When you're beat, don't turn your head...

[thunderkyss]

A lot of times I hear people complain because our DB didn't turn his head. As if DBs are always told to turn there head.

First, DBs, especially CBs are at such a disadvantage that there can never be one technique that addresses every situation. You have no idea what that receiver is going to do, you have no idea what that QB is going to do, but it is your job to stop them from completing a pass.

So anyway... just as an example of a time a DB should not turn his head, I give you this video at the top of this story.

The safety is beat. He knows he is beat. But he turns his head (trying to find the ball) & it gets him even more beat. This is one of those situations where the DB should key off the receiver & try to affect his ability to come down with the ball.

Now... if your complaint is that our DBs get beat too often, that's a different argument.

 

[The Pencil Neck]

Yeah... but... that's a totally different situation with that safety.

I don't think anyone was complaining that he didn't turn his head. He was beat and just trying to get back.

You complain about someone not turning their head when they're close to the receiver with their back to the QB and they get called for PI because they raise their arms, waving them around in front of the receiver's face, without turning their own damn heads.

Different case, I think.

 

[thunderkyss]

Yeah... but... that's a totally different situation with that safety.

I don't think anyone was complaining that he didn't turn his head. He was beat and just trying to get back.

You complain about someone not turning their head when they're close to the receiver with their back to the QB and they get called for PI because they raise their arms, waving them around in front of the receiver's face, without turning their own damn heads.

Different case, I think.

Nah..... same thing to me. I complain that the refs called PI on that one if the DB doesn't make contact, or it's incidental & had nothing to do with the receiver not catching the ball (like it hits the DB in the back).

I mean we go ga-ga over guys keeping their toes in bounds, we should celebrate a guy not touching a receiver in that situation.

But the point was how the guy turned his head & fell even further behind. That video showed exactly why you don't want him turning his head. Not that anyone was complaining that he turned his head, I'm using him to demonstrate why you don't. Especially when you're beat.

 

[The Pencil Neck]

Nah..... same thing to me. I complain that the refs called PI on that one if the DB doesn't make contact, or it's incidental & had nothing to do with the receiver not catching the ball (like it hits the DB in the back).

I mean we go ga-ga over guys keeping their toes in bounds, we should celebrate a guy not touching a receiver in that situation.

But the point was how the guy turned his head & fell even further behind. That video showed exactly why you don't want him turning his head. Not that anyone was complaining that he turned his head, I'm using him to demonstrate why you don't. Especially when you're beat.

Point it out to me the next time someone complains about a DB not turning their head in that situation because I don't think it ever happens.

 

[xtruroyaltyx]

The whole not turning your head thing is dumb. Not the topic you bring up....But players actually getting flagged for not turning their head.

Call the rules how they are. How it looks should not come into the equation.

 

[infantrycak]

Call the rules how they are. How it looks should not come into the equation.

There is a rule distinction. A DB has an equal right and opportunity to receive the ball. Contact is fair game in that instance. Not looking rules that out. Therefore similar appearing contact is not part of attempting to catch the ball and is improper.

Another source for the criticism is missed oppotunites to intercept. Dude may have great coverage, ball is underthrown, DB doesn't look back to see it and the WR holds up and makes the play. We've seen a lot of those with AJ.

TK has a point that the criticism is leveled at times when it should not be.

 

[Vance87]

It's really about playing the ball more than turning your head. DBs get called for not playing the ball, which inevitably will be putting his arms up in the air or on the WR when the ball is about to be caught, but not having their head turned around. That is "playing the man" and a penalty.

In that video the safety is too far away to play the ball so turning his head doesn't even matter. Even if he ran full speed at Hopkins he wouldn't have reached him in time to break up the pass.

 

[thunderkyss]

It's really about playing the ball more than turning your head. DBs get called for not playing the ball, which inevitably will be putting his arms up in the air or on the WR when the ball is about to be caught, but not having their head turned around. That is "playing the man" and a penalty.

Kinda-sorta... I'm trying to picture what you're saying & I still envision contact that is not directed at the ball. In that case, it's pass interference even if the ball hits the DB in the bum.

But Kareem Jackson & Glover Quin were pretty good about getting into position between the receiver & the ball, preventing the receiver from catching the ball. They wouldn't turn their head, they wouldn't touch the receiver & still get flagged.

I have a problem with that & turning his head wouldn't have changed my opinion, he's playing the man... but there is no contact.

Flip it a little bit, if I've got a receiver trying to catch the ball in front of my DB & he jumps around the receiver to get a hand on the ball... there's going to be a lot of contact there, but he's playing the ball. I wouldn't call that pass interference if he deflects the ball, regardless of contact. However, if he doesn't get a hand on the ball & the receiver doesn't catch the ball, I'd call that all day long.

So back to your example. If he's in front of the receiver, side by side with the receiver, or whatever & he turns his head... if he swipes at the ball & there's incidental contact, I wouldn't call that PI. But if he turns his head & his hands are on the receiver, trying to get the receiver's arm down or any way impede the action of the catch, I'm calling PI.

To me, turning his head doesn't automatically mean he's playing the ball. Not turning his head, doesn't necessarily mean that he's not.

Contact should be primary issue though. If there's no contact, I don't care what the DB is looking at or where his head is pointed.

In that video the safety is too far away to play the ball so turning his head doesn't even matter. Even if he ran full speed at Hopkins he wouldn't have reached him in time to break up the pass.

I want my DB to be interested first & foremost in stopping the ball from being caught... well actually I'd like for him to influence whether the ball is thrown in the first place, but that's a different story.

In this case, I believe had he not looked for the ball, he is in no position to make a play when he does, I'd have rather he kept running to the receiver & knock the snot out of him (no blows to the head) to prevent him from coming down with the ball.

You're right, he'll never get into position to break up the pass, but if he hadn't lost ground (by looking back) he could have wrapped up Hopkins legs, where Hop would have had to hold on to the ball when he hit the ground.

 

[klockWork]

After 15 yards I rather have all my defender turned to play the ball because the numbers are in their favor. Just think about all the deep passes that is thrown in the NFL. Most deep passes will not hit a WR in stride. They either are over or under thrown. Even if the passes hit a WR in stride it would still be highly difficult to put your hands up on time and at the right place to break it up.

By playing the ball you virtually eliminate a pi flag on you. That means the QB won't be rewarded for off target throws. You increase your int drastically. You basically forcing them to be perfect on every pass. But yeah sure, more WR will end up on sportscenter taking 80 yards passes to the house because Db's got burn playing the ball that hit a receiver in stride. But I'm willing to bet for every perfectly executed bomb plays, at least 5 INT's will be produce when you play the ball. That's a ratio worth gambling on.