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"Devastating hits" and "Headshots"?


jbran23
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So the NFL is going to step up their punishments for headshots and devastating shots effective this week? Headshots have to go I agree. But what can you do about "devastating hits"? Isnt that a part of the game? Do they expect players are going to start pulling up on their hits to avoid being suspended or penalized. NFL just needs to go to two-hand touch rules if they are going to start enforcing these types of things. Its rediculous.

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I can understand what they are trying to do, but it is football..... maybe they should make it flag. Part of the problem is all the effort the NFL made to create more offense by changing rules about contacting receivers, changing rules about hitting the QB and protecting them beyond belief because a product will all backup QB's is not as marketable. Get the game back to the days of power football and there will be less of this issue..... There is a bit more risk involved with playing in the NFL than managing the local restaraunt, but then again, the compensation is a bit better too!!

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So basically they are going to start punishing players for hitting "too hard". How can you force players to change the way they have always played the game? First you start making it where basically if you look at the QB the wrong way you get penalized and now you arent allowed to hit someone too hard or else you could face a suspension. They are getting carried away with this stuff. Its football! Its supposed to be a rough sport!

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A good example of a what you are speaking to is the Dunta Robinson/ DeSean Jackson hit. Devastating... yes... but not illegal. He mostly led with his shoulder as he should. The fact that his head is next to shoulder and did make contact was secondary. I wouldn't want him to pull up and allow the catch to occur just because he "may" cause a devastating hit. Now, if he had launched himself like a missle with the crown of his helmet, the you're talking headshot, and that you can penalize.

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With as massive a donkey as Millen is, he's right - they need to define this. The term "devastating hit" just doesn't tell us anything. This is a fine line they are about to go blowing across. They need to limit this to any tackle leading with or using the helmet as a weapon or any contact with the QB or defenseless receiver's head, as the rules currently state. Very clear, very concise, and gets the protection point across.

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I can go for zero tolerance for a head shot for sure but anything beyond that is going to really screw up football. Football is a violent sport. It is modern day gladiators. We are demented people for loving to watch but it is what it is and while I am all for protecting from injury, I am not for making football into a two hand touch game.

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I've seen some devastating hits... Mainly on Kickoff/Punt returns. Defender is pursuing returner, blocker peels back and decleets the defender... Defender goes about 4 feet in the air parallel to the ground, 8 feet back, helmet flies off, dude is laying there wonder W T F just happened... Do you flag that play and suspend the blocker?

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Patriots S Brandon Meriweather has been fined $50,000 for two helmet-to-helmet hits in Week 6.

Falcons CB Dunta Robinson was fined the same amount for his hit on DeSean Jackson, and repeat offender James Harrison was fined $75,000 for hits on Mohamed Massaquoi and Josh Cribbs. None of the players will be suspended, but the fines are stiffer than normal. Starting in Week 7, NFL referees will be enforcing rules already on the books for "devastating hits" and "head shots." Offenders will be candidates for suspension from here on out.

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I have no problem with the Meriweather hits being fined. It's obvious to most, including his coach, that those were intentional head shots. Pretty much the same with the Harrison hits, although the Massaquoi hit is the more obvious one made with the intent of KO'ing the dude. The Cribbs hit not so much so. But it is unfortunate that the Robinson/Jackson hit happened this weekend because that hit should NOT be lumped in with the others IMO. The receiver was not defenseless - he was in the process of catching the ball. The defender did not lead with his head - he hit with his shoulder. And he did not hit Jackson's head - he hit him high in the chest. That hit is completely legal and should be allowed. To do any less would lead to fundamentally changing the game of football. If it happened any other weekend it likely wouldn't have even drew a fine. A defender has every right to hit a receiver as hard as possible while making a catch in the hopes of preventing the reception or causing a turnover. Like it or not NFL - that's the game. Sure, the defender could pull up (maybe), grab him around the waist and drag him to the ground (i.e. tackle him - as some would call it), but turnovers win games and that's what every defensive coach wants.

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Does this mean Vladi Divac has a new career? the flop artest.. It would be nice to some actual tackles instead of shoulder tackles.. Watching the NFL Network TOP 100 when they show games from the 70/80/90's they were NOT trying to strip the ball from every player like today.. Head shots today are nasty and will be outlawed soon just like the forearm shiver they used in the 70's

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Yeah someone's getting fired.

 

edit: And Merriweather/Heap

 

http://www.replayphotos.com/nflphotostore/...heap_323924.cfm

 

Those are no longer available.

 

To a large extent, the problem is that players lead with their helmets. They are told to put their "hat" on the ball. The helmet emboldens the player to do so. Most of the "devastating" hits (whatever those are) would not happen without a helmet because the player would have a substantial concern about scrambling his brains if he lauched himself headfirst into another guy or a pile of guys.

 

The modern helmet is much different than the one Ray Nitschke wore.

 

For a variety of reason, the NFL is not going to eliminate helmets from the game. And I don't know how the NFL should deal with this. Its probably has to boil down to players doing it of their own volition. It might help if at all levels of the game helmet first hitting was discouraged.

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