Injuries and the new rules

[JDM]

Can't agree here. If it is so easy for the player with the ball to to make a decision to unset his foot from the ground when he sees the defender is going for his knee why wouldn't he just step over the defender every time. When a DB torpedoes himself at a player the contact will happen in less than a solid second. I don't want to make the game a game for pussies, and yes we celebrated many players in the past for doing the same thing (Ronny Lott) but with today's faster stronger players it is more dangerous than ever. I have no issues tackling at the knees or ankles but it may be time to force the DB to stop trying to blow the guy up at the knees. Teach them how to wrap up when tackling. Yes defenders have to be allowed to hit WR hard to separate him from the ball, but get the hit a little higher. If the defender aims for the numbers and the WR ducks into helmet contact, flag the WR. These are supposed to be smart men running the NFL. They need to figure out how to keep the game as it is but try to limit injuries. I know, its easier said than done.

You may not be able to avoid it and stay on your feet, but one second is plenty of time to get the weight off of it so your knee doesn't get blown out.

 

[Kevin12773]

As Gregg Williams has shown there are many coaches/teams that play " on the edge" Jeff Fisher comes to mind as one that his teams seem to be a little too much on the chippy side IMO. certain coaches teach that way and players don't wrap up instead try to knock out which is fine if that's the way they want to play but then don't complain about fines/ unsportsmanlike penalties.

 

[PDay8810]

"As much as Hartline resented Swearinger's tactics, the bottom line is that the defender made a legal play. It may have broken some unwritten code, but that's not going to gain a ton of sympathy in other circles. Two years ago, Kansas City Chiefs safety Eric Berry sustained an ACL tear after Buffalo Bills wide receiver Steve Johnson plowed into his left knee while delivering a cut block. Offensive players such as Hartline weren't complaining about the devastation Berry suffered at that time.

The reality is that this is the NFL as we now know it and the league would be wise to be just as concerned about what could become a growing trend. If players can't go high, they're going to go low if the circumstances call for it. In the case of Swearinger, he likely was thinking about the best method for tackling an opponent who outweighed him by 40 pounds. It says plenty about Swearinger's character that he sent a sympathetic tweet to Keller after hearing about the consequences of that hit.

What Swearinger also knew was that he now lives in a world in which he can't be nearly as aggressive as he once was. He said he was penalized three times while playing at South Carolina for hits that were deemed too vicious to the heads of opponents. Those types of punishments tend to stick in a player's mind once he's trying to make a living at the next level. Swearinger knew he was crossing the line too much in college and he openly admitted that his hit on Keller had everything to do with avoiding a fine at this level.

The problem with all this rewiring of how players play the game is that there is no perfect method for doing it. The NFL can show videos, fine players, force coaches to teach the appropriate strike zone for hitting and promote their programs for safe tackling all they want. The game is played too fast for all those methods to settle into a player's mindset completely. At some point, defenders are going to do whatever they have to do."

 

[blue jersey jinx]

"As much as Hartline resented Swearinger's tactics, the bottom line is that the defender made a legal play. It may have broken some unwritten code, but that's not going to gain a ton of sympathy in other circles. Two years ago, Kansas City Chiefs safety Eric Berry sustained an ACL tear after Buffalo Bills wide receiver Steve Johnson plowed into his left knee while delivering a cut block. Offensive players such as Hartline weren't complaining about the devastation Berry suffered at that time.

The reality is that this is the NFL as we now know it and the league would be wise to be just as concerned about what could become a growing trend. If players can't go high, they're going to go low if the circumstances call for it. In the case of Swearinger, he likely was thinking about the best method for tackling an opponent who outweighed him by 40 pounds. It says plenty about Swearinger's character that he sent a sympathetic tweet to Keller after hearing about the consequences of that hit.

What Swearinger also knew was that he now lives in a world in which he can't be nearly as aggressive as he once was. He said he was penalized three times while playing at South Carolina for hits that were deemed too vicious to the heads of opponents. Those types of punishments tend to stick in a player's mind once he's trying to make a living at the next level. Swearinger knew he was crossing the line too much in college and he openly admitted that his hit on Keller had everything to do with avoiding a fine at this level.

The problem with all this rewiring of how players play the game is that there is no perfect method for doing it. The NFL can show videos, fine players, force coaches to teach the appropriate strike zone for hitting and promote their programs for safe tackling all they want. The game is played too fast for all those methods to settle into a player's mindset completely. At some point, defenders are going to do whatever they have to do."

With the new rules pertaining to head injuries, expect a lot of knee injuries this year. The new rules are ruining the game. Bottom line, football is a rough, physical, violent sport. Even I am for protecting the qb's and wr's, but this is getting way out of hand now. I'm all for cleaning up the late hits and horse cauller and things like that, but when a player is pushed by another into his own qb and is flagged, I have a problem with that rule. And there are other times when a defensive player is air borne at full speed, how is he supposed to stop in-mid stream and avoid a qb. Its hard enough to play defense as is and as the NFL continues to make the game more offensive, they are now at a serious disadvantage. Frankly, I always loved a 13 - 10 game that was hard fought, etc. We don't see to many defensive battles and games anymore. Offenses have it way too easy today. Maybe this is the only way defenses can send a message to NFL by going after the knees, that enough is enough.

 

[PDay8810]

watched NFL live on ESPN about this topic

Ditka, Carter, Keyshawn and the ex Denver LB said they rather be hit high than low.

this isn't just a football problem, it's a national problem with everything today
Political Correctness remains the biggest problem....trying to be everything to everybody

 

[snookdad]

I remember when there was a time when a defender could hit the QB If they were within an arms reach of him as he completed his throwing motion. Those were the Days when the Best defenses could compete with the Best offenses and actually when through attrition and intimidation those days are sadly gone. I will admit some of the rules may be necessary, but targeting wear you can and can't hit a guy is going to far IMO.

 

[Manster7588]

watched NFL live on ESPN about this topic

Ditka, Carter, Keyshawn and the ex Denver LB said they rather be hit high than low.

this isn't just a football problem, it's a national problem with everything today
Political Correctness remains the biggest problem....trying to be everything to everybody

This surprised me a little. Maybe instead of changing the game into touch football the league needs to have a "I know I can get injured" statement the player's must sign and agree they cannot sue the NFL. That and provide lifetime health care for their injuries.
There has to be a way to keep the game as it is supposed to be.

 

[PDay8810]

This surprised me a little. Maybe instead of changing the game into touch football the league needs to have a "I know I can get injured" statement the player's must sign and agree they cannot sue the NFL. That and provide lifetime health care for their injuries.
There has to be a way to keep the game as it is supposed to be.

actually....I think your statement will be the base for an agreement to preserve the sport at the professional level....not sure about college or high school football

 

[jarntt]

Again, you don't have to be all that athletic to see the defender is going for the knee and not have your knee planted when he does so. It is worse form to do so than to lower your helmet into a player's knees in the first place.

What? How many times does a guy not even really see the tackler until right before or right when he is hit? How can you say this and think it makes sense? A guy goes at your knee in a split second in an NFL game and you are supposed to unplant your leg at the same time you are worried about gaining yards or avoiding a hit? Might as well just give up the play and fall to the ground and then the defender basically wins.

 

[cowboycolors]

Trading helmet hits for Knee hit neither good

League has to fix this and fast

 

[Schmoopy1000]

What? How many times does a guy not even really see the tackler until right before or right when he is hit? How can you say this and think it makes sense? A guy goes at your knee in a split second in an NFL game and you are supposed to unplant your leg at the same time you are worried about gaining yards or avoiding a hit? Might as well just give up the play and fall to the ground and then the defender basically wins.

Jarntt the guys comment on this is whacked. His way of thinking is the receiver is suppose to catch the ball in the air & roll up into a ball & just hit the ground. Otherwise it is the Offensive guys fault for his injury. of course that offensive player would get cut for continuously doing that, but that is this guys logic.

Sad thing is if Swearinger gets there just a hair earlier everyone would have Oooo'd & ahhhhh'd over the hit because it would have up ended the TE before his foot touched the ground. maybe making the play a fumble or an INC instead of an injured player. Then everyone would have cheered the hit. This game is played way to fast to make things simple.

 

[snookdad]

When interviewed Swearinger admitted to hitting him high to avoid being penalized and hit with a fine. It's clear that most of the fans and players hate this new brand of football that the league is pushing. I know it will never happen but the Commish should rescind are at least soften some of these new rules. I think a good Idea what be to bring back the incidental contact penalty of 5 yrds on some of these bogues flags that are killing any shot a defense has at getting an offense of the field.

 

[snookdad]

I think another adjustment could be if its incidental give him 5 yrd w/o resetting the series . In other words if I draw that flag on 2nd and 7 instead of getting 5 yrds and 1 and 10....give him 5 yrds and make it 2 and 2. would never happen but I think they have to do something to try and bring some balance back to the defense.

 

[JDM]

What? How many times does a guy not even really see the tackler until right before or right when he is hit? How can you say this and think it makes sense? A guy goes at your knee in a split second in an NFL game and you are supposed to unplant your leg at the same time you are worried about gaining yards or avoiding a hit? Might as well just give up the play and fall to the ground and then the defender basically wins.

It's not a split second. It takes time for him to be low enough with enough force to do damage. If you can't get your feet up in that time you do not deserve to be in the NFL.

 

[snookdad]

Keller had no time as soon as he turned around he was popped.

 

[PDay8810]

It's not a split second. It takes time for him to be low enough with enough force to do damage. If you can't get your feet up in that time you do not deserve to be in the NFL.

You just couldn't let it go....I'm not sure if you ever played football but that is pure nuts.

define when a ballcarrier is engaged with one tackler and then another arrives on the scene and tell me about getting your feet up

over thinking and broad statements seldom fly

 

[Kevin12773]

It's not a split second. It takes time for him to be low enough with enough force to do damage. If you can't get your feet up in that time you do not deserve to be in the NFL.

How in the hell did Keller have time to get his leg up? He barely got his head turned, jeeez man what's next with you blaming a shooting victim for not dodging a bullet?

 

[tw1st3d]

How in the hell did Keller have time to get his leg up? He barely got his head turned, jeeez man what's next with you blaming a shooting victim for not dodging a bullet?

LOL Kevin...
welcome to the Cowboys board...... we fight ignorance as much as we talk football.... to be honest ... we fight ignorance more often than we talk football most times ....

 

[JDM]

You just couldn't let it go....I'm not sure if you ever played football but that is pure nuts.

define when a ballcarrier is engaged with one tackler and then another arrives on the scene and tell me about getting your feet up

over thinking and broad statements seldom fly

I absolutely played football, for almost 20 years. I had multiple knee injuries, and never once was any of them the result of anything but being engaged.

This injury, yes, it sucks. But you can't make a hit illegal for the 1 in a million time it can happen and be unavoidable on the offensive players part.

 

[JDM]

How in the hell did Keller have time to get his leg up? He barely got his head turned, jeeez man what's next with you blaming a shooting victim for not dodging a bullet?

I've said this case sucks and was hard to avoid more than once. But the vast majority of hits at the knees that result in injuries are the fault of the player being hit, or the result of being engaged and taking the hit. You can't ban something because occasionally by a fluke it causes an injury.