Unsportsmanlike Calls?

[Cliff]

If a running back takes the snap as the QB would he get the same protections?

[Bowhunting Viking]

I just went and looked up the rules on the NFL rules page after reading your post. It reads that ANY player giving themselves up sliding feet first or head first, are considered giving themselves up. At that point the ball is placed where they gave themselves up , and they cannot be hit by a defensive player. I try to keep up on all the rules as much as possible, and I will admit that I didn't realize it applied to a RB.
That being said, it's another stupid rule favoring the offense and I feel it needs to be reviewed and changed. We are inching closer and closer to becoming the NFFL.... the National FLAG FOOTBALL LEAGUE

[Cliff]

I just went and looked up the rules on the NFL rules page after reading your post. It reads that ANY player giving themselves up sliding feet first or head first, are considered giving themselves up. At that point the ball is placed where they gave themselves up , and they cannot be hit by a defensive player. I try to keep up on all the rules as much as possible, and I will admit that I didn't realize it applied to a RB.
That being said, it's another stupid rule favoring the offense and I feel it needs to be reviewed and changed. We are inching closer and closer to becoming the NFFL.... the National FLAG FOOTBALL LEAGUE

Thanks for looking that up.

Seems like that would encourage more RBs giving themselves up. Save on injury and draw penalties. Make the defense pull up when they might not have before the penalties. I wonder if we'll see something like that happening before it's over.

[Bowhunting Viking]

I just went and looked up the rules on the NFL rules page after reading your post. It reads that ANY player giving themselves up sliding feet first or head first, are considered giving themselves up. At that point the ball is placed where they gave themselves up , and they cannot be hit by a defensive player. I try to keep up on all the rules as much as possible, and I will admit that I didn't realize it applied to a RB.
That being said, it's another stupid rule favoring the offense and I feel it needs to be reviewed and changed. We are inching closer and closer to becoming the NFFL.... the National FLAG FOOTBALL LEAGUE

Thanks for looking that up.

Seems like that would encourage more RBs giving themselves up. Save on injury and draw penalties. Make the defense pull up when they might not have before the penalties. I wonder if we'll see something like that happening before it's over.

You bet. That's the concerning part for me, the issue of penalties. Any smart RB that needs 8 yrds for a 1st down and sees no possibility of being able to get the yardage could see a defender committing, just "give himself up", draw the penalty and get the automatic 1st down. Pretty much how Trubisky did with Harry last week.
It's one of those by rule it's the correct call, but it is a horrible rule that can result in a call that can change the outcome of a game.