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Vaughn McClure, ESPN Staff Writer 8y

Hit that injured Falcons punter Matt Bosher was legal, says NFL source

NFL, Atlanta Falcons

Atlanta Falcons coach Dan Quinn said he will reach out to the league to see if a blindside block that injured punter Matt Bosher Thursday night was illegal.

The play occurred in the first quarter of the Falcons' 24-13 preseason win over the Cleveland Browns. After Bosher hit a 58-yard punt, he ran down in punt coverage and was blasted by Browns linebacker Tank Carder. Bosher was knocked from the game with a chest injury. No penalty was called.

"Certainly one I looked at and I'd like to ask the league their opinion on it, 'Is it a case of a defenseless hit or not?''' Quinn said. "I'm going to send it in to take a look at.

According to an NFL source, however, the hit was considered legal.

"The main thing is Bosher is OK. Definitely took a hit and got shook up, for sure. I talked to him today (and) he's definitely doing better. I'm not sure if he'll be available for us this week. It's something, I think, we'd have to go through the week and see where he's at. He'll be limited to start the week and we'll go from there.''

Quinn viewed it as a peel-back block on a player who didn't see it coming.

The NFL rulebook applies the peel-back rule to blocks below the waist. The blindside block rules applies to contact above the waist and when protecting the head and neck area of a player. 

Per the rulebook, any blocker who is moving back toward his own goal line cannot go below the waist (peel back rule) or to the head/neck area (blindside block rule).

On special teams all blocks by the return team below the waist are prohibited throughout the entire play.

Carder took to Twitter to say the hit wasn't as bad as it could have been. 

When Bosher left Thursday's game, undrafted rookie kicker Nick Rose handled the punting duties, with no other punter on the 90-man roster. Rose's lone punt went for 16 yards.

The Falcons are bringing in free-agent punter Brandon Fields for a workout prior to Thursday night's third preseason game against the Miami Dolphins in Orlando.

There is no guarantee that Fields or another punter will be signed, however, since Bosher is expected to recover.

Bosher, a former sixth-round pick out of Miami, has been the Falcons' punter since 2011.

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