Saints targeting Harvin?

[Doublejive]

 

[blstoker]

I don't think it was anything more than he was a threat and they wanted to be physical. The play to Baldwin in the fourth where Lewis ripped his helmet off and threw it away is a good indication that it wasn't just Harvin who they were trying to be physical with. Lynch took some pretty hard hits too. I do agree that the first hit by Bush was a plan to exchange a penalty for momentum/send a message. But, with the Saints, if it even appears they may be targeting opponent's players, the question will come up (just like the Patriots will always have spygate).

 

[WizardHawk]

bks, there wasn't just one hit to his head. The second one really must make one raise an eyebrow, like it or not. Harvin was down out of bounds and the defender first makes contact with his head with his arm and then his leg and it wasn't necessary. It is something you do when you are either pissed and not composed or looking to send a message. I mean it's a smart thing to do. Target a guy who hasn't played all year and is coming off a major injury who you believe could be the difference in the game. Given your teams history I don't see how anyone can arbitrarily rule it out. Doesn't mean it happened, but you can't say it for sure didn't either.

 

[dude82]

It certainly looked like they were going after him to take him out, especially on that first hit. Now that may not have been the plan, but the Saints lost the benefit of the doubt when it comes to that sort of thing with Bounty-gate. As several of you have pointed out, it's too tempting for a team to try to take out a play-maker of their opponent when the worst thing that can happen to the instigator within the game is a 15-yard penalty. There's no perfect fix for this, but I actually like how the college game has approached this problem. The 15-yard penalty is still there as it has always been for unsportsmanlike or personal foul penalties, but the threat of the instigator getting ejected (as determined by replay officials up in the booth) gives more teeth to the 15-yard penalty and gives teams and players second thoughts about trying to take someone out. Obviously the flaws with this approach are that it's not easy to judge intent, even with a booth review, and that it puts the potential fate of a team in the hands of the officials on the field or the replay official in the booth, which both players and fans are unlikely to be on board with, but even with its flaws, this approach has got to be better than giving a team a slap on the wrist for something that they're trying to eliminate from the game as much as possible.

 

[boogiewithstu2007]

2 hits CLEARLY on a defenseless receiver.. First one was called and the Saints were happy on the sideline … Second one wasn't called because it was hard to see what happened but clearly Harvin was assisted with his momentum hitting the ground with and elbow to his head to increase the ground impact…. Saints didn't care if they were penalized because taking Harvin out was worth the penalty… This @#$% was dirty …

 

[Banned 10x]

I don't think the Saints were specifically targeting Harvin, but they came out with the mentality to hit and hit as hard as they could any receiver... and they did that.

Dude who knocked Harvin out of the game got a nice little bonu$ check this week.

 

[Destroydacre]

As I stated in the game thread, I believe it was part of the Saints' gameplan to take Harvin out of the game. Tiger doesn't change its stripes.

 

[NinerFan52]

2 hits CLEARLY on a defenseless receiver.. First one was called and the Saints were happy on the sideline … Second one wasn't called because it was hard to see what happened but clearly Harvin was assisted with his momentum hitting the ground with and elbow to his head to increase the ground impact…. Saints didn't care if they were penalized because taking Harvin out was worth the penalty… This @#$% was dirty …

First play was a penalty, but I wouldn't call it dirty. 2nd hit was not a penalty and it shouldn't be. The defender didn't know Harvin dropped the ball. We are still playing football and Harvin was in the end zone... No free pass to catch the ball. His forearm was going in the back as Harvin was going to the ground. If ET makes that play would you call it dirty or make it into a pic with Legion of Boom on it?

 

[Screamin12th]

the fact that Rob Ryan came over and patted Bush on the Head and the players where slapping high fives tells me something. Targeting ? no but they would take that 15 yarder every time to take out a player like Harvin.

Sure it was a little dirty but they are also going home for the season.

 

[NinerSickness]

I'm gonna be totally honest with this one. The 49ers don't have anyone who can cover Percy Harvin. Period.

This is gonna be anyone's game, but I can't realistically like the 49ers' chances if Harvin is healthy & playing.

So the question is will Harvin be able to go on Sunday? Or will he have to wait 'til all the tweetie birds circling around his head fly away?

 

[NinerSickness]

By the way, I just wanted to deliver well wishes to Harvin from the Niners' board.

Take care of yourself buddy. You don't want to risk your long-term health. Get well soon... ish.

 

[geezer]

On the street, it is assault, and you can be sued and go to jail. On the football field, its just a penalty. God hope nobody starts targeting the other teams players like the saints did a few seasons ago. They were just the ones who got caught. As much as I might hate another team, I don't want to see any one permanently maimed. Farve is already losing his memory. Jim McMahon is having serious problems. These modern day gladiators get hurt and pay dearly in their later years for our entertainment.
I want a new rule, get flagged twice in a game for helmet to helmet and you get ejected.

 

[Cloud]

On the street, it is assault, and you can be sued and go to jail. On the football field, its just a penalty. God hope nobody starts targeting the other teams players like the saints did a few seasons ago. They were just the ones who got caught. As much as I might hate another team, I don't want to see any one permanently maimed. Farve is already losing his memory. Jim McMahon is having serious problems. These modern day gladiators get hurt and pay dearly in their later years for our entertainment.
I want a new rule, get flagged twice in a game for helmet to helmet and you get ejected.

Defensive players nowadays are good at controlling their body and rarely make helmet-to-helmet contact anymore. Only the stupid ones do.

The hits that Harvin took yesterday to me was clear and intentional. Especially the second one where you can see the defensive player driving his forearm onto the back of Harvin as he went to the ground.

The 2 plays in my opinion were dirty with an intent to knock a player out of the game. They succeeded.

 

[dude82]

Even if they weren't specifically targeting him to get him out of the game, they certainly didn't hide how happy it made them that they did knock him out.

 

[geezer]

Even if they weren't specifically targeting him to get him out of the game, they certainly didn't hide how happy it made them that they did knock him out.

That is because the saints are still a classless bunch of thugs. Maybe they didn't earn their lesson.

 

[NinerFan52]

Defensive players nowadays are good at controlling their body and rarely make helmet-to-helmet contact anymore. Only the stupid ones do.

The hits that Harvin took yesterday to me was clear and intentional. Especially the second one where you can see the defensive player driving his forearm onto the back of Harvin as he went to the ground.

The 2 plays in my opinion were dirty with an intent to knock a player out of the game. They succeeded.

Not illegal, hence no flag. It still is tackle football(as of right now) so WR's are going to get hit.

 

[Cloud]

Not illegal, hence no flag. It still is tackle football(as of right now) so WR's are going to get hit.

And notice that I never said anything about it being illegal either. The first hit was illegal, thus a flag. The second one while may not be illegal, it was dirty with an intent to injure.

 

[bksballer89]

I'm guessing you guys didn't like football 3-5 years ago? Did you guys just become fans last yr? The reason they were not mad at Bush because they know he was just playing physical football...Nothing was dirty about it. If not for the new rules, that is not a penalty. Harvin is soft....No way around it. Everytime he get hits he is out for the game

 

[NinerFan52]

And notice that I never said anything about it being illegal either. The first hit was illegal, thus a flag. The second one while may not be illegal, it was dirty with an intent to injure.

Who is your source that told you he was specifically trying to injure Harvin as opposed to stop him from catching the ball in the end zone like any other DB in this league would have done? That isn't dirty at all, dirty is a head shot or stomping on someone. Hitting someone trying to catch a ball in the end zone is not dirty, its football.

 

[Itsmytime]

I'm guessing you guys didn't like football 3-5 years ago? Did you guys just become fans last yr? The reason they were not mad at Bush because they know he was just playing physical football...Nothing was dirty about it. If not for the new rules, that is not a penalty. Harvin is soft....No way around it. Everytime he get hits he is out for the game

Yes because because being tough prevents you from getting a concussion.... C'mon now!