I will attempt to clarify several statements on here as this question as morphed into multiple topics. The rulebook is more technical than most people realize
Targeting.
1. You can NOT target and make forcible contact against an opponent with the crown (top) of your helmet.
2. You can NOT target and make forcible contact to the head or neck area of a defenseless opponent with the helmet, forearm, hand, fist, elbow or shoulder. When in question, it is a foul
A player who receives a blind side block is a defenseless player.
Leaving your feet to hit someone is NOT illegal. It is a high risk move which increases your chances of a “targeting” but you can launch and leave your feet without fouling. If you don’t hit with your crown and don’t hit a defenseless player in the neck and head area you can launch all day long.
Crack back
This term is used loosely but in order to answer correctly we need more information:
1. the location of the initial contact
2. the location of the blockee
3. the location of the blocker
4. the location of the ball
5. the location of the original position of the ball.
Typically when we talk about a crack back, we are describing a WR who is lined up out wide and at the snap heads back towards the ball and immediately blocks a defensive end or linebacker that is closest to him.
If he hits the LB or DE in the chest or side and above the waist this is legal
If he hits the LB or DE in the neck or head area and the LB or DE never saw it (ie blindside) we have targeting. This is what we called “hitting someone in the earhole” in my day
If he hits the LB or DE in back. Aka in the numbers on the back of his jersey, we have a block in the back.
If he blocks the LB or DE below the waist from in front or from the side we have an illegal block below the waist.
If he blocks the LB or DE below the waist from in front, behind or from the side we have an illegal block below the waist
If he blocks the LB or DE below the waist from behind and at or below the knees this would be clipping.
If you are talking about something different, please give more information.
