I understand that the health of the players is important but some of these so called "penalties" are ridiculous. This is football not fricking curling. It seems like every game there is a penalty on a play for a player being too rough. I honestly don't understand what is wrong with this hit.... He 100% led with his shoulder. [YOUTUBE]1A3-LfFzHxM[/YOUTUBE]
110% led with his shoulder. Absolute BS. This kid should not be fined and there should have definitely not been a penalty.
Defenceless receiver. He leads with the shoulder, but he's still high so he makes helmet to helmet contact. The dude is knocked out. You don't see many hits like that in curling.
So what if he lead with his shoulder, he went straight for the guys head. Launched himself off the ground after the ball was past, that is dirty and the only reason to do it is in an intent to injure a guy.
I don't know if you ever played safety, but when you hit someone like that it is to make sure he doesn't catch the ball, not to hurt him. Timing the hit is hard enough...but if he wanted to kill the receiver he would've just speared him or something similar.
Also, lol at the announcer saying "go for the ball or..." when the ball wasn't even reachable for the defender.
The NFL is so much more business than sport it's becoming less enjoyable to watch every year. From taking away big hits, to horrific officiating, to charging fans 200$ to watch the superbowl outside on a TV, etc, etc. The NFL is so overrated nowadays.
I agree. Plus it's easy to say what he should've done watching it in slow motion. When you have a split second to make a choice it should always be "hit the guy". It is truly becoming a sport for pussies... that said I love how Dawkins defends his fellow safety from that moronic Bills player. F U Godell
Hits to a defenseless player in the head and neck area with shoulder pads are absolutely illegal under the current rules. Article 8(g). The referee called this according to the rules.
You're absolutely right... and wrong. The game is getting softer. That was a good hit in my day. .... But to the letter of the rules, the ref called it correctly. The defender launched himself and made contact above the shoulders...
^^^^This is basically what I'm saying. The safety made a great play in order to not allow the wr to catch the ball. Is the safety supposed to think in his mind, "well I really don't want him to catch the ball, but I should probably take into consideration that if I hit him very hard from this 90 degree angle he could get really hurt." Did you see how fast he was running? How is he supposed to make that play without running at full speed?
I'm not saying that the refs called it wrong, per say. But, the rules that are now in place will make any hit, that resembles anything to the head a penalty.
The QB makes a bad throw and puts the receiver in a vulnerable spot, so what are the safety's options? He can either hit the WR and take a penalty, or he can stand down and let the receiver catch the ball for a first down. And, by the way, he needs to make the decision in a split second while running at full speed. Football's a dangerous sport. If you aren't willing to get blasted, don't play receiver.
Sure, but surely the issue is less of the fact that the DB makes the hit and more the way in which he does it? If he drops his shoulder and hits the receiver in the chest is this even a talking point?
He wasn't close enough to where he could just drop his shoulder into his chest without leaving his feet, he would've had to pretty much lunged at him with his shoulder to hit him in the midchest then it would've been "launching at a defenseless receiver" and people would still bitch. I understand the NFL is trying to up player safety, but this hit had no malcontent and it wasn't helmet to helmet, it was a shoulder shot right to the upper sternum. People are babies, if you don't want to get hit don't play offense.
[YOUTUBE]0fJxN3DWQCI[/YOUTUBE] This was heralded as a great hit, he hits the WR in the same spot, but leads with his head, and you didn't hear people bitching about that, hell I thought it was awesome.
No, the guy launched himself at his head. Does it really mater if it was his shoulder helmet or penis? At one time it was within the letter of play. The worse regulations making football "soft"are the not being able to jam a WR after 5 yards, looking at a QB and getting an unsportsmanlike and the faggoty kickoff at the 35....... Not being able to go at someone's head is fine in my book. Unless your want you tax money going to guys in their 40's or 50's eating pureed peas after having a standoff shooting at 20 cops.