Despite looking like the league’s most dangerous offense for much of the regular season, the Miami Dolphins saw their 2023 campaign come to an end on Saturday in a frigid game at Arrowhead Stadium. And though the offense was quiet throughout the night, the Dolphins could’ve had a chance to get the ball back down 12 points with 13 minutes to play.
Yet, a no-call on an apparent holding and a roughing the passer penalty extended the drive, which result in a Chiefs touchdown. Dolphins fans were fuming about the no-call, but it turns out that the refs were correct to swallow the whistle on the play.
Ignore the blatant hold on the left tackle and call a roughing the passer to bail the Chiefs out on 3rd and 20. It’s beyond laughable at this point anymore. Key moments and it never fails. pic.twitter.com/L4AvE9hsBR
— jtchags2208 (@ChagnonJason) January 14, 2024
We do see an apparent hold by the Chiefs’ Donovan Smith on Justin Houston. But there’s a reason it wasn’t called: the rip-move exception. A rip move is a pass-rush technique where the rusher will rip through the protection by going low and swinging through in almost an uppercut motion.
Houston tried to do that on the play, and NFL rules allow offensive linemen to counter rip moves with blocks that would normally be called holding.
in the rulebook and everything pic.twitter.com/PZyG7G2nQZ
— Nate Tice (@Nate_Tice) January 14, 2024
When the refs identified the rip move, they allowed for Smith’s hold to go uncalled. The Dolphins, of course, didn’t help themselves either by roughing Patrick Mahomes at the end of the play. That’s what really made the difference — the hold/non-hold would have resulted in a Chiefs punt had that roughing never occurred. A similar play happened last year during the Chiefs-Bengals game.
While the refs did call the play correctly, fans still had plenty of thoughts on the play and how little broadcasts mention the rip-move exception.
This was how Twitter reacted
Two things
1. Houston did a great job selling this.2. I'm begging fans to learn what a Rip move is and what the legal counters to it are https://t.co/NZSCj3bHOr
— Mitko (@PJMitko) January 14, 2024
I love twitter, but unfortunately it has given a massive platform to people like this who simply don’t know ball. https://t.co/fU0wfac7jq
— Ryan Grande (@Grander944) January 14, 2024
People really need to learn about how holding is basically legal when the rusher uses the rip technique. I get so tired of seeing these guys that don't know how line play works yell for holds when the rusher creates the hold off a rip. This isn't a flag. https://t.co/likhRgAm7A
— .Akr (@Akr_Baby) January 14, 2024
He used a rip move. Nullifies holding. Helps to know the rules. pic.twitter.com/mBnYpkXM3v
— Brad Ziegler (@BradZiegler) January 14, 2024
Rip move = no holding we're in 2024 man https://t.co/FyoFp5S1te
— J🇵🇸 (@Truevillany) January 14, 2024
I watch football as much as is humanly possible, I had *no* idea that this was literally in the rule book!
Nate quotes the rule book in the subsequent tweet… You'd think this would have made a broadcast at least once in my life. Who knew!?! https://t.co/0ei7plZiaX
— nick wright (@getnickwright) January 14, 2024
It's sad that a lot of people don't know this. https://t.co/6SHWVZyK0k
— Here goes nothing (@Middletron) January 14, 2024
I have been calling this holding for the longest. Had no idea about this rule. Nice to learn something new. May allow me to get less pissed during games lol https://t.co/AAnQQUxN22
— Michael Vazquez 🇵🇷 (@mikev787) January 14, 2024
I did not know this. Thanks https://t.co/uEzBpPe8bR
— Les Bowen (@LesBowen) January 14, 2024
