Everybody was talking about the new way the NFL will be calling hits to head. Eagles players sounded uncertain about what would be called and what wouldn’t be called. Some players were just plain frustrated and concerned about getting suspended.
Backup middle linebacker Omar Gaither doesn’t believe this makes any sense. He explained that a running back is going to lower their head to protect themselves when they’re approached by a tackler.
Quarterback Kevin Kolb says he doesn’t know how a defensive player can figure out how to always avoid hitting the ball carrier in a place that is safe. He thinks it may cause defenders to hesitate before they deliver the blow.
Outside linebacker Ernie Sims says he thinks the change in the way the league will call hits to the head is “crazy”. Sims said he will play the game the only way he knows how.
Rookie safety Nate Allen says he’s not going to change anything about the way he plays the game. He says he’s going to come up and attack like he’s always done.
Veteran cornerback Ellis Hobbs says this doesn’t make a bit of sense because the fans want to see knock out hits. Hobbs says it’s the reason so many people love the game. He doesn’t understand why the league would want to fine players for playing the game the way people want them to, while at the same time promoting the big hits.
Wide receiver Jason Avant says eventually the NFL will be nothing but a seven-on-seven drill with no tackling. He doesn’t believe any players go out on the field trying to hurt other players, but in the midst of doing their job, injuries happen.
Avant who makes his living catching passes across the middle and getting hit by safeties and linebackers. Still he doesn’t want the NFL to start calling penalties on defensive players who try to punish receivers who catch the ball across the middle.
Interestingly, the NFL had to apologize for pictures of Pittsburgh linebacker James Harrison’s hits on Cleveland Browns receivers being on sale on the internet. Harrison was fined $75,000 for the hits and says he’s contemplating retirement because he doesn’t know how he’s going to be able to play the game anymore. The NFL says it occurred by accident and the pictures will no longer be available.
correct me if i am wrong, the league is only concerned about blows to the head on defensless players. a running back lowering his head on contact is not going to warrant a fine or suspension. its hits on a player looking back at a catch and a defesive player launches himself at the offensive players head. the defensive player can just take another part of the body to make the big hit.i am all for big hits but protecting heads is a good idea. djax would agree.
Our defense doesn’t exactly play lights out so it won’t affect them. Case in point is asante.
Lew, I agree with you brother. I think that that is the true spirit of the rule change or better termed “Rule Enforcement”. Hit hard, play hard just don’t be a human ICBM with a bullseye to the head. These guys are smart they know when they see an opportunity to jack someone up. Besides the big clock hit has degressed true pure tackling, hmmmm some of these guys would be half the player they are now if they had to be more pure tacklers and less clock ringers.
As always LONG LIVE THE EAGLES Beat the Titans
Theres two reasons the NFL cares now, one is because Goodell only cares about money. He feels if the superstars are injured, then fantasy football goes down, and right now thats their cash cow. What the hell do you think the “Red zone” channel is about? Its for casual fans that like Fantasy football. Fantasy football is hard to do when there’s no superstars. Second reason is because shows like Real Sports and Outside the lines are making them look like the self centered yuppies they truly are. The nfl never cared about the players outside of the game and now these shows are showing that once they retire the nfl doesn’t want anything to do with you. Look at the Madden issue with how retired players were in the games but they didn’t get a royalty from the game when the nfl was giving permission to use their likeness. Or the lack of support to the players that get ALS because of untreated concussions. Or the cases of dementia or suicide in relation to the effects from a career in the league. This gives the NFL a black eye. Mr. Goodell is all about image because you’ve seen how sponsors leave when your image is tarnished ex. Tiger Woods. The problem is you take the hits out of football and you lose your fans because its cut and dry and blood sport and thats why people tune. By the way players know all the potential hazards but they take the risk to make the money and get the glory. To me its a NFLPA issue more then an NFL Issue.
I believe the rule calls for helmet-to-helmet contact, regardless of who the player might be or his ongoing action on the field. The rule’s been in place for some time, but they are now talking about zero tolerance.
Note to GCobb
It’s great to see the way you’re blossoming with the game-day thread, Facebook, Twitter and the like. Outstanding job!!!
I see Fox is hyping the Giants during the pre-game. I hope the Phitins smack the smiles off their faces with one of their patented comebacks. Go Phils!!!
I hate Cody Ross!!!
I don’t want to see players take helmet to helmet hits. But I think with super fast athletes running around playing a violent sport, its just going to happen from time to time. I’ve saw the Jackson hit but not the others that were fined last week. On the Jackson one, what I saw it looked like there was helmet to helmet contact. I don’t think it was intentional, but it looked like it happened. So in a situation like that maybe a fine is in order. But if a player is literally going for another players head and it looks to be on purpose, then they should be ejected. There’s a reason there are TKOs in boxing and its because people would get seriously hurt otherwise. The NFL does not want a paralysis or worse on its hands because it took no action. Not all publicity is good publicity. What will be interesting to see is how then enforce it moving forward.
I know for me I love big hits. Brian Dawkins was my favorite player partly because of some of hits. And I will never forget the hit Sheldon Brown laid on Reggie Bush a couple years ago. Man I never get tired of watching that! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XqmdI3tVuMA If you prefer higher quality, its also at 1:42 on this one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5xYeqH200Q Dawkins is of course in that one too. I forgot how hard I laughed at this hit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=seYg1nVoGVs
I think it’s head to head and / or launching yourself as the tackler.
also, of course, blows to the head…
Absolutely hilarious!
Omar Gaither worried about being fined? He has’nt hit anybody hard enougth to break an eggshell since he’s been in the league. Nate Allen? The rap coming out of college was he could not hit. Ernie Sims? Unless they are giving out fines in training camp he has no worries.
Thanks for the laugh Mr. Cobb.
Thinking a little more about Gaither’s comments, he needs to worry about getting on the field before he needs to worry about getting suspended.
SHELDON BROWN SMASHED REGGIE BUSH.
This is a difficult one. You do not want to see players hurt, but football is a physical game and the physical part is a big reason the sport is so popular. I hated seeing our star player injured that way, but I am also a guy that loved seeing the birds defense in the “body bag” game.
It has always been part of the game, a more physical player can intimidate a less physical player into changing his game, making him shy away from contact. You hit that reciever going across the middle not only to make a play but to send a message about what he and others can expect whenever they try and catch a pass inside.
That being said, helmet to helmet contact needs to be given greater attention not only in the NFL but at the college and high school level. Defensive players are looking to make big hits, game changing hits. The helmet is the weapon that can make the most dramtic impact and cause the most damage.
I agree with Rodney Harrison, fines do not send a message. Suspensions send a message.
SHELDON BROWN SMASHED REGGIE BUSH. i believe hits like that are LEGAL because sheldon led with his shoulder. Youll still see big hits. I believe the media and the players are turning this into something its not. They just wanna stop the head hunting. I mean look at the hits meriweathers hit was unexusable and so was the one!! on cribbs. He was already going down there was no reason to hit the guys head. I feel that the hit on jackson was not head to head but indefensable reciver.
One other thought regarding injuries from helmet to helmet hits. There are those, Joe Paterno included, that want to see the facemask taken away. I don’t know about that, but what about making the outer shell softer? It would not create such a damaging impact. Just a thought.
greefan years ago there was no face masks. hockey players have a choice as to wear a face masks if they want to.
Best bet would be if they could come out with some collapsible material that rebounds back to its original shape for the helmets –as long as they aren’t as big as space helmets
Something about and inch or 2 thick
G:
I think Harrison got his because of what he said: “I like to hurt people.” NFL corporate can’t have that being dubbed over the hits he made on Sunday. Of course NFL corporate are hypocrites! They’ll make money on both sides of every issue. They’re the house that makes the rules.
And predators like Jack Tatum and Rodney Harrison are good for the game in the end.
Having said all of that, I still wish Eagles’ fans could’ve been alerted to help Andre Waters. G, maybe that’s a weekly column for you guys about what players are unable to recover, or help themselves from playing in the NFL.
G:
I happened to catch Mark Schlereth on ESPN yesterday when he went off and explained how he has been short-changed as far as health-care by the NFL. I didn’t have a problem with anything that man said, and I recommend all of G’s fans check that lengthy statement out. It was well done. I don’t have a link though, sorry.
I’m all for player safety but at the same time, I’m not for watered down football. I think many offensive players would be frustrated with the rule changes as well because they want to be better than the defensive player because of ability and not because of rules that changes the way the defensive player has to think and react. To me, that’s not fair. What changes do they enforce for offensive players? None. Offensive players get everything handed to them and they get paid more money. Yes, their job is risky but this is what they signed up for. Everyone in that locker room know that in any given game on any given play someone can get seriously hurt. But that’s football. How often do guys really get serious injuries from collisions?
The league offices are filled with hypocrites who use big hits in their highlight reels but at the same time don’t want defensive players to intentionally try to make those hits. Big hits are made because that’s what the defender is trying to do. So don’t glorify it for your benefit and then fine players for it too. If a defensive players is closing in on an offensive player, it’s instinct for the offensive player to lower his head. In many cases, helmet to helmet is caused by the offensive player but since he wasn’t making the hit, the defensive player get penalized. I definitely don’t agree with guys actually trying to hurt people but I like big hits and I want to see more. This is pro football and this is what they signed up for and the risks they have to deal with for their profession.
One of the things they could do if they wanted to stop the illegal hitting is to take away some of the protection of the player. The more protection you have, the more likely you are to be risky. For instance a (smart) skateboarder will only try certain tricks if they have the proper protection. Otherwise they’ll play it safe. Same premise here. I remember back in the day when we used to play school yard football. And occasionally we would play tackle on concrete. We didn’t tackle as hard on the concrete. Not because we said not to tackle hard but because we didn’t want to hurt ourselves why trying to tackle someone else. But when we went to the field, that’s where we were flying around and really trying to hit each other because we knew the fall wouldn’t be as hard. Take away some of the protection and many players will think twice about those hits because they are more likely to hurt themselves. Defensive players don’t think about themselves when making these hits. Take away some padding or something else, they will.
And Harrision’s hit wasn’t even his fault. Sure, he’s an idiot for saying some of the stuff he says, but he would have nailed the receiver around the waist area. The receiver lowered his head to try to protect himself creating the contact to the helmet. That one was bogus.
Players just have too learn some restraint and not kill a guy when he’s defensless.How hard is that too understand?Defensless. Unable too protect your neck and prep for the impact.D-lineman hold up all the time and not kill qb’s.how come noones mentioning these guys ability too use restraint. I’ve played football with pads and can remember not wrecking a guy up top when it was ovet the top.
My old man is a big hockey fan.Remembers the ole days.He made the point that hockey was cleaner when guys wore no helmets. Cause there was respect for another mans brain cavitiy.
I notice some of these players in the NFL and the h.s. players i’ve talked too about the game show a almost ” i’ll take you out no matter what attitude”. And it’s exceptable to a degree too wanna so called “ice ” and opponent.. Football is a tough as nails sport. You either have that in you or you don’t .But there should be a level of respect for another player.
And too echo someones point on here…if guys would wrap and use fundamentals it would elimanate some of this stuff. It will never not happen. It’s the most violentsport on earth and it cant change because too be played right it has too be played violent.or else more guys get hurt.
erock, what do you mean “how hard is that to understand”? In the split second players don’t have time to think about what to do. Football players react by their instinct. So it’s not as easy as you may think it is. Anyone who has every played the game at any level would know it’s not something that’s easy. You’ve been taught to play the game one way your entire life and you really think a player can just change instantly? Seriously? Just like Kolb is quoted, it would make them hesitate instead of doing what they do instinctively. Plays happen in mere seconds and that’s not a lot of time when you have guys moving as fast as they do. If that’s the case, why do running backs or receivers lower their heads when they feel/see contact coming? Because they can’t help it. It’s instinct. It will be years for players to have different instincts because it starts in pop warner all the way up to the NFL. So in order to change it at the NFL level it will have to be changed there for the future.
And tell sportscenter and NFL network to stop showing big hits in their highlight reels. When they glorify, that adds to the problems. Guys like Brian Dawkins made their living off of mailing people. I can remember several occasions of Dawkins nailing Shockey coming across the middle while he’s defenseless and knocking his helmet off. No one cared because Shockey didn’t get seriously hurt. Sometimes bad stuff happens. Period.
We are the same people that booed Ricky Watters and Todd Pinkston for having “aligator arms” when they knew they was about to get leveled if they caught the ball and now we’re concerned about their safety. If that’s the case receivers should be able to pull back off passes if they see a defender coming about to nail them. It’s for their safety right? Yeah, let an Eagle player do that at the Linc, we will boo him for the rest of the year.
Tough issue. I don’t want to see it turn into a powderpuff game, but they can not keep carting players off the field with brain injuries. Players adjusted when the league cracked down on head shots and going in at the knees on qbs. They will get better at not leading with the helmet too. These guys have to live passed 45 or they game will die out anyway, especially if they(the gov’t) ever link playing in the NFL to drastically reduced lifespans. Truth being told, that may happen anyway.