Leo Chenal and Karl Brooks will go down in NFL history as answers to a crazy trivia question: Who were the respective Chiefs and Packers players to block potential game-winning field goals with no time remaining over consecutive weeks in 2024?
According to Elias Sports Bureau, it was the first time in 85 years the Packers blocked a field goal on a game’s final play. They also did it in a 7-6 win over the Cleveland Rams on Nov. 26, 1939. Plus, in the NFL, it was the first time teams blocked potential game-winning field goals with no time remaining in two straight weeks since Weeks 15-16 in 2011.
And while both Packers and Chiefs blocks were dramatic, both were very different. Chenal’s penetration in Kansas City’s 16-14 win Nov. 10 came through the Denver tight end. Last week, in Green Bay’s 20-19 win at Chicago, Brooks was able to get his middle finger on a Cairo Santos kick over the center.
The Brooks block drew the ire of Bears coaches because the Packers blasted through the middle, knocking long-snapper Scott Daly on his hindquarters. NFL rules offer protection for long-snappers. However, the league office isn’t expected to agree with Bears head coach Matt Eberflus, who said he’ll file a formal complaint. That’s according to officiating experts at Football Zebras.
“The rule states that the long-snapper is a defenseless player,” said Ben Austro on Tuesday’s episode of the 1st & 25 Podcast, “which means that they’re prohibited from being contacted forcibly in the head or neck area. It doesn’t mean that they can’t be hit at all. They can be contacted if it’s incidental. It’s that forcible contact, so you can’t crash down on the center with the helmet or the shoulder, which was happening like 10 years ago.
“Looking at the play, I’m not entirely convinced that the Bears weren’t trying to extend that protection beyond what is normal. It looks like the snapper kept his head down and did not re-right himself. Because at that point, the defenseless protections come off. And you have the guard that just kind of blocks the Packers player into the center. You can’t line up over the center, of course.”
Senior editor Mark Schultz agreed, noting that some teams have taught their centers to snap the ball and look upside down through their legs.
“Then, we have a defender that tries to shoot the A gap,” Schultz said, referring to the space between the center and offensive guard, “and he brushes past the center or the snapper, maybe knocks him off balance. Or, the guard blocks the defender trying to shoot the A gap and he gets pushed on top of the center. That is not roughing the snapper.”
Besides, the Bears have too many problems awaiting them in the future to spend time worrying about last week’s loss. The stretch of seven remaining games for rookie Caleb Williams and his beleaguered Chicago teammates represents the toughest schedule in the entire NFL, by current combined opponent winning percentage.
The Bears over a five-day stretch will play two of the NFL’s best teams, Minnesota (8-2) on Sunday (1 p.m. ET, FOX) at Soldier Field and Detroit (9-1) on Thanksgiving at Ford Field. Their seven remaining opponents have a combined .729 winning percentage.
For more information on the Bears and Packers, visit the Chicago and Green Bay team pages at ProFootballPost.com.
Discover more from Pro Football Post
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.