Patriots linebacker Shea McClellin made a spectacular play on Monday night against the Ravens, leaping over the line to block a field goal. But it raises a question: If McClellin can do that, why doesn’t he do it every time the opposing team lines up for a kick?
McClellin says the reason it’s not easy to do every time is less about the leaping than about the timing: If you jump too early you risk a five-yard offside penalty, and if you jump too late you risk making contact with a player coming out of his stance, which is a 15-yard penalty for leaping.
“It’s a lot of things,” McClellin said, via CSNNE.com. “It’s the guys up front, making sure they hold those guys down so they don’t jump into me when I’m jumping. Getting the right height. And I think the most important thing is the timing, for sure. If you’re there two seconds before they snap it, it’s a penalty. Could’ve gotten a penalty, but fortunately it worked out.”
McClellin hinted that he saw something on tape about the Ravens’ field goal unit that tipped him off on when the snap would come, but he declined to give any details.
“I don’t want to give that away for other teams,” McClellin said.
Whatever it was, the Ravens would be wise to figure it out, as other teams will now be trying to time their blocks against the Ravens as well.
