing to get down," right tackle Mark Tauscher said. "You have to bring your feet with you or you can look pretty foolish. That's happened to all of us, and I'm sure it will happen again. But so far, I like it."


Roll call
Fullback William Henderson, safety Nick Collins and tight end David Martin were not in attendance at practice on Thursday, while cornerback Jason Horton sat out with a back injury.

Also, wide receivers Donald Driver and Rod Gardner returned, and safety Atari Bigby, who played in NFL Europe this spring, practiced for the first time.

Cornerback Mike Hawkins, linebacker Tim Goodwell and defensive end Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila returned from injuries.
 

CloudyFuture

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Harris blames 'dirty' Packers for leg injury

September 11, 2006

BY BRAD BIGGS Staff Reporter


GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Charles Tillman's interception of Brett Favre in the fourth quarter came with a price to the Bears due to a cut block.

Defensive tackle Tommie Harris was limping in the locker room afterward with an undisclosed right leg injury, and he's blaming it on unethical play by Green Bay right tackle Mark Tauscher.

Harris was cut down from behind after the interception, which happened more than 20 yards downfield, and called Tauscher's hit unnecessary.

''You know it was cheap,'' Harris said. ''Everybody saw it was cheap. You saw that junk. That's the only way they can block me.''

Harris went to the Pro Bowl for the first time last season in his second year, and after the game, Favre paid him one of the top compliments a tackle can get.

''Tommie Harris is close to a Warren Sapp,'' Favre said.

Harris re-entered the game and is not believed to be injured seriously but will be re-evaluated today.

''I'm just hurt,'' he said. ''I'm not telling you what it is.''

The Packers have introduced more cut blocking into their scheme this season under new coordinator Jeff Jagodzinski, who was the offensive line coach last season in Atlanta and learned from the master of the cut block, Alex Gibbs. But this cut didn't happen on an offensive play; the ball was gone, and Harris and Tauscher were distant onlookers.

''It was during the interception,'' Harris said. ''I didn't even see it. I was down on the ground.

''What am I going to say to him? He looked at me like, 'Sorry.' And then I was like, 'Whatever, get out of my face.' Yeah, he's known for being dirty, and I'm fed up with it. I'm so tired every day of coming in here and getting cut, left and right. These guys are freaking dirty.''

Harris said the NFL turns a blind eye to cut blocking because it promotes offense.

''The league doesn't care,'' he said. ''Everything is predicated on the offense. Don't touch this dude late, don't go at his ankles. Do I have to get my knee torn before they make a high/low rule for Tommie Harris?

''Roy Williams pulled [Terrell Owens down] from behind; now he has a Roy Williams [horse collar] rule. Does it have to take someone to get injured in order to get a rule?''
 

CloudyFuture

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like it or not it is effective and legal....denver, atlanta and now houston uses it as well.....green did rush for over a c note on sun even though some will say that it most was in "garbage time" he was effective before that rushing for 4.1 yds a carry in the 1st half....
 

YERCELL

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I don't like cut blocking either, but Cloudy, you're right on the money.
 

digsthepack

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The key is keeping people in front of you. Denver particularly is guilty of hitting from blind angles, which is where the injuries seem to occur...and also illegal.
 

packerfan4ever

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i agree that it may not be safe and someone could get hurt,but look at when some of our guys got hurt face mask i know they get penalized for hit but some of these guys get hurt pretty bad when it happens it is football and certain ways you twist and turn you get hurt part of the game rris should quite whinning :)
 

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