While watching today's game, Devin Hester was running back a punt and while heading for the sidelines, he straight armed a defender to the face. I have seen this many times and wondered why runners are allowed to straight arm to the face but no one is allowed to. The "hall of famers" announcers from fox thought that he should have gotten a penalty. On the same play, I person on the sidelined leveled Hester as he ran out of bounds and was penalized for it. The "hall of famers" announcers from fox thought that he was just protecting himself. Aren't players on the sidelines taught to get out of the way? I won't go on and on about the "hall of famers" announcers from fox as this isn't the right forum to do so but would like to know the answers to my two questions. thanks

A 'straight arm' is legal but Hester runs the risk of being called for a face mask penalty.  As far as the out of bounds call, the Packers player put his arms up as if to block Devin, which could cause serious injury.  Most of the time playerds move out of the way or try to catch the runner by wrapping their arms around them.

chgodvr:

A 'straight arm' is legal but Hester runs the risk of being called for a face mask penalty.  As far as the out of bounds call, the Packers player put his arms up as if to block Devin, which could cause serious injury.  Most of the time playerds move out of the way or try to catch the runner by wrapping their arms around them.

That was straight up dirty by the Packer sideline and hope there are heavy fines waiting for that retard

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i'm tired of resizing pics. Please see the rules of having pride for your team.

Farmerdan:

While watching today's game, Devin Hester was running back a punt and while heading for the sidelines, he straight armed a defender to the face. I have seen this many times and wondered why runners are allowed to straight arm to the face but no one is allowed to. The "hall of famers" announcers from fox thought that he should have gotten a penalty. On the same play, I person on the sidelined leveled Hester as he ran out of bounds and was penalized for it. The "hall of famers" announcers from fox thought that he was just protecting himself. Aren't players on the sidelines taught to get out of the way? I won't go on and on about the "hall of famers" announcers from fox as this isn't the right forum to do so but would like to know the answers to my two questions. thanks

Back in the day, when a player from another team ran out of bounds on the Bears sidelines he was laid flat. Every time.

Especially Packer players.

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thats a proper stiff arm.  Guys like Payton and emmit smith were masters of the stiff arm, the whole point is to get a hand basically on a players facemask (with fingers straight) and basically either use the leverage to shove a guys head down and make him fall, or shove his helmet up (like marshall faulk is doing here) and disorientate them..

 

for some reason hester hasnt gotten the fingers striaght part, and he often just grabs a guys facemask and rips it down (which is illegal).  But on the particular play you were talking about, it was a pure stiff arm that wouldve made sweetness proud, and a cheapshot by some fatso who wont be in the league next year.

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