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As if defenders didn't have a hard enough time trying to bring down opposing quarterbacks without drawing a flag, the NFL appears to be making their lives that much more difficult.
According to NFL V.P. of Officiating Dean Blandino, the NFL is spending more time with officials in instructing them on keeping an eye out for low hits on quarterbacks.
This isn't a change in the rules, of course, but added emphasis on something the league feels they got away from last season, according to Blandino.
"One is low hits on the quarterback in the passing posture," Blandino said. "That was something that we did see an increase in last year, so the competition committee wants us to emphasize that. The quarterback in the passing posture in the pocket gets protected from hits in the knee area or below — forcible hits. And it's incumbent on the defender to avoid (that area) when the contact is avoidable. That will be an emphasis point. We've spent a lot of time with coaching staffs, and spent a lot of time looking at game video with our game officials."
So no hits to the head, or the lower body. The margin for error is will continue to be small if you're a defensive lineman trying to bring down the quarterback.
[h/t Pro Football Talk]
