Week Thirteen is complete and snapping was a major issue this week in some unusual ways. The Chargers beat the Steelers Sunday on a late field goal that followed three straight offsides calls against Pittsburgh. It appears they were drawn offsides by simulated snaps from Mike Windt of the Chargers.
After the play, Joe Schobert of the Browns tweeted that Windt “is notorious for twitching and moving the ball before he snaps.” Schobert said he has pointed this out to referees before and was told it would not get called because, according to that referee, Windt has always done it.
Earlier the game, Steelers snapper Kameron Canaday was injured on a punt return but did not miss a snap. Vance McDonald, a Pittsburgh tight end, is the emergency snapper and was getting ready on the sidelines in case Canaday could not return.
Another Steelers play from Week Twelve continues to generate further discussion. The Broncos blocked a Steelers field goal in the first quarter after Justin Simmons made some contact with Steelers snapper Kameron Canaday. In a recent interview, Steelers special teams coach Danny Smith noted that he believes the rule about contact with the snapper has changed during the season.
Smith explained that you initially couldn’t touch the snapper at all. However, he believes the rule now is you can have some contact as long as you don’t use leverage to raise yourself up which would be a penalty. The Simmons play was legal since his foot grazed Canaday’s back but he didn’t push off him, which would have been a penalty.
Smith suggested there are three ways to stop a leaping field goal block attempt that depended on such things as the distance and protection look, but declined to identify the ways in the interview.
This past week featured a few snapper workouts as Zach Triner worked out for the Panthers and the Niners hosted a group of snappers consisting of Tanner Carew, Jon Condo, Lucas Gravelle, Colin Holba and Taybor Pepper.
Finally, two snappers had tackles in punt coverage. Client Patrick Scales of the Bears had a solo tackle, while LP Ladouceur added an assist.
The NFL Long Snappers Chart after Week Thirteen is below.
