I was re watching the Victor Cruz play and I noticed Will Tye decided to pull up from blocking Ken Crowley. He had him straight in his sights as Victor Cruz was turning up field, and for some reason decides not to hit him. If Will Tye even taps Crowley on this play then Victor Cruz is either gone for a TD or at the very least would not have fumbled.
Obviously Cruz needs to hold on to the ball regardless, but it is very promisong to see that Cruz has this big play potential. Reminded me of this TD vs Dallas in 2011 when he caught a similar ball out of the flat and turned it up for a 74 yard TD.
Kudos to Tye for not being overly aggressive on the block and getting called for a crackback block
He often tries to extend plays and reach the ball out for more yardage.
LooneyTune : 5:29 pm
Bull Cookies! Cruz caused his own fumble by holding the ball away from his body. He broke the cardinal rule - secure the ball. Too caught up in his own achievement to do the basics.
You are indeed Looney.
Kudos to Tye for not being overly aggressive on the block and getting called for a crackback block
My take also
He'll be fine, I don't expect to see that again from him this year.
Tye - No need for lowering the shoulder (to try to launch Crawley into the stands, and make the Sports Center Highlight), just get in the way, Will !
Cruz - He should have known better, especially when he was forced to slow down to avoid tacklers trying to cut him off. Swinging the ball WAY-BEHIND-HIS-BACK was asking for trouble.
He got caught up in the moment. He's a vet, it will never happen again.
It WAS exciting seeing him in full stride, down the sideline ! I'm very happy for him.
LooneyTune : 5:51 pm : link : reply
It would only be a penalty if Tye blocks him in the back. He was square on and could have easily peeled Crowley off the play. If you watch Tye he just kind of stops.
They now have a penalty for a blindside block which is pretty much a way to let the refs call any block that looks vicious to be a penalty, whether or not it is in the back or to the side.
Basically a "violent" block when the blocker is moving back towards the LOS (or in the opposite direction the defender is coming.
Like FMIC, it was meant to prevent players from blowing up other players to the head when blocking, but now it's called on any high-impact block where blocker is moving back towards the line of scrimmage
It's funny, I actually texted Giant Mike after that play to say that Cruz looks back. The speed and moves he flashed were far more important than the fumble for me.
The key word - Vicious (that's what needs to be avoided)
If Tye just gets in the way (a lot like a slow clunker car in a highway's fast lane) he basically makes it very difficult for Crawley to get at Cruz.
It's funny, I actually texted Giant Mike after that play to say that Cruz looks back. The speed and moves he flashed were far more important than the fumble for me.
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OK with guys having a turnover when they are trying to make plays. Cruz probably didn't sense that he'd get caught from the backside and was trying tyo juke the guy in front of him. While it is a bit careless, he's also trying to make a big play and I hope he keeps doing that.
It's funny, I actually texted Giant Mike after that play to say that Cruz looks back. The speed and moves he flashed were far more important than the fumble for me.
Do you have the same opinion if the Giants lost that game?
He's trying to actually help win the game and got sloppy and they took advantage. Sometimes the other guys make plays too you know.
Don't look at each good and bad effort play and say that was the difference in the game because it seldom is.
Cruz also took a contested throw from Eli and turned it into a huge play. That throw could have easily been picked off. So did Eli almost lose the game for us?
Like I said above, I want to see players try to make plays. People killed Collins for losing the INT against NE last year, but I'll take guys trying to make the crucial play instead of otherwise. Will it bite us in the ass every now and then? Yep. It also will result in a lot of positives too.
For dropping that INT; he was trying his damnest to try to hold on to the ball.
What I blamed him for was letting people run away from him (too easy) and being open to receive passes all day long. At Alabama he was just a thumper (and when he had cover responsibilities, he was exposed).
I guess it didn't matter, there because the system took care of that. Here, he's had to learn how to play real safety. To his credit, he looks very good, so far - which makes me very happy.
of course cruz was reckless, but the op is correct
Thought it was a penalty to voluntarily leave the field and not immediately return?
how do you figure he didn't think he'd get caught from behind? that defender wasn't that far back and he was slowing to juke, or take on a defender from the front.
It was flat out boneheaded holding of the football, and inexcusable. juke all you want, but having complete control of the ball is priority one. it is always priority one.
Carrying the ball like that is careless, but what's with the "inexcuseable" shit? I think I saw at least 5 plays yesterday where players fumbled after making a move in the open field. It happens a lot. A lot of nitpicking over a guy trying to make a huge play.
I can agree ... but a crackback block was totally impossible at that point in the play ...
It's funny, I actually texted Giant Mike after that play to say that Cruz looks back. The speed and moves he flashed were far more important than the fumble for me.
I thought the same thing. He looked like the Cruz of old on that play. Very encouraging.
Cruz also got too "Happy" on the run and, lost focus on his surroundings.
I googled it and found non-cited sources saying that you cannot run out of bounds to avoid a block and then re-enter and make a tackle. But I have not found the NFL Rule. I'm certain the rule exists, but it comes down to immediately return and leaving the field to avoid a block....Should ask Raanan...
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as a gunner that applies. Could be wrong though.
I googled it and found non-cited sources saying that you cannot run out of bounds to avoid a block and then re-enter and make a tackle. But I have not found the NFL Rule. I'm certain the rule exists, but it comes down to immediately return and leaving the field to avoid a block....Should ask Raanan...
Well watched the video and he was only out for two steps and it really didn't look like Tye influenced the play anyway, more that Hawley's (SP) momentum took him there.
Never mind
You can see Crawley has the angle on Cruz as Tye comes into the picture. Tye sets up for the block, and Crawley is forced to change direction to avoid Tye and reaches his hand out in vain as Cruz runs by. Tye didn't decide not to block him, Crawley went around his block. You are right, though, that if Tye had been about a foot closer to the sideline Crawley probably would not have been able to get back in the play later.
With the crack-back block rules and an emphasis on player safety, this is a tough block to make without drawing a penalty. He also has to make sure that as he is running to set up for the block he doesn't get too close to Cruz and force him out of bounds. It is unfortunate he couldn't have done a little more, but it was not lack of effort or a poor decision. He just wasn't able to get in the best position to make the play.
It's not a black-and-white thing, obviously, and I'm not suggesting that Victor Cruz should reinvent himself as Steve Smith. But the Giants can't afford for him to have many more days like the first 58 minutes on Sunday. And the game-winning play he ultimately made wasn't really an old-fashioned VC catch anyway. It was more reminiscent of Nicks (highly contested) or Manningham (deep down the sideline).
It's not a black-and-white thing, obviously, and I'm not suggesting that Victor Cruz should reinvent himself as Steve Smith. But the Giants can't afford for him to have many more days like the first 58 minutes on Sunday. And the game-winning play he ultimately made wasn't really an old-fashioned VC catch anyway. It was more reminiscent of Nicks (highly contested) or Manningham (deep down the sideline).
BBB I think more than anything else he needs to remember what was once natural. He was careless with the ball on the entire run - it was flying all over. That will now likely not happen again as it will subconsciously be remembered when he is running. It is little nuances that were natural before the injury that two years of inactivity he has lost and only playing time will recall.
I think after watching him run that he didn't lose a (half) step. He was never a burner. Rarely did he ever run away from anyone. He is likely the same speed as most DBs save a few, so once he gets one or two steps he's not going to get caught from behind.
That was his 1st big run and catch of the year and it was sloppy - like he was trying to hard - too many gyrations instead of just going.
NFL instructional video - ( New Window )
The reason why Cruz fumbled is because he was unaware of the defender - Cruz probably thought he went flying further out of bounds with his momentum, but the DB actually made a pretty athletic play and kept up his pursuit even after he initially missed the tackle.