Well ,,, like I said in an earlier post -- If it's getting to the point that every hit needs to be dissected in slow motion because guys are being concussed and crippled then maybe its time for the NFL to clean up the players instead of trying to mess with the rules. I don't think the game is being played any differently than it was 25 years ago, but the players have inceased in size by about 60-70 lbs, and they run like The Flash. How do you suppose they're doing that? The question is ... does then NFL really want smaller, slower players? ... and do we really want to see it? $$$$$
I must be blind, because I've watched the video about 10 times and even looking at this picture, it seems clear to me that Brackett should be making a block on this player (and is not blindsiding him). I don't know how Brackett is supposed to calculate the angle Amato is taking on Bethea before laying into him. He clearly isn't launching. He lowers his head, but you could argue that he was trying to make a shoulder tackle....a split second after this screencap, Amato lowers his head into Brackett's helmet. It is a tremendous hit and since he hit him helmet-to-helmet, I get the penalty and the inevitable fine. If they suspend him, hey, great for the Jets....but I don't think he deserves it.
The logical basis is that the NFL might consider the hit worthy of a suspension but not for a game as significant as a playoff game. Your contention is that since it may never have been done before, it's impossible that it could happen this time. My response was that I doubt the NFL has been even remotely considering precedent in assigning penalties this year, especially since they decided to change the enforcement emphasis in the middle of the year. Not sure what you're so up in arms about.
Not a fan of suspending the guy. I guess the point of the blog post was that this would be a third illegal hit offense for him. Here's another mitigating factor - I forgot how this was a return on a missed field goal. Probably far less practiced. Probably less likely to have players with positional discipline. Probably more likely to have a lot of tacklers in a lot of weird angles. I also think that Bethea should be penalized for being so out of shape that he couldn't make it to the endzone without all the oxygen in his body escaping out his vagina.
He should be fined since others have been fined for less........... I can't believe I read the word "star" right before the name "Gary Brackett" in the OP article. Guy is an undersized Tampa 2 JAG, one of the worst MLBs in the game.
He's a linebacker. Really no excuse for not being able to make a legal and effective tackle no matter what the play situation may be.
By the way, this is Leon leading into the block. Difficult to capture, but his head is up and his hands are out. The difference between yellow laundry on the field and yellow laundry in the beltloop. Apparently.
Saw your edit. To be clear, I think the likeliest outcome is no suspension. But I do think a deferred suspension is at least an option, despite the possible lack of precedent. Apologies if this does not meet your standard of a reasonable opinion.
i just dont see it as cheap, the guy had the choice to be aware of who was around him but focused on the ball carrier. bad choice. it should be his responsibility to be aware of his surroundings. keep your head up kid, you should EXPECT someone to be coming from that direction to hit you.
I'm not sure how many times it has to be said, but why should he have to expect a blindside helmet hit? The onus is on the tackler to do so legally and responsibly. If Brackett had tackled with his hands or his chest we wouldn't be having this conversation.
I originally thought no, then I went yes. 1 Game suspension and it wasn't intentional. ...Just sayin....
of course it is an option. another option would be they suspend him for one play in the every playoff game he plays, then suspend him for the first quarter of the first four games of next season. it's an option, it is just baseless to expect.
This kind of stuff starts at the top and trickles down. The leaders of the team are pushing this style of play on the other players. Peyton Manning should be suspended.
This is really a poorly defined rule. The rule uses the term "blindside" without specifically defining it. The common usage of blindside is the QB's blindside....which implies a hit from behind. That is clearly not what is intended here. Any blindside block using the common blindside definition would have to be a block in the back....which is illegal anyway. And on top of that as written, the definition is the same as any hit to the head of a defenseless player (another poorly defined term).
Put down the crack pipe and step away slowly........... Oh, and try to read up about current NFL players. You would be surprised.
if he was going to be suspended it would of happened already i think. it's a dick move to suspend the dude a few days before the game.
