Brandon Merriweather Personal Foul

[gkekoa]

I know people are giving him hell on TV but explain what he was supposed to do.

1) He hits Marshall in the head but when he makes contact Marshall's head is where his chest would be if he was standing straight up instead of ducking down.

2) Let's say he goes low on Marshall's leg...there goes his career likely. Marshall would have had at least a broken leg.



So seriously, what is a defender supposed to do?

 

[raptorlife4]

How about not leading with his helmet

 

[gkekoa]

That's not what mattered. What mattered was where he hit him.

 

[raptorlife4]

he continues to make stupid plays
He is a selfish player that only wants the big hit

 

[gkekoa]

he continues to make stupid plays
He is a selfish player that only wants the big hit

As a defender, you have to think if you don't make that hit, Marshall makes the TD catch. So again, how do you play that. Marshall ducked down. The only other option is to play dirty and break both of Marshall's legs.

 

[raptorlife4]

As a defender, you have to think if you don't make that hit, Marshall makes the TD catch. So again, how do you play that. Marshall ducked down. The only other option is to play dirty and break both of Marshall's legs.

How about leading with shoulder and not the head

 

[gkekoa]

The helmet to helmet was not the call. It was the high hit. It wouldn't have mattered if he used his shoulder. The shoulder, the helmet, the forearm to the head and neck area of a defenseless receiver is all the same.

So again, how would you have him do it?

 

[raptorlife4]

The helmet to helmet was not the call. It was the high hit. It wouldn't have mattered if he used his shoulder. The shoulder, the helmet, the forearm to the head and neck area of a defenseless receiver is all the same.

So again, how would you have him do it?

Look we will agree to disagree
He has hurt this team time and time again.

 

[gkekoa]

That didn't hurt the team on this play. That's all I'm saying. This is a league problem.

WRs touch the ball and crouch. What was their chest is now their head. The only other option is to go low and break a fibula like Cobb or an ACL like Miami's TE.

 

[elocomotive]

he continues to make stupid plays
He is a selfish player that only wants the big hit

Agreed. And can't tackle or cover for shit. His play today was abysmal.

Look at the highlights and the catch where Jeffery took the ball down to the 9 late in the 2nd half. Look at where Merriweather is on that play. What is he doing?

Bad tackling, never healthy, dumb plays, poor coverage - cut this idiot.

 

[SoCalWizFan]

Gke,

You could be right about that one particular play. However - Meriweather has had issues like this the entire season & during his entire career. Any NFL player would have to be an idiot to not realize that they have to change their old techniques at the risk of fines, suspensions & ultimately a shortened career.

His obsession with leading with his head is selfish and stupid. You try to defend the guy to a point, but it is starting to get ridiculous. I hope for his sake that he will at least start to make an attempt to change his ways.

 

[Manster7588]

You also have to realize than when a player has a history of illegal hits the refs will be quick to throw the flag on him, even when the hits are borderline illegal. Look at Roy Williams in Dallas. It got to a point it Roy even touched a players back he'd get a horse collar flag. Player's make a name for themselves and have to live with that reputation. A player with a clean reputation can get away with a lot more than the Merriweather's and Williams'.

 

[j_y19]

The first penalty he did launch himself into a defenseless receiver, so I can see the call. The second one was just a good football play that should have never ben penalized. He hit him just above the numbers with his face mask up. The crown of his head never dropped. His job as a safety is to dislodge the ball from the receiver. That was just a BS call. But Manster is correct, you get a reputation and the Refs start looking at everything you do. That's what Suh is living with right now. If he breathes on a QB, they throw a flag. Merriweather is unfortunately going to have to start hitting guys lower. I feel sorry for the receivers that will be coming over the middle. Their careers may become much shorter.

 

[Krusheasy]

11m[/ame] [URL="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Redskins&src=hash"]#Redskins S Meriweather: 'I wasn't trying to be dirty'.. guessing league will say, 'so what' http://espn.go.com/blog/washington-redskins/post/_/id/1844/brandon-meriweather-i-wasnt-trying-to-be-dirty …

 

[blh7068]

He left his feet and squarely hit Marshall with the crown of the helmet. That would have drawn a flag 15 years ago.

 

[j_y19]

He left his feet and squarely hit Marshall with the crown of the helmet. That would have drawn a flag 15 years ago.

Not sure which play you are referring to, but the second one he did not lower his head. I bet if you asked Marshall which hit he would prefer, the one he took on that second play or one at his knees, he would much rather have the first hit. If Merriweather hits him at the knees going that speed, his season, and maybe his career, is over.

 

[blh7068]

Not sure which play you are referring to, but the second one he did not lower his head. I bet if you asked Marshall which hit he would prefer, the one he took on that second play or one at his knees, he would much rather have the first hit. If Merriweather hits him at the knees going that speed, his season, and maybe his career, is over.

The hit on Marshall shows Merriweather leaving his feet...and hitting with the crown of the helmet. When that happens, that is going to draw a flag every time. As I said, that would have drawn a flag 15 years ago.

 

[Caliskinsfan]

The hit on Marshall shows Merriweather leaving his feet...and hitting with the crown of the helmet. When that happens, that is going to draw a flag every time. As I said, that would have drawn a flag 15 years ago.

I agree. You just cannot tackle that way, ever. Not sure if BM can change his ways, especially given his past. He will and should get greater scrutiny from refs, as a result.

Completely separate from BM, it gets more and more difficult to play defense in this league. I really feel for Defenses. The "spot" of the correct tackle gets smaller and smaller and the speed of the game gets faster and the players stronger. It's all well and good to be able to see things in slo mo replay, but it glosses over how quickly these plays happen and how tough it can be to only hit a specific area of the body.

 

[rmilia1]

Realistically players are just going to have to start going low. After about 100-150 torn ACL's and broken legs they will eventually ban going low. At this point we will put flags on everyone and call it powder puff football. Womens groups will be outraged forcing the NFL to rename it something less sexist. At that point they will also make it illegal to hit anyone in the middle of the body because why would you have to hit anyone when they are wearing flags?? After the first person too forcibly rips someone flag off causing their pant bottoms to rip causing them HUGE embarrasment in the fashion world flags will be abolished and we will have a nice game of 2 hand touch. However after someone pushes someone too hard during a game of 2 hand touch the rule will be ammended to make it one hand touch thus lessening the likelihood of any severe pushing injuries. After that however there will be an outbreak of broken fingers as players try to lightly tap opposition with one hand. This will lead to a lawsuit of epic proportions as players sue because their wedding rings dont come off right anymore because of all the scar tissue build up from constantly breaking their fingers and if they cant take their wedding rings off then how can they father 9 children by 8 different women on the road??? This will in turn lead to another lawsuit by the mothers of all the bastard children fathered by NFL players because they will no longer be able to birth as many money making illegitimate babies. Its all coming. Just wait and see....

 

[blh7068]

Completely separate from BM, it gets more and more difficult to play defense in this league. I really feel for Defenses. The "spot" of the correct tackle gets smaller and smaller and the speed of the game gets faster and the players stronger. It's all well and good to be able to see things in slo mo replay, but it glosses over how quickly these plays happen and how tough it can be to only hit a specific area of the body.

Spot on, calii. I know Its always on the defensive player to be in proper tackling position, but that compromises the defender a lot. Its impossible to react to every body position change that the offensive player makes before a hit is made. The hit on Jermichael Finley is a perfect example- Finley lowers his head just before impact- and of course its on the Cleveland defender. More importantly, he doesnt do that and quite possible he isnt carted off the field to the hospital.