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A self-proclaimed expert on the human body south of the ankleformer Jets and Bills head coach Rex Ryan calls for quarterbacks to “dive” at opponents’ feet. This is instead of shifting the path Trevor Lawrence did that Sunday to prevent quarterbacks from suffering concussions, as the Jacksonville signal caller did after a cheap shot from linebacker Azeez Al-Shair of the Houston Texans.
Speaking on ESPN’s Get up! about the impending suspension repeat offender Al-Shaair receives from the N.F.LRyan extolled the virtues of taking a dip instead of a slide.
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“Two to three of these happen every week. I’m tired of it,” Ryan said. “You’re not protecting your quarterback if you teach him to slide when it’s not in the open field. Open field? Sure, that’s great. Absolutely not here. If you want to get a concussion, that’s how you slide on contact.”
“They should learn to dive on the defenders’ ankles. Or run the football and keep your head out of it. I mean, believe me, I would take a defender’s ankles. Run there, dive for his ankles. ” The man immediately starts to protect himself; he’s not worried about tackling you.”
It’s an interesting angle and certainly one that may have some validity considering quarterbacks often take hits while sliding, a maneuver that is theoretically supposed to prevent – not cause – injuries.
As we saw on Sunday with Lawrence and Al-Shaair, who insisted he’s not a dirty player and publicly apologized for potentially ending Lawrence’s season, theories don’t always materialize during the blowout play of a N.F.L game.
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“This happens all the time when someone is just trying to make a tackle,” Ryan said. “This is a big quarterback walking around here. I’m so tired of it. Let’s make a movie and actually teach our young quarterbacks how to protect themselves. I’m tired of it.”
Is diving at defenders the solution to the problem or is there another way for QBs-turned-ballhandlers to protect themselves? Staying behind the line of scrimmage and passing the ball seems like a natural solution, but the way football is played today is basically a non-starter.
Maybe Ryan has a point. Our chance to find out is next week.
For more information about the N.F.Lgo to Newsweek Sports.
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