Dolphins linebacker Chop Robinson isn’t complaining about the controversial roughing the passer call he got against Patrick Mahomes on Sunday, but he’s flat-out wondering what else he could have done. He was asked directly what he could have done to avoid the penalty, which officials flagged for landing on Mahomes with his body weight, and Robinson’s answer was simple: “I’m honestly not too sure.” That admission isn’t just about one play; it shines a spotlight on a massive problem that’s making life impossible for every defensive player in the league.
The “Body Weight” Rule Is Driving Defenders Nuts
It’s easy to say “don’t land on the quarterback with your body weight,” right? Try telling that to a guy like Robinson, who’s flying full speed, trying to make a game-changing play. He said he tried to put his hands down to break his own fall on top of Mahomes. But apparently, that wasn’t enough. His plan going forward? “Just put my hands out earlier,” he said, before adding that it’s “a football play.” It’s a classic case of trying to make an instinctive, chaotic moment fit into a precise, impossible rulebook. Robinson’s forced resignation, “that’s what they called, so that’s what we got to play on. Next play,” tells you everything you need to know about the uphill battle these guys are facing every single Sunday.
You Can’t Practice What You Can’t Do
Here’s the kicker: how are defenders supposed to “practice” hitting a quarterback without landing on them when they literally aren’t allowed to hit quarterbacks in practice? Robinson hit that nail on the head when asked about it. “I don’t know, that’s a hard question. When you can’t really work it, you can’t hit a” he stated, leaving the thought hanging because the answer is obvious: you can’t. It’s a completely unworkable situation, forcing these guys to learn on the fly in live game situations where the stakes couldn’t be higher. Every defensive coordinator and player in the league has to be fuming over this, watching their guys get flagged for trying to play football.
This is the early regular season grind, folks, where every call, every play, feels like it matters that much more. While Robinson and the Dolphins try to figure out how to tackle without tackling, our own Seahawks fought a tough battle this weekend, dropping a close one 31-33 to the Commanders. It’s early, but you know Mike Macdonald and the squad will be pushing hard to clean things up for the next time out. We’re all watching to see who figures out the early season puzzles.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pro Football Talk.
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