GREEN BAY, Wis.
— The recent low block executed by Green Bay Packers tight end Tucker Kraft on Minnesota Vikings edge rusher Patrick Jones has ignited discussions, although it appears that Jones did not sustain any serious injuries.
Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell addressed the situation on Monday, indicating that Jones’s participation in the decisive game against the Detroit Lions this Sunday, which will play a crucial role in determining both the NFC North champion and the first seed in the NFC playoffs, is still uncertain. Jones exited the field during the Vikings’ narrow 27-25 win over the Packers following the incident with Kraft in the second quarter. O’Connell mentioned, “He’ll have a chance to even possibly make it this week. We’ll see how he works through it.”
The play has been a topic of contention, especially after Vikings player Jonathan Greenard took to social media to express his anger about Kraft’s maneuver, which did not draw a penalty. During a press conference on Monday, Packers coach Matt LaFleur defended Kraft’s actions, labeling the play as “totally legal.”
The incident unfolded as Kraft attempted to create space for teammate Josh Jacobs during a running play that gained five yards in the second quarter. Greenard criticized the play on X, stating, “Dude motioned from 30 yards away to STILL cut him. Pathetic. Be a man block up high. NFL, get rid of this block PLEASE.”
LaFleur responded to the controversy by reiterating that Kraft’s actions were permitted under the league’s regulations and highlighted that similar strategies were utilized by Vikings players against Packers defensive ends. He explained, “That’s a way to try to slow down just the speed off the edge. It’s a great equalizer. That’s tough for the offense to deal with.”
Furthermore, LaFleur suggested that if low blocks were to be banned, then hits made below the knee should also be considered for prohibition. He observed that receivers frequently endure low hits while crossing the middle of the field and proposed the idea of establishing a strike zone for players, extending from below the neck to above the knee.
“Our intent is not to go hurt somebody,” LaFleur clarified. “You never want to see that. I don’t want to see that from either team. The intent is to slow somebody down, and I do think it’s part of our job as coaches to teach our, whether it’s an edge rusher or whoever, how to defeat a cut block. And conversely, you’ve got to teach them how to throw a good cut, you know? That’s part of our responsibility, and then the players have got to go out there and apply that.”
