Understanding Hard-Hitting Rules

[mlmpetert]

Originally Posted by Mattyk

Big hits only happen on passes where the WR continues to the outside?

What about big hits on a slant or quick in route where you have LB's lurking?

Look, nobody wants to get guys hurt for 15 more yards. Some of these big hits are inevitable. But I don't think you can say coaches are going to try to exploit this and get their guys killed in the process.

Its not big hits, its hits to defenseless receivers.

But most of the defenseless receiver hits come from hits from safeties and corners. Outside 3-4 line backers cause some also, but from my viewing experience to a much lesser extent. But i agree and said so above, making it a penalty would probably cut back on offense too much.

Of course no coach wants to get guys hurt for 15 yards but its not them getting the person hurt, its the defender breaking the rule and stepping into the WR to make contact when hes supposed to just whiff on the tackle.

[mlmdub130]

i thought he was fined for lowering his helmet right? not hitting a defensless receiver, i think thats where we are getting the most confusion. hard hits are very much still allowed on a receiver coming across the middle, you just can't do three key things 1. lower your head 2. leave your feet 3. make helmet to helmet contact. once players learn to adjust to a different style of tackling i really see this being a non issue, along the lines of the horse collar penalty. the thing that is going to suck is going to be these first few years where everyone has to adjust. and the biggest thing they need is to become way more consistant in the way the calls are made and the fines are issued. as well they also definitley need to adapt a pay grade to fine amount ratio so that guys don't lose whole game checks over a mistake.

[mlmpetert]

Originally Posted by mlmdub130

i thought he was fined for lowering his helmet right? not hitting a defensless receiver, i think thats where we are getting the most confusion. hard hits are very much still allowed on a receiver coming across the middle, you just can't do three key things 1. lower your head 2. leave your feet 3. make helmet to helmet contact. once players learn to adjust to a different style of tackling i really see this being a non issue, along the lines of the horse collar penalty. the thing that is going to suck is going to be these first few years where everyone has to adjust. and the biggest thing they need is to become way more consistant in the way the calls are made and the fines are issued. as well they also definitley need to adapt a pay grade to fine amount ratio so that guys don't lose whole game checks over a mistake.

There was never any mention of him lowering his head when he hit Maclin so I think youre wrong but honestly im not sure anymore. I started this thread because multiple articles cite this rule for why Robinson was fined:

It is a foul if a player initiates unnecessary contact against a player who is in a defenseless posture.
(a) Players in a defenseless posture are…(2) A receiver attempting to catch a pass; or who has completed a catch and has not had time to protect himself or has not clearly become a runner.

Everyone remembers the defenseless receiver rule being voted in over the summer, but i dont think anyone knows what it truly is, just generalizations of what you cant and can do, based off of things they have heard.

I tried to find more info on this rule and theres nothing out there. I cant find anything official that says you cant lower your head, launch, or make helmet to helmet contact. Thats all just stuff we have heard on tv or read in a article. Im guessing the rule shown above came from Robinson's side or a legit news source like ESPN that has access to the real rules and definitions and used it to cite what Robinson got fined for.

A while back in the Is Goodell good for the NFL someone said that all these rules are made by the rules committee and then confirmed the NFLPA and that Goodell doesn’t even take part in the matter, but couldn’t offer anything to even suggest that being true. Seriously its ridiculous, none of us actually really know what the rules in question are or how they come about.

I thought if I started this thread some stuff would get cleared up and we could talk about if some of the protection rules are good or not, but I don’t think any of us are actually citing real stuff when forming their opinion about the Robinson hit and hard hits in general. Now im just more confused than ever……

[MTK]

Originally Posted by mlmpetert

There was never any mention of him lowering his head when he hit Maclin so I think youre wrong but honestly im not sure anymore. I started this thread because multiple articles cite this rule for why Robinson was fined:

It is a foul if a player initiates unnecessary contact against a player who is in a defenseless posture.
(a) Players in a defenseless posture are…(2) A receiver attempting to catch a pass; or who has completed a catch and has not had time to protect himself or has not clearly become a runner.

Everyone remembers the defenseless receiver rule being voted in over the summer, but i dont think anyone knows what it truly is, just generalizations of what you cant and can do, based off of things they have heard.

I tried to find more info on this rule and theres nothing out there. I cant find anything official that says you cant lower your head, launch, or make helmet to helmet contact. Thats all just stuff we have heard on tv or read in a article. Im guessing the rule shown above came from Robinson's side or a legit news source like ESPN that has access to the real rules and definitions and used it to cite what Robinson got fined for.

A while back in the Is Goodell good for the NFL someone said that all these rules are made by the rules committee and then confirmed the NFLPA and that Goodell doesn’t even take part in the matter, but couldn’t offer anything to even suggest that being true. Seriously its ridiculous, none of us actually really know what the rules in question are or how they come about.

I thought if I started this thread some stuff would get cleared up and we could talk about if some of the protection rules are good or not, but I don’t think any of us are actually citing real stuff when forming their opinion about the Robinson hit and hard hits in general. Now im just more confused than ever……

Think about how the players must feel

[mlmpetert]

Originally Posted by Mattyk

Think about how the players must feel

Hahaha, yeah seriously

[mlmpetert]

Can anyone explain the 15 yarder on Moss last night?

[MTK]

Penalize now, ask questions later.

[SouperMeister]

Originally Posted by mlmpetert

Can anyone explain the 15 yarder on Moss last night?

That was a terrible call against the Cowboys. A shoulder pad to the sternum should always be considered a clean play. What's a DB to do? Let the receiver catch the ball, then gently lay the receiver on the ground? As long as the contact isn't made on the receiver's head or delivered by the defender's helmet, the hit should be legal.

[skinsfan69]

Originally Posted by mlmpetert

Can anyone explain the 15 yarder on Moss last night?

Maybe the worst call of the year. The refs were just god awful.

[mlmpetert]

Honestly i think it may been a good call on a rule that appears nothing short of terrible .....

I sent a email to the NFL about the rule today for clarification. Although ive emailed the NFL several times and PFT once before about specifics no avail so im not really expecting anything.....