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Do NFL Players Know How to Tackle?


delfamdelfam
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with all these head injuries alot of issues come up. I just don't get why this is even an issue. When I was taught how to tackle, it's to use your shoulder and wrap your arms around their mid-section.

 

Now all people want to do is hit people with their head, I just don't get it. These guys need to start getting suspended games IMO or this will continue to happen, stop using your head, it's that simple.

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I always taught kids to put their hat on the football, wrap around the lower back/butt, and keep the legs driving.

 

That said, tackling with the head involved has been a time honored practice in football, and the old adage used to be, "Put your facemask between his numbers". That's actually not terribly bad advice other than it does get the head involved with the center of mass of the target, whereas attacking the football with the facemask increases the possibility of a fumble. But if you "look at his numbers" as you tackle, your head is up and your neck aligns with your spine properly, which reduces the risk of injury substantially.

 

Where the problem is these days is that the guys are tackling with the crown of their helmet. The head is rotated down and a flexion injury can occur, where the spine is straightened when the head is in this position and no longers acts as reinforcement for the neck. That causes the head to rotate when it stops during the tackle and the rest of the mass of the body continues forward. The rotation can cause a separation anywhere between the C2 and C7 vertebrae (neck) and the damage to the spinal cord.

 

Every time I watch pro ball it's disturbing how great a risk the pro ball players take by striking with the crown of the helmet rather than the facemask - all to get that highlight reel hit. And being pro ball players, they should know better than anyone that its the wrong thing to do.

 

So I agree with you - it seems like a lot of these guys do not know how to tackle.

Edited by Bronco Billy
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Part of it is actually due to the technology improvements in the helmets. It used to be that if you hit a guy with the crown of your helmet, it hurt like hell. With the new technology, you pump up those air bladders and that collision barely hurts at all. The irony is that by improving the helmets to try and reduce concussions, we've eliminated most of the fear of hitting with your helmet and have actually increased concussions.

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Where I see the problem coming in is with defensive backs. Linemen and even linebackers usually tackle the right way and wrap up as they are bringing down a running back or quarterback. But corners and safeties are not as big as those guys and when they "tackle" they usually just try to slam into them as hard as they can. Most do not wrap up at all. They lead with their shoulder or helmet on every tackle. They want to cause an incompletion or a fumble from the wideout or get on highlights by "jacking" him up. Plus the DB's are having more of a running start when they hit than DL or LB do. Think about it - defensive safeties are probably the worst about leading with the helmet followed by corners. Most of those guys do not use their arms at all when they tackle.

 

Least that's how I see it.

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I also thought it was hilarious that NBC asked for Rodney Harrison's opinion on the matter during the pregame. He basically admitted that he made a career out of being a cheap-shot POS and said "Fines didn't get my attention. The league didn't get my attention until they suspended me."

 

Translation: "I'm crazy rich and got that way by cheap-shotting as many guys as I could, so you can't hurt me with fines. I will ignore you and continue to try and injure as many guys as I can catch."

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I also thought it was hilarious that NBC asked for Rodney Harrison's opinion on the matter during the pregame. He basically admitted that he made a career out of being a cheap-shot POS and said "Fines didn't get my attention. The league didn't get my attention until they suspended me."

 

Translation: "I'm crazy rich and got that way by cheap-shotting as many guys as I could, so you can't hurt me with fines. I will ignore you and continue to try and injure as many guys as I can catch."

He actually said on air that he put away 50k each year in preparation to pay his fines.

 

Also, Dungy agreed. "A guy getting fined didn't bother me. If I know I"m going to lose a guy to a suspension, I'm going to approach it differently and teach new techniques". Dungy is one of the most ethical, straight-laced guys alive, and even he didn't do anything to stop it as a coach and admittedly wouldn't until suspensions come in.

 

NFL, the next step is on you, and it's clear as a bell how to proceed.

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I always taught kids to put their hat on the football, wrap around the lower back/butt, and keep the legs driving

 

This is all well and good but it doesn't really apply to a defenseless WR who is in the air trying to come down with the ball - that's the biggest issue.

 

Like DMD said below, the issue is with the secondary who (for the most part) refuses to tackle. You got a bunch of 185 lb corners who will get trucked if they actually try to wrap a RB or WR, so they just throw their bodies at them. Pathetic.

 

Harrison yesterday is a different story - his hits were completely unnecessary. He could just as easily wrap and/or put his helmet on the ball. He's just a dick.

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I also thought it was hilarious that NBC asked for Rodney Harrison's opinion on the matter during the pregame. He basically admitted that he made a career out of being a cheap-shot POS and said "Fines didn't get my attention. The league didn't get my attention until they suspended me."

 

Who better to ask about what would stop these guys from hitting like that than a guy who was infamous for it? I thought it was a great move asking him and he gave a very honest answer - no problems there.

 

Ochocinco has been doing the same thing for years re: penalties - if guys know they're going to get whistled X times per season, they're smart to put $ aside.

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Robinson's helmet hit Jackson's shoulder and his shoulder pad hit Jackson's chest & chin. Not a technique tackle, but he was trying for the big hit to prevent him from catching the ball.

I keep hearing this but this is behavior that should be a suspendable offense. As fast as those guys are going the margin of error is so small the hit could have been much worse (which is saying something). Lead with your helmet and hit a guy anywhere at his shoulders or above...suspend the player.

 

It's not just the 'game' and it's not overly complicated because of the speed or nuances of the game. It's a very specific use of a player's equipment that can and will result in severe injury. The NFL has rules against excessive celebration that harms exactly no one yet almost every week here lately we see a guy use the crown of his helmet to hit, not tackle, another player then everyone hems and haws about how to prevent it. Maybe it can never be prevented 100% but that doesn't make it right.

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I keep hearing this but this is behavior that should be a suspendable offense. As fast as those guys are going the margin of error is so small the hit could have been much worse (which is saying something). Lead with your helmet and hit a guy anywhere at his shoulders or above...suspend the player.

 

It's not just the 'game' and it's not overly complicated because of the speed or nuances of the game. It's a very specific use of a player's equipment that can and will result in severe injury. The NFL has rules against excessive celebration that harms exactly no one yet almost every week here lately we see a guy use the crown of his helmet to hit, not tackle, another player then everyone hems and haws about how to prevent it. Maybe it can never be prevented 100% but that doesn't make it right.

Jackson was still coming down & above Robinson. Just because his helmet hit Jackson's shoulder doesn't mean he was leading with it.

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Like DMD said below, the issue is with the secondary who (for the most part) refuses to tackle. You got a bunch of 185 lb corners who will get trucked if they actually try to wrap a RB or WR,
That's total BS; weight diff is no excuse. It's not like they're all a bunch of Earl Campbells out there. A weight diff has always been around, but all this stupid/girly bumping into guys vs tackling hardly existed back when. I think it's as other said, ie immature buttheads more interested in trying to make the highlight reel vs tackling. I'm just amazed how much coaches condone it.

 

As for the NFL being limp-wristed about cheap shots (and pretty much everything else), how is that news? yawn.

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That's total BS; weight diff is no excuse. It's not like they're all a bunch of Earl Campbells out there. A weight diff has always been around, but all this stupid/girly bumping into guys vs tackling hardly existed back when. I think it's as other said, ie immature buttheads more interested in trying to make the highlight reel vs tackling. I'm just amazed how much coaches condone it.

 

As for the NFL being limp-wristed about cheap shots (and pretty much everything else), how is that news? yawn.

 

who said it was an excuse?

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They'd never do it but an interesting tact in the cases of blantantly spearing and such, make the defender not play for as long as the guy he hit couldn't play. Knock a guy out for the year with a severe head-to-head shot, suspend the player for the rest of the season. Not playing is the only thing these guys would be affected by.

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They'd never do it but an interesting tact in the cases of blantantly spearing and such, make the defender not play for as long as the guy he hit couldn't play. Knock a guy out for the year with a severe head-to-head shot, suspend the player for the rest of the season. Not playing is the only thing these guys would be affected by.

 

This has been proposed in the NHL as well. It'll never work. Not as long as there are players' unions.

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Did anyone watch the Pats game yesterday? Meriweather was trying to kill someone, he actually swung his helmet right under the facemask of Todd Heap. Robinson absolutely destroyed Jackson but its "football" and it happens. Safeties are paid to prevent big plays and deliver big hits, its their job. Players cant stop what is going to happen, all players are going full speed every game and are going to get hurt. Im totally against leading with the helmet, its not only going to hurt the player taking the hit but also the player giving the hit. Example: Sanders from the Colts. There is nothing you can do about it, they have a job to do and they are doing it.

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