NE vs SD, which loss would you enjoy more

[fallforward3y+]

Except many players have come out and said they would rather be hit high in the head than have their legs taken out and suffer a possible career ending knee injury.

So let's put flags on them! They get paid millions and in this day and age all of them know and accept the risks of playing football

As Birdman said, players are suing the league over them not being told about the risks of head injuries, I haven't heard much about knee injuries. If they feel this way, maybe they should come out and criticize players who sue the league. You hear complaints about the rules, but you also hear about players suing the NFL over injuries, yet those players don't seem to criticize players for suing the NFL. The NFL isn't going to let players do whatever they want to them and not do anything to protect themselves, and IMO nor should they.

I remember James Harrison saying if he were a receiver he'd tell defenders that he would pay their fine if they got fined for hitting him high, but please don't hit my knees. Personally, it sounds like he was saying that because he wanted to be able to hit receivers helmet to helmet when they aren't running with it. I really don't see very many career ending knee injuries, season ending maybe..but those are very different things IMO.

I don't really mind most of the hitting rules for defenseless players, and in truth I think people overreact to them. It only says that you can't spear a guy in the helmet, it doesn't say you can't hit them hard when they're defenseless. It's better to put your shoulder on the ball if you want to jar it loose anyhow, and really it's better to go for the ball. It really doesn't seem like the defenseless receiver hitting rules hurt defenses very much.

It is easier on pass offenses now it seems, however that probably has to do more with the illegal contact or pass interference rules.

[fallforward3y+]

i prefer allowing lower hits to higher hits because it's the lesser of the two evils. you can always hurdle someone that is going low or try to get low like they do. worst case scenario you have a lower leg injury, which a player can come back from and even if they don't they will still be okay in the long run.

head trauma from getting hit in the head can cause brain damage and as we seen in multiple cases recently, cause serious mental issues that they think was a key contributor to players committing suicide.

to be honest, this really isn't a debate for smack, its a pretty serious issue actually.

Agreed, a low shot isn't as bad. The main way players get hurt from low shots is if a defender is diving at their knee without wrapping up I would say, a wrap up and take down of the leg probably wouldn't get you hurt. Diving at the legs without wrapping up is a bad technique anyway.

Shots to the head however, are different. As you said, they can cause more long term issues in life.

[baphamet]

He got a concussion after he hit the floor.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/12/12/brandon-browner-not-fined-for-big-hit-on-ladarius-green/#comment-3836947

No suspension, no fine.

read that article real close.......

Green did suffer a concussion on the play after taking a big fall, but it wasn't because Browner struck him helmet-to-helmet, as officials called it in the heat of the moment on the field.

nobody is saying it was helmet to helmet, that was the call the officials made on the field and yeah, that was not correct. however, let me again quote the rule.....

“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. If the receiver/runner is capable of avoiding or warding off the impending contact of an opponent, he is no longer a defenseless player;
[. . .]
(b) Prohibited contact against a player who is in a defenseless posture is:
(1) Forcibly hitting the defenseless player’s head or neck area with the helmet, facemask, forearm, or shoulder, regardless of whether the defensive player also uses his arms to tackle the defenseless player by encircling or grasping him; and
(2) Lowering the head and making forcible contact with the top/crown or forehead/”hairline” parts of the helmet against any part of the defenseless player’s body.”

http://nflcommunications.com/2011/12/27/definition-of-a-defenseless-player/

i would suspect he didn't get fined because it was so close but unless you want to argue he was not a defenseless receiver at the time (and you would be wrong again), it was indeed a penalty.

[TommyBrady12]

considering that green got a concussion on the play, do you actually think they will change the rules in favor of the defense player? they put these rules in to protect the players....

He got a concussion after he hit the floor.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/12/12/brandon-browner-not-fined-for-big-hit-on-ladarius-green/#comment-3836947

No suspension, no fine.

[TommyBrady12]

I'm okay with big hits as long as both guys have their heads straight and know they're going to battle.

Imo if you're a defensive back you have two options. Go for the ball or make the clean tackle

I'm not a fan of these guys going out of their way to tear a guys head off. Hits like this one and the one on Sanders drives me nuts

I know this is football but at some point you cross that line from playing hard into trying to intentionally take someone out of the game

Greene saw the hit coming

[bgpatsfan]

I will bet you right now that browner will not be fined for that hit

I will just take credit for this now... Zero fine!

[TheMoth]

I'm okay with big hits as long as both guys have their heads straight and know they're going to battle.

Imo if you're a defensive back you have two options. Go for the ball or make the clean tackle

I'm not a fan of these guys going out of their way to tear a guys head off. Hits like this one and the one on Sanders drives me nuts

I know this is football but at some point you cross that line from playing hard into trying to intentionally take someone out of the game

[TommyBrady12]

I just love watching this over and over.

Looks pretty clean to me

[MeanVariance]

I just love watching this over and over.

[#87Birdman]

Except many players have come out and said they would rather be hit high in the head than have their legs taken out and suffer a possible career ending knee injury.

So let's put flags on them! They get paid millions and in this day and age all of them know and accept the risks of playing football

Except the ones with knee injuries aren't the ones trying to get money from the league. It is the ones with head injuries so it really doesn't matter what players say since you know the saying "Actions speak louder than words"

Action is that the ones with head injuries have been trying to get money from the league, which is where these rules came from.

[bgpatsfan]

i prefer allowing lower hits to higher hits because it's the lesser of the two evils. you can always hurdle someone that is going low or try to get low like they do. worst case scenario you have a lower leg injury, which a player can come back from and even if they don't they will still be okay in the long run.

head trauma from getting hit in the head can cause brain damage and as we seen in multiple cases recently, cause serious mental issues that they think was a key contributor to players committing suicide.

to be honest, this really isn't a debate for smack, its a pretty serious issue actually.

Except many players have come out and said they would rather be hit high in the head than have their legs taken out and suffer a possible career ending knee injury.

So let's put flags on them! They get paid millions and in this day and age all of them know and accept the risks of playing football

[baphamet]

I'm kind of split on the issue. I've been kind of worried in the past about the tackling aspect of the game worsening, but I've actually seen some signs of it maybe getting better. I don't really mind seeing less of the over the middle hits, that's never been an aspect of the game that I like very much. By an NFL Standard it really isn't that impressive to me to light up somebody that isn't running with the ball, and those hits really don't have the impact on the game that many fans seem to think IMO.

The best way to prevent someone from catching a pass is to try and bat the ball away I would say. I don't see hits actually jar the ball loose before the receiver has possession, unless they get their shoulder on the ball, it's perfectly timed or etc. You don't need to blast your shoulder or helmet into somebody's helmet to get them to the ground, or potentially jar the ball loose before the receiver starts running with the ball, I don't mind defenseless receiver rules.

The rule where a ball carrier can't use their helmet as a weapon outside of the tackle box is is the main one that bugs me, because I don't think rules should protect players that are running with the ball in situations where they can protect themselves, if we start doing that and punishing guys for incidental contact, it could hurt the tackling aspect of the game if players start feeling there is a smaller window of where they can hit someone.

I forget his name, but there was a TE who expressed condolances for Rob Gronkowski when he got hurt last year on a low hit by TJ Ward, saying 'Something needs to be done about these low hits!' or something of that sort I believe. If there are rules about high hits, and also low ones, the window is narrowed of where you can tackle someone, and if players are in an unfavorable, that can make it difficult to get them to the ground.

Sometimes in a position such as when a ball carrier gets their 'inside' shoulder' to the 'outside' of a tackler's body in an angle tackling/running situation, a leg tackle is probably the best way to go because you may not be able to wrap up their body very well, by 'inside' I mean closer to where the ball was snapped, by 'outside' I mean closer to the sideline, though I think you may have figured that I wanted to clarify.

i prefer allowing lower hits to higher hits because it's the lesser of the two evils. you can always hurdle someone that is going low or try to get low like they do. worst case scenario you have a lower leg injury, which a player can come back from and even if they don't they will still be okay in the long run.

head trauma from getting hit in the head can cause brain damage and as we seen in multiple cases recently, cause serious mental issues that they think was a key contributor to players committing suicide.

to be honest, this really isn't a debate for smack, its a pretty serious issue actually.

[baphamet]

This is ridiculous! Let's just put flags on them, that's where were headed! Football is a rough sport just like boxing, bull riding, motocross, and hockey
As a Bronco fan I hate seeing my guys like Welker & Sanders concussed, honestly I wish there were no injuries in football but it's the sport we all love and grew up watching. Guys are going to get injured putting it on the line.
The fans booing the injured Green is classless but it's Patriots fan, what do you expect.

yes i agree, players are going to get injured but rules are rules and they put the rules in to protect the players, especially from brain damage which has been a huge issue lately.

i fail to see how they could change the rule in favor of the defense player, based on that play considering the player got a concussion from it.

i agree that the green hit was awfully close but when you have the defenseless player lying om the ground with an obvious serious concussion (yes he was defenseless and had no time to react to the hit), don't tell me that hit was clean and that he didn't get hit in the head......come on man!

can't believe we are still talking about this, can we move on?

[fallforward3y+]

This is ridiculous! Let's just put flags on them, that's where were headed! Football is a rough sport just like boxing, bull riding, motocross, and hockey
As a Bronco fan I hate seeing my guys like Welker & Sanders concussed, honestly I wish there were no injuries in football but it's the sport we all love and grew up watching. Guys are going to get injured putting it on the line.
The fans booing the injured Green is classless but it's Patriots fan, what do you expect.

I'm kind of split on the issue. I've been kind of worried in the past about the tackling aspect of the game worsening, but I've actually seen some signs of it maybe getting better. I don't really mind seeing less of the over the middle hits, that's never been an aspect of the game that I like very much. By an NFL Standard it really isn't that impressive to me to light up somebody that isn't running with the ball, and those hits really don't have the impact on the game that many fans seem to think IMO.

The best way to prevent someone from catching a pass is to try and bat the ball away I would say. I don't see hits actually jar the ball loose before the receiver has possession, unless they get their shoulder on the ball, it's perfectly timed or etc. You don't need to blast your shoulder or helmet into somebody's helmet to get them to the ground, or potentially jar the ball loose before the receiver starts running with the ball, I don't mind defenseless receiver rules.

The rule where a ball carrier can't use their helmet as a weapon outside of the tackle box is is the main one that bugs me, because I don't think rules should protect players that are running with the ball in situations where they can protect themselves, if we start doing that and punishing guys for incidental contact, it could hurt the tackling aspect of the game if players start feeling there is a smaller window of where they can hit someone.

I forget his name, but there was a TE who expressed condolances for Rob Gronkowski when he got hurt last year on a low hit by TJ Ward, saying 'Something needs to be done about these low hits!' or something of that sort I believe. If there are rules about high hits, and also low ones, the window is narrowed of where you can tackle someone, and if players are in an unfavorable, that can make it difficult to get them to the ground.

Sometimes in a position such as when a ball carrier gets their 'inside' shoulder' to the 'outside' of a tackler's body in an angle tackling/running situation, a leg tackle is probably the best way to go because you may not be able to wrap up their body very well, by 'inside' I mean closer to where the ball was snapped, by 'outside' I mean closer to the sideline, though I think you may have figured that I wanted to clarify.

[58Miller]

considering that green got a concussion on the play, do you actually think they will change the rules in favor of the defense player? they put these rules in to protect the players....

This is ridiculous! Let's just put flags on them, that's where were headed! Football is a rough sport just like boxing, bull riding, motocross, and hockey
As a Bronco fan I hate seeing my guys like Welker & Sanders concussed, honestly I wish there were no injuries in football but it's the sport we all love and grew up watching. Guys are going to get injured putting it on the line.
The fans booing the injured Green is classless but it's Patriots fan, what do you expect.