I hope no one changes anything, and this bullshit alteration is nullified after 200 players are marked for suspension after the first week for "devastating hits".. DUMB!
I know you don't care about the intent, but he clearly couldn't have meant to make h2h contact unless he somehow knew that Rhodes was going to move Boldin's head down. I don't really expect better from McDaniels.
It was pretty devastating though. I mean the result was pretty gory - probably a little too PG-13 for Goodell.
The biggest problem with this is the subjectivity of the term "devastating hit." How on earth does one legislate that? The helmet to helmet is obvious, but would the Revis hit from yesterday be deemed devastating? Watch the replay, if Revis doesnt explode into the receiver and simply "wraps up," Royal makes that catch and gains yardage. By blowing up that play the Broncos were forced into 3rd & long (7, i think..) If Royal makes that catch because Revis doesn't want to risk a suspension, the Broncos pick up about four yards and now have a 3rd & short. I hope everyone on here realizes the impact this new rule is going to have on down and distance during the course of games. With the style of football the Jets play, this will hurt them more than most... BTW - Steve Young said he believes poor QB play is the biggest problem and that incomptent QBs are "throwing" receivers into kill shots because they are not reading coverages correctly.
I don't know why I'm still suprised by the media's laziness and stupidity at this point but why would they include the Leonhard hit in this article? If anyone involved had bothered to watch the play its obvious it wasn't helmet to helmet.
They either hate the Jets, didn't see the actual play, or have no knowledge of football. All three is my guess.
This new rule is also going to have a HUGE impact on Special Teams, particularly kick/punt returns. On the Devin Hester return yesterday, there were TWO "devastating" hits that help spring him. Guys are running down the field at full speed from 50 yards away and now they are expected to pull off at the last second? It is NOT going to work and in some ways it might possibly lead to even more injuries (knees). One more thing, the more I think about this I'm beginning to believe this rule is more about money than player safety. Everyone knows the NFL wants to move to an 18 game schedule. Well guess what? Too many concussions and "devastating" hits hurt the league's chances at ever getting the NFLPA to buy into extending the season by two more games. More games = more money for the NFL, it's simple economics and the league is going to make darned sure that these hits don't derail their plans.
I have a feeling we are going to hear the word "devastating" in the NFL as much as we hear "classless" in the NHL
Just watched the Desean Jackson, Dunta Robinson hit and it really didn't look helmet to helmet, like the helmets hit but it was no different from the Revis hit, majority of the hit was Dunta's shoulder pad into Jackson's face mask. The helmets seemed to hit side to side like the top right of Dunta's helmet met the right side of Jacksons, the brunt of the hit seemed to be the shoulder pad into the face mask, which could of smashed his chin which in fighting is the knock out sweet spot, they were also both running pretty hard. EDIT: Nevermind, I'm an asshole the helmets barely hit, Dunta's helmet made full contact with Jackson's shoulder, so I'm assuming it was Dunta's shoulder pad and the force of the hit whipped Jackson's head back really hard. Dunta did dive with his head though.
Are blocking hits considered "devastating"? If so drafting John Conner will be a wasted pick. He'll be suspended every other game... or if you recall Leon's huge hit on Crowder last year in the Miami game... devastating? : ( On a serious note, just go to 2 hand touch at this point (what it is for QB's). Steve Young is right, bad QB's are laying their receivers out to dry. But honestly QB's have been doing this for years. One bad day of concussions and the league goes nuts. Just dumb.
You might be against helmet-to-helmet hits, but that's not what most of the people have the problem with. It's the so called "devastating hit". It says nothing about helmets. The Leonard tackle is a perfect example. His helmet came nowhere near the other guys helmet, yet he was still flagged and could be suspended. These players are payed millions of dollars and play of their own free will. Nobody is forcing them to take the risk involved.
Nobody is getting suspended for what happened last week. Once the announcement is made it will become effective then.
Smith launched himself like a missile. It is his fault that Rhodes may have moved Boldin's head down. You get no breaks when you launch yourself like a missile. I don't make any excuses for players who launch themselves like missiles and then make helmet-to-helmet contact with another player.
"We've got to get the message to players that these devastating hits and head shots will be met with a very necessary higher standard of accountability" Considering they said devastating hits AND head shots it has to be two different things.
Yeah, but then they suffer with many types of injuries after they are done playing and then bitch about how the league is not giving them enough money to cover their medical expenses.
Exactly. Sounds rushed and moved to quick to counter the freaky week of head injuries. It is too judgemental. A player may think he has a clear hit lined up, and suddenly the player he is about to tackle moves his head in a manner to make the helmets collide.
