NFL's new safety policy

[yourchoice]

Originally Posted by Mugen910

I say go back to the leather padding and leather helmets and lets see how often guys launch themselves at others.

I agree. The equipment allows these guys think they're indestructible. It's a tough thing to balance though.

I love smash mouth football too, but I think something has to be done. Truthfully, I thought Harrison's hits to were both unnecessarily dangerous. One was a blatant helmet to helmet, and on the other he didn't even make an attempt to wrap his arms (they actually expanded outward). Making yourself a head-first missile is dangerous to both the hitter and the hitee. Those hits and the one by the Patriot (forget his name) were worse than the one on DeSean Jackson IMHO.

Originally Posted by yourchoice

I agree. The equipment allows these guys think they're indestructible. It's a tough thing to balance though.

I love smash mouth football too, but I think something has to be done. Truthfully, I thought Harrison's hits to were both unnecessarily dangerous. One was a blatant helmet to helmet, and on the other he didn't even make an attempt to wrap his arms (they actually expanded outward). Making yourself a head-first missile is dangerous to both the hitter and the hitee. Those hits and the one by the Patriot (forget his name) were worse than the one on DeSean Jackson IMHO.

You gotta watch it at real speed though. Its easy to slow down a replay and say he could of done this. That game was the fastest most explosive I've seen a defense play in a couple of years. That rookie reciever didn't know any better. I saw Harrison Lead with his chest and forearm into the other guys shoulder. The guy got rattled got up and walked off the field. Whats the big deal?

[Sauer Grapes]

Originally Posted by Steelergar

You gotta watch it at real speed though. Its easy to slow down a replay and say he could of done this. That game was the fastest most explosive I've seen a defense play in a couple of years. That rookie reciever didn't know any better. I saw Harrison Lead with his chest and forearm into the other guys shoulder. The guy got rattled got up and walked off the field. Whats the big deal?

I have to disagree. Both of Harrison's were helmet to helmet. I know it's hard to control your aim when things happen so fast, but both of his hits were illegal before the new "safety policy." The one from the patriots was also helmet to helmet.

I do agree that the one on Jackson was a legal, albeit extremely hard, hit. I don't think the guy on the falcons should have been fined. It was a clean hit.

Originally Posted by Sauer Grapes

I have to disagree. Both of Harrison's were helmet to helmet. I know it's hard to control your aim when things happen so fast, but both of his hits were illegal before the new "safety policy." The one from the patriots was also helmet to helmet.

I do agree that the one on Jackson was a legal, albeit extremely hard, hit. I don't think the guy on the falcons should have been fined. It was a clean hit.

There was definately helmet to helmet on the cribbs hit and as soon as it happened I knew it was a dewsy. But both were legal hits. Cribs was not defensless he jumped head foward into a group of guys tackling him. One LB wrapped him up while Harrison went in for a waist high hit, that became a incidental head hit. The reciever hit was a lesson learned for 2 rookies. Neither play was a penalty. Both players walked off the field.

[yourchoice]

Originally Posted by Steelergar

There was definately helmet to helmet on the cribbs hit and as soon as it happened I knew it was a dewsy. But both were legal hits. Cribs was not defensless he jumped head foward into a group of guys tackling him. One LB wrapped him up while Harrison went in for a waist high hit, that became a incidental head hit. The reciever hit was a lesson learned for 2 rookies. Neither play was a penalty. Both players walked off the field.

IMHO, I don't think the fact that the "players walked off the field" should weigh into the decision if a player should be disciplined. Neither should if it was called a penalty. There are plenty of instances in a lot of sports where a call wasn't made on the field, but fines/suspensions are handed down after the fact.

When I learned how to play, there were two key components to tackling, keep your head up and wrap your arms. Harrison did neither on either play (I'm talking about Cribbs and Massaquoi (sp?), don't know that I've seen the hit on whatever rookie you're talking about).

[massphatness]

Originally Posted by Steelergar

incidental head hit

My understanding of the rule is that intent plays no role. Helmet to helmet hits are illegal irrespective if the player didn't mean to initiate the contact but "incidentally" did so. These kinds of hits have always been illegal, but the NFL is now going to enforce the rule. The policy is not new. The implementation is all that is changing.

The question for me was articulated very clearly on a sports talk radio show this morning: where do I want to see the players I root for -- on the field or on the sidelines in street clothes?

Originally Posted by massphatness

My understanding of the rule is that intent plays no role. Helmet to helmet hits are illegal irrespective if the player didn't mean to initiate the contact but "incidentally" did so. These kinds of hits have always been illegal, but the NFL is now going to enforce the rule. The policy is not new. The implementation is all that is changing.

The question for me was articulated very clearly on a sports talk radio show this morning: where do I want to see the players I root for -- on the field or on the sidelines in street clothes?

From my understanding earhole hits are legal on running backs because they are not defensless. which is why their is no flag on that play. Cribbs is one of the fastest players in the league. Looking at it again Harrison would of hit Cribbs dead on but Cribbs slowed down and fell foward at the last second. And having a 280lb DE fall on him probably didn't help.

[357]

less padding is the way to go, leather helmets, etc. Look at college hockey, they are forced to wear a full cage helmet and the sticks are always up and hitting each other in the face/head. Back in the NHL before helmets were a forced issue, you rarely saw that. Now that helmets are forced and many wear a plexi visor, the same crap is cropping up in the NHL. I think in these cases, less is more. A guy is not going to knowingly sacrifice his own head/life to make a highlight reel on SportsCenter. Even though that is what they are doing, they believe (falsely) that they are invincible.

[Parshooter]

What needs to happen is for these defensive players to get rid of the "thug mentality" and get back to basic tackling, with arms and shoulder pads, to the torso. Look back during the days of Butkus and Singletary. Those guys hit just as hard but did it the correct way.
Steelergar, glad you're not looking at this through black/gold colored glasses

[pnoon]

Originally Posted by Mugen910

I say go back to the leather padding and leather helmets and lets see how often guys launch themselves at others.

Originally Posted by yourchoice

I agree. The equipment allows these guys think they're indestructible. It's a tough thing to balance though.

I couldn't agree more.
Take a look at rugby. Minimal padding (compared to American football). Much more controlled contact. But still hard hitting. And those motherfokkers are tough.

The NFL these days is more about collision and violent contact. Not to mention the "look at me" showboating. More often you hear "what a hit" as opposed to "what a tackle". Don't get me wrong, I enjoy the game. I just think the game has more of a focus on collision than it needs to be.

[icantbejon]

Originally Posted by pnoon

The NFL these days is more about collision and violent contact. Not to mention the "look at me" showboating. More often you hear "what a hit" as opposed to "what a tackle". Don't get me wrong, I enjoy the game. I just think the game has more of a focus on collision than it needs to be.

I'm with you on this....the art of the tackle has gone away. Defensive players use themselves as human missiles to blow something up, as opposed to good ole' fashioned breaking down, wrapping up, and taking to the ground. It has so much to do with making a highlight reel now.
That being said, I believe the "business" of football is really driving these rules. The NFL has to pay lifetime healthcare costs to the guys getting all these head injuries, so they see it as cost cutting from my perspective.

[357]

Originally Posted by icantbejon

I'm with you on this....the art of the tackle has gone away. Defensive players use themselves as human missiles to blow something up, as opposed to good ole' fashioned breaking down, wrapping up, and taking to the ground. It has so much to do with making a highlight reel now.
That being said, I believe the "business" of football is really driving these rules. The NFL has to pay lifetime healthcare costs to the guys getting all these head injuries, so they see it as cost cutting from my perspective.

NFL has a problem. They market these big hits. They use it to promote their business, and now they levy $75,000 fines for them to the players who do it. It's a bit of a pickle for them.