It’s the excitement of last NFL week: Azeez Al-Shaair’s tackle on Trevor Lawrence. But is it really that clear?
Jacksonville/Florida – In my NFL column today I’m looking at probably the biggest upset of the week: the bad tackle against Trevor Lawrence (25). And we address the question: Is it really always the defender’s fault?
Risked too much for a first down and was caught hard: Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence will hopefully be fit again soon. © MIKE CARLSON / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / GETTY IMAGES VIA AFP
Let’s summarize: The Houston Texans are visiting the Jacksonville Jaguars. There are still a good four minutes until halftime, the home team has the ball almost at the halfway line, the guests are leading 6-0.
Please note that it is the second attempt and seven yards must be reached until the next first down.
Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence keeps the play, runs down the left side and accelerates towards the first down marker.
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Opposite him is linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair (27) and he does what linebackers do when a ball carrier runs into their area: knock him down. That’s his job.
The impact is violent. Trevor Lawrence does us the Tua and lies completely dazed and cramped on the ground and is driven off the pitch. There are flags flying, boos from the stands, brawls among the players.
In the replay you can see how Al-Shaair hits Lawrence with his forearms first, first in the upper chest and then in the head. But so unfortunate that he hits the back of his head badly. Nobody wants to see that and one can only hope that Lawrence is fit again quickly without any consequences.
Quarterbacks risk everything because others get the penalties
Houston, you have a problem: Linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair (M.) is pushed to the sideline by his teammates after a fight on the field. © MIKE CARLSON / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / GETTY IMAGES VIA AFP
We, the fans, but also the NFL have been making it very easy for ourselves for years: the defense always takes the penalties in such situations.
Trevor Lawrence begins to noticeably (!) give up his run and slide about two or three yards before impact. Not five yards, as many claim.
Do you know what two meters on the field means when two players rush towards each other?
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Al-Shaair is already about to jump to defend the first down. If you don’t pull through as a defender, you’ll hurt yourself. For what?
Because the QB doesn’t get his ass down three yards early on 2nd & 7? Or doesn’t run further left out of bounds instead of into contact? Lawrence would have had significantly more time to make these decisions than the Defender.
To be honest, Azeez Al-Shaair has often attracted negative attention and has now been banned for three games without pay – that’s around $265,000 – because of his multiple violations.
Even Tom Brady takes the defense’s side
Author Marco Schimpfhauser, who was a football player for eleven years himself, is in favor of making the offensive players more responsible. © Tag24/Schimpfhauser
But in this case, we shouldn’t forget one thing: we’re talking about milliseconds to react – in free flight, while the other person is moving.
What to do? The NFL needs to finally impose rules: The defense cannot constantly be forced to slow down – and potentially self-harm – because the QBs exploit the one-sided penalty/protection system unfairly (greetings to the Chiefs) or to the point of no return .
This exact scam has already been responded to in college football.
Even quarterback legend Tom Brady (47) now says that it shouldn’t be at the expense of the defenders to protect a running QB. I agree with him. Let the defense players do their job. A quarterback has his pocket and better protection rules than the other players.
If he then thinks he has to run over the line of scrimmage, then he should – but then please with all the consequences.
Title photo: Editing: Mike Carlson / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP (2)
