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Stiff-arm


Mickalino

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A real stiff-arm is meant to stop the player by the chest. That way their arms are flailing and they can't run through you.

But it's really hard to stop an NFL player with just one arm, considering its that one arm vs. at least 200+ pounds of refined athlete. So instead they grab the face because a neck jerk like that can just as easily stop a tackler.

If you want to look at how a mediocre player resorts to the facemask, look at Marion the Librarian. He's strong, but he really just pushes you back by the head with his stiffarm, which is very illegal, not to mention dangerous.

If you must know, yes (A long, long time ago :D). I was asking a safety issue, not an issue of how to play the game. Have you ever stiff armed a defender in the chest? I have. It works just as effectively as one to the face if you do it right.

But it requires a lot of strength.

Imagine trying to slow a person down with just one hand against their chest. You can do this to a 5-year old, but not a professional athlete.

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];7109792']

But it requires a lot of strength.

Imagine trying to slow a person down with just one hand against their chest. You can do this to a 5-year old' date=' but not a professional athlete.[/quote']

Exactly, which is why a stiff arm to the jaw area is the best way of re directing someone.

Stiff arms to the chest are a lot less effective, think about it this way. You use a halter to lead a horse, or a stronger breeds of dog, the halter is attached to their face because a horses body will follow what ever driection the horse is pulled. The same goes for a human, if you twist or re-direct someones head, their body has no other option but to the same direction.

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];7109792']A real stiff-arm is meant to stop the player by the chest. That way their arms are flailing and they can't run through you.

But it's really hard to stop an NFL player with just one arm' date=' considering its that one arm vs. at least 200+ pounds of refined athlete. So instead they grab the face because a neck jerk like that can just as easily stop a tackler.

If you want to look at how a mediocre player resorts to the facemask, look at Marion the Librarian. He's strong, but he really just pushes you back by the head with his stiffarm, which is very illegal, not to mention dangerous.

But it requires a lot of strength.

Imagine trying to slow a person down with just one hand against their chest. You can do this to a 5-year old, but not a professional athlete.[/quote']

Yes it does. It is harder, but I was talking about player safety and he brought up a stiff arm to the face vs. a stiff arm to the chest. I've seen guys do both and realize the chest is harder to do, but it's also safer.

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I've seen offensive players get a face mask penalty for a "stiff arm" that grabs the defensive guys mask- and was surprised McFadden didn't get called yesterday. Its one thing to push them back, but McFadden had a hold on Landry's helmet for a good 5-10 yards.

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I've seen offensive players get a face mask penalty for a "stiff arm" that grabs the defensive guys mask- and was surprised McFadden didn't get called yesterday. Its one thing to push them back, but McFadden had a hold on Landry's helmet for a good 5-10 yards.

They probably didn't call it, because McFadden did it to "Dirty Laundry"

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  • 1 year later...

Was watching some game the other day (forget whether it was college or pro). Anyway, the runner (can't remember if he was a WR or RB) was about to get tackled near the sidelines and he reached out to stiff arm the defender. Only he grasped the facemask of the defender and violently twisted on his helmet, to the point where his helmet nearly came off. To my suprise, they actually threw the flag on the offensive player. And it was the right call. But you just don't see it called on the runner that many times.

A "stiff-arm" is completely legal, and should be. But when you grab the defender's facemask and don't let go immediately, then you should be flagged every time.

Btw, there was a great stiff-arm in the Carolina-New Orleans game yesterday. Steve Smith went high to catch a pass over a Saints defender. And as he's coming down, he stiff arms the guy to the ground. Great play.

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Ball carriers are a minority that make up less than 10% of the offense. Therefore, they get to play by a different set of rules, and don't get penalized for things that the majority would. :paranoid: ;)

Sounds like it's time to OCCUPY CANTON.

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Just touching a facemask as a defensive player is no longer a penalty, they have to obviously grab/yank/pull it now, that rule was changed this past offseason.

See rule 5 http://national-football-league-nfl.suite101.com/article.cfm/nfl_rule_changes_for_2008

Except when a Redskin lightly touches a Cowboy's facemask, ala DHall on Dez Bryant. Then it's 15 yards and the game.

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