Cut it out:Titans rip cut blocks

Fisher files complaint to NFL about Falcons

By STEVE WYCHE
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 08/23/05

Flowery Branch — Tennessee Titans coach Jeff Fisher filed a formal complaint with the NFL on Monday claiming that some Falcons players violated rules by illegally cut-blocking defenders' legs in the Titans' 24-21 exhibition victory Friday, the NFL confirmed.

"He has filed a complaint, and we are looking into it," NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said.

Fisher called the league office, where his concerns were noted then passed along to Gene Washington, the NFL's director of operations. If Washington feels discipline is in order, it will be levied by the end of this week, Aiello said.

Fisher cited unidentified, specific plays but did not make a sweeping indictment of the Falcons' practice of cut blocking — blocking a defender below his waist — along the line of scrimmage, Aiello said. Cut blocks are legal if the offensive player is within the tackle-to-tackle "box" and he blocks a forward-charging defender in the front of his body, not from the side.

No penalties for illegal cut blocks were called against the Falcons in the game.

"I've been around a lot of preseason games and never seen some of the things I saw out of their offensive line," Fisher told The Tennessean newspaper. "There are a couple things where player safety was really brought into question, and I want to make sure the league is aware of it."

Falcons coach Jim Mora, whom Fisher absolved of responsibility in his remarks to the Tennessean, was not aware of Fisher's complaint, but defended his team's blocking schemes, which include a heavy dose of cut-blocking.

"We play within the rules," Mora said. "Yes, we cut, but we emphasize and teach fair play. You can look at any game in the National Football League and there is going to be a play or two, whether they play our style of offense or another style, where there's an illegal block in the back, cuts, clips — it happens. We never, ever ask our guys to do anything illegal or to hurt anybody. We're not out to hurt anybody."

Alex Gibbs introduced the blocking scheme to the Falcons last season when he came from Denver to serve as offensive line coach. Gibbs is now a consultant to offensive line coach Jeff Jagodzinski, but remains actively involved in the day-to-day coaching of the offensive line.

With Denver, Gibbs's offensive line was regularly criticized for its quick-hitting, below-the-waist blocking techniques, which routinely produced 1,000-yard-plus rushers.

The Falcons led the NFL in rushing last season with 2,672 yards.

"I've sat in meetings with Alex and I've watched every installation he's done, and I've never, ever heard him talk about hurting a guy," Mora said. "He does not do that."

Fisher also said the Falcons were not called for holding as much as they should have.

"We forced a lot of hold situations," Fisher said. "Two or three were called and they could have called another five or six."

Falcons guard Kynan Forney took offense to Fisher's remarks.

"We only do what's legal," Forney said. "They tackle our backs, we're going to cut them. Nobody says anything when a running back gets tackled and they're holding him up and everybody is jumping on that pile.

"When we cut them, that's just how it goes. It's football. Whenever we cut block somebody, it's in front of them, it's legal.

"[The NFL] showed us a tape this year and we're doing what they showed us was legal. We're not taking any cheap shots. That's just people trying to find something to cry about. They're trying something to take away from what somebody does best, and that's one of the things we do well — cut-block people."

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