The titans player is perpendicular with the sideline, facing the sideline. The Colts player is parallel with the sideline facing the endzone. The colts player then launches himself, helmet first, into the titans players helmet. That is pretty much the definition of a blindside hit, as well as the definition of a helmet to helmet hit. What do you guys think a blindside hit is? The tits player had no chance of making the tackle either.
Its not a blindside hit. The tits player was completely in the play and pursuing a tackle on the returner and the tits player also saw Brackett coming up to block the tits player and take him out of the play - which BTW is exactly what Brackett's job is there. Its a stupid rule that is inconsistently being interpreted and applied and that is a fundamental part of the problem w/all rules like this. Same as with excessive celebration penalties - no consistent application of the rule which leads to totally subjective and selective enforcement which is completely unfair to everybody. These rules are a failed attempt by the NFL to regulate the inherent violence of the sport in a way that leads to ridiculous results. What exactly is gary brackett supposed to do - not block the guy in front of him who is trying to tackle the colts returner? Anybody who has played football knows that Brackett is supposed to block the titans player there.
Good clean hit by Hines Ward ... stupid reaction by the NFL. What a bunch of hypocrites they are. If they REALLY wanted to stop guys from getting hurt, instead of screwing with the game and the rules, they would get their heads out of their asses and clean up the players. Let's face it ... 90% of this league is on some form of PED and noboby cares. That's why guys are getting hurt. You have guys who are built like bodybuilders, and run like Olympic sprinters. It's not normal and thats the real reason why players are getting crippled. I'm not a big anti-steroid guy, but when it gets to the point that they don't want football players to hit eachother anymore because they're afraid someone will get killed, then maybe its time to clean up the sport.
Amato has his eyes locked onto Bethea, he had zero angle to make the tackle, and Brackett is lowering the crown of his head right into Amato's facemask. There really isn't even a fair question about this.
You don't have to have played football at any level to know that blocking with the head is neither the safest nor the most effective way of executing the tackle. Had it not been blindside then Amato would probably have avoided it fairly easily, and it's much harder to progress through or round a tackle the lower it is. Any way you slice it it's a stupid tackle; it's both dangerous and low percentage.
U need to watch the video again, he didn't launch himself. or maybe you don't understand what "launching" is. I agree on the H2H but his feet didn't leave the ground until after contact which has no bearing on legality of the hit. I think H2H has to be called here also because it was on a defenseless player and was NOT incidental. Ironically, players have been fined for lesser infractions that this. Suspension...hmm, I'm torn. As a Fan I say no.
You guys are being ridiculous. According to the Hines Ward Rule, I guess they should have suspended Leon for this hit on Clam Chowder? I guess not, because in this case the blocker was too small to hurt the tackler. This was waaaay more of a blindside hit. Guess what ... no flag. AbdulSalam is 100% correct. How about a little consistency. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlmz_L1-aHw
If you knew Gary Brackett, you might have a different opinion. He's not a dirty player and until this year had never been fired or called out for this type of hit. Review the first two hits he was fined for. Neither one was called a penalty and the Colts as was Brackett were shocked he received fines. I understand this hit being worthy of a penalty and fine, but the NFL has become way too sissy when it comes to hard hits. Brackett is very humble. In 2003 he lost his mother, father and brother within a 16 month period. He was a walk on at Rutgers who had to try and support the rest of his siblings while finishing college. In 2009 Brackett was the 11th annual recipient of the Arthur S. Arkush Humanitarian Award, presented to an NFL player “whose contributions to the community and charitable organizations are especially outstanding.” If Harrison hasn't been suspended, then Brackett shouldn't be.
Yeah, well, "consistency" is a different issue entirely. And good luck with that. I'd go so far as to say that, if Brackett cut Amato below the knees as opposed to leading in with the crown of his head, there may not have been any penalty at all. ETA: There really is a clear difference between these two.
If he'd have simply pushed him out of the way using his hands there wouldn't have been a penalty that could have been called.
Huh? Bethea is 3 yards behind him. Wouldn't you see more of his face if that were true? If he can't see Brackett right in front of him in the pic thats posted, he deserved to get knocked on his ass.
It is fair hit, not even blindside. Ammato clearly sees him in his periphery and at the moment when Brackett lowers his head it is not helmet to helmet. It only becomes helmet to helmet when Ammato lowers his head to receive the blow that he sees coming. Not sure about the nonsense about not being in the play, he is about 8 yrds behind the ball carrier and in pursuit. The helmet contact is incendential. It could be as much Ammato's fault as Brackets for lowering his head to take the blow. The lowering of the head is voluntary on Ammato's part.
So, I'm assuming you'll also defend the top of Brackett's helmet leading into Amato's grill. Brilliance abounds.
But it's OK, because we're allowed to hit the Colts players like that on Saturday. Someone make sure to tell Roger in advance though, please.
Do you even know what a blindside hit is? This is a clear cut case of a blindside hit. There's no question about it.
