It's no secret that the modern NFL is very lenient on quarterbacks. The prized signal caller is the most infantile position in the NFL. Breathing at a QB the wrong way can almost punish you. With this in mind, it's time for the NFL to stop allowing QBs to weaponize their privilege under the guise of sliding.
My favorite Bills quarterback, Josh Allen, perfectly utilized a fake slide en route to a 53-yard touchdown run in Monday's AFC Wild Card Game.
Allen, who was running at full speed toward a Steelers defender, slowed his feet as if he was about to slip and stopped the Steelers defender in his path, then after pretending to stop the Steelers' advance. I immediately resumed running. Allen still had forward momentum and was able to easily shake off two weak-arm tackles from defenders who stopped tackling him from his position of strength.
The defense was probably trying to avoid costly and unnecessary roughness penalties that are often called in today's games when someone brushes the quarterback.
It's very difficult to play defense now.
Josh Allen's fake slide leads to TD
Josh Allen's late sliding leads to personal foul#Steelers pic.twitter.com/fpmcqbgCKn— Tony Clements (@TonyCMKE) January 16, 2024
The referees gave those flags a quick, perfect index finger late in the game, penalizing Steelers linebacker Myles Jack for hitting a sliding Allen. The flag went up even though Jack stopped the car when he saw Allen slipping. (Related: Pittsburgh Steelers head coach leaves stage left during question about expiring contract – will he return?)
Quarterbacks need to be able to hit when coming out of the pocket. Modern NFL defenders have been completely nerfed. With rules like this, how are safeties supposed to play anymore?
The NFL needs to follow the NCAA's lead. After this they banned fake slides. On the obviously epic Kenny Pickett touchdown run, he pulled off the smoothest fake slide I've ever seen in Pittsburgh in 2021.
Impossible to defend! Either attack the QB and risk a suspension and hefty fine, or let him score. It's a no-win situation for the defender. It's time to ban it forever.
