Case study Robert Quinn and Ryan Clady - I no longer understand offensive holding

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junkman

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junkman
Robert Quinn is a stud, who possesses a magical and optimal combination of strength, speed, leverage and technique which he utilizes to hunt for opposing QBs. There is no questioning this. But does the fact that he's a stud make it OK for opposing left tackles to hold him with impunity?

There's a technique I've been watching all year employed by the LTs who play the Rams. Seattle's Okung does it constantly. So does Staley from San Fran. But even though the Rams have benefited from 9 offensive holding penalties this year against the opposing OLs, I was shocked at how few were LTs facing Quinn. Here's the full list:
Anthony Collins, Tampa
Joe Staley, SF
Ryan Clady, Denver.

Yes, 3 times. That's it. Quinn has been held only 3 times all year.

So that's why it was shocking to me this week that they called 3 offensive holding penalties against the Denver OL, boosting the total for the year from 6 to 9. But this actually begs the question, where have these flags been all year?

http://www.nflpenalties.com/team/st-louis-rams?year=2014

In fairness, I don't expect the refs to call EVERY OL holding penalty against the opposition, maybe just the really egregious penalties. But when those egregious infractions occur and no flag is thrown, I become livid!

For the purposes of illustration, here't the particular technique that Clady was using all day against Quinn and the outside speed rush. It's the "stop moving your feet, but instead put your left hand across Quinn's chest or grab his arm as he's passing you" technique. I'm come up with the handy and pithy acronym for this, the SMUF-BIPYL-HAQ-COG-HAAH-PU technique. You can think of it either as martial arts employed by offensive lineman, or a sound you make when you have the flu.

But I digress... here's the technique in still shots, used twice in Denver's final drive in the game when there still was a theoretical chance that Denver could make a comeback.

1st and 10 at the 25 (after the bogus off-sides penalty against the Rams on the kickoff):

At the snap, it's clear Quinn is speed rushing. Clady looks like he's going to move his feet
upload_2014-11-18_10-41-50.png


~~

A blink later, Quinn is already even with Clady, and you can see SMUF-BIPYL-HAQ-COG-HAAH-PU at work. Quinn tries to rip, but Clady's arm is too high for this to be effective.

upload_2014-11-18_10-42-31.png


~~

Blink again, and Quinn has Manning in his sights, except that Clady has gone from SMUF-BIPYL-HAQ-COG-HAAH-PU to Jiu Jitsu.

upload_2014-11-18_10-43-15.png


~~

Blink one more time, and we have the final still. Jiu Jitsu is no longer the technique at work. Royce Gracie would be ashamed of this. Quinn's arms are flailed upwards and his head is being pulled back at his neck in what could only be described as a back alley mugging. You can see that Quinn has fought through the "blocking" and is right on top of Manning as he's ready to throw. Clearly, if not for the choke-hold, would clearly be a sack. You have to wonder, what was the ref looking at if not this?? This play wound up being a 15 yard pass and a first down for Denver at the 40. No flag.

upload_2014-11-18_10-47-28.png



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Same drive (on the "pick a rib" play), Clady uses SMUF-BIPYL-HAQ-COG-HAAH-PU again. No comments this time, just pictures. But you can see same technique from another angle.

upload_2014-11-18_10-56-40.png


upload_2014-11-18_10-57-6.png


upload_2014-11-18_10-57-21.png


upload_2014-11-18_10-58-33.png



If this is not offensive holding, I clearly don't know what offensive holding is, which is why I had to come up with a new term for this technique. Since I clearly don't understand anything about proper blocking technique, I'll just say that even if SMUF-BIPYL-HAQ-COG-HAAH-PU is not illegal, it is most certainly dangerous.

It is a bit of karmic justice that this last sequence wound up as the "pick a rib" play. No flags at all. But nobody was really focused on Robert Quinn after this play who had been chocked and had his head dragged backwards for the 2nd time on the same drive.

Poor Quinn. Is it his fault that he's such a stud?
 

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Robocop

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somebody needs to check out how many holding calls the top 5 sack leaders have.
 

fearsomefour

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Quinn needs to start getting some of these calls. It really changes what an offense can do. HAVING to keep a RB or TE in because Quinn has drawn 4 holding calls changes the O. Quinn should be able to have a big game vs. San Diego if the refs call even a couple of holds.
 

Jumava1968

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I know the refs protect the so called elite QB's of the league.But with all BULLSHIT calls and non calls this year it would appear at least in the referees eyes, that everyone we play is a elite QB.
 

junkman

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  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #7
Nice work @junkman ! Now please forward your work to the league office.

I know the refs protect the so called elite QB's of the league.But with all bullcrap calls and non calls this year it would appear at least in the referees eyes, that everyone we play is a elite QB.

The part that really gets under my skin is that anytime you talk about it, the reply is the same. "Oh, everybody gets held. Watch this play - they tugged at the shirt of my RDE. That's illegal and they didn't call it!" Yeeah, ok.
 

Pancake

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The refs are so bad this year. Another none call I keep seeing is offensive PI. Everybody is pushing off now.
 

BigRamFan

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The part that really gets under my skin is that anytime you talk about it, the reply is the same. "Oh, everybody gets held. Watch this play - they tugged at the shirt of my RDE. That's illegal and they didn't call it!" Yeeah, ok.
I posted in another thread about a friend of mine telling me the same BS on Sunday. I understand everything is not going to be called but call all of the egregious fouls from the first whistle and the OL will "remember" what the rules are.
 

mr.stlouis

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Main Hook
Qinn needs to Vasaline his arms and Jersey. That shouldn't be illegal being they shouldn't be grabbing.
 

Selassie I

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Been saying it all year.

The name on the jersey determines what call the refs make.

This is a lesson that the NFL learned from the NBA. The casual NBA fan is oblivious to the fact that King James travels just about 50% of the time he handles the ball... Star power sells.

The NFL clearly wants to make sure the most popular teams/players are "protected"... The casual NFL fan has no idea what holding is either. At least that's what the NFL believes to be true.

There's just no excuse for the obvious refusal to enforce the rule book. It's a fucking sham.
 

BigRamFan

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Quinn gets mugged on almost every snap of every game, it disgusting
It will never happen, but I would love to hear his honest take on this. It's got to be pissing him off!
 

theramsruleUK

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I think Quinn has to be a bit cuter with this
If the tackle is constantly holding him, he has to make the most of it. Throw your damn hands in the air as if he's dragging you to hell. Constantly talking to the ref to let him know what's happening.
Fall over once or twice if you have to so the ref has no choice but to flag it.
 

TheDYVKX

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Don't understand how you can sit there and strangle someone for a good 3 seconds play after play and the refs don't see it at all.
 

BonifayRam

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Perhaps Quinn, himself, should complain more to the refs.

Maybe Memphis, however I just do not think that's Robert Quinn's way.

He is one of my favorite Rams we sure got lucky on the Billy & Spags #14 selection. Just think if you are a Titans, Jaguars, Vikings & Lions fans who's team selected before the Rams & took players like Ponder, Locker, Gabbert & Fairley and passed on the very young & red flagged Robert Quinn.:LOL:

I used to give Quinn a hard time about his mistakes in playing the run but now He may be even better in his attack of the run than his killer pass rush moves. I can wait to see Long back in action to help Hayes, Sims & Quinn on the DE rotations.
 
Last edited:

ChrisW

Stating the obvious
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At the very least, send it to Fisher, with a note to please use this information!

Fisher is aware and even commented on it in the Jeff Fisher show this week. Give it a listen if you get about 45 mins to spare. I play it in the car on the way home from work.
 

NukeRam

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He would shatter the sack record if he wasn't held on most plays!