Helmet to helmet contact rule.

[smackaholic]

For years now, we've had this rule in place which is designed to prevent injuries, but as is usually the case, the rule goes to far and results in what is obviously a good clean hard hit getting flagged.

Fortunately, whoever makes the video challenge call got it right. It just sucks that the call was made in the first place.

My problem with the rule, as I understand it, which is admittedly not very good, is that it says that if the tackler makes contact with the runner with his helmet before the rest of his body, he is guilty of a personal foul.

Here's my problem with this rule.

Human anatomy is pretty clear. Heads are mounted on top of our bodies (democrats with heads up their asses don't count). When a human runs, he pretty much has to lean forward. This applies to tacklers and ball carriers. Given this anatomical reality, odds are pretty good that heads will come into contact. Some smart feller figured out this anatomical, bio-mechanical fact years ago and came up with the idea of putting a helmet on so it wouldn't hurt so much when they knocked heads.

Rugby dude ain't so bright, so he still cracks heads.

Anyhoo, this rule has the effect of making the tackler error on the side of not making any head contact. It also can be used by a clever runner to alter his path a bit to cause the tackler to commit the helmet first offense and get himself a free 15 yards.

I do think that deliberate "spearing" is a thing. It's sort of like porn in that it is difficult to define, but you know it when you see it.

What we saw at the end of the UT/UGA game wasn't even close. Hell, it wasn't even helmet first. It was helmet to helmet contact due to one of Newton's laws, third I think. It says a body in motion wants to remain in motion. This includes helmets. So even though there was shoulder to shoulder contact, these dudes domes continued moving and bumped.

I have one other question here. Was the fact that the QBs helmet went flying a part of the decision to throw a flag?

I think it was.

And getting back to the clever football player wanting to take advantage of every rule he can, might this cause QBs to maybe forget to buckle their chin straps? Or maybe have a strap that is tampered with to make flying helmets more common?

[88BuckeyeGrad]

I think the rule has changed the game for the better. And I was not a fan at the beginning. DB's are no longer encouraged to just throw their heads into WR's without wrapping (they still can't tackle for shit, but I digress). The punch-out tackle is way more prevalent than it was 5 or so years ago. Some of those dudes are really, really good at it. I think there will always be a tension between really good tough football and safety. But the line is better this way. I was wrong.

[smackaholic]

You may be right about the rule being fine tuned over the last few years. As I said, my knowledge of the rules is about as good as poptart's knowledge of planetary modeling.

[Left Seater]

Are we talking about NCAA rules? If so there are two separate rules.

Crown of the helmet - the defender cannot initiate force able contact with the crown of the the helmet to any part of an opponent’s body.

Defenseless player - a defender may not make force able constant to the head or neck area of the defenseless player with any part of the defender’s body.

Helmet to helmet contact can be allowed under the rules.

[smackaholic]

Defenseless player is a tricky one. How exactly do you define it?

Another one is the QB slide rule.

A few weeks ago there was a case of it. The QB did go into a slide, but the defender, IMO was already commited to making a tackle.

The player was not only penalized. He was given a one game suspension.

Wasn't there a case, I think it was last year where there was a situation where you'd expect the QB was gonna slide and he made some sort of feign to a slide, but didn't and ended up gaining a good bit of yardage.

I have a question about the QB slide rule.

Where is he "down"? Is it the point where something other than a foot contacts the turf? Or is it where he comes to a stop?

[Mikey]

This one on Saturday looked questionable to me. The ASU player didn't lower his helmet. He got ejected for targeting and is out for the first half of their first CFP game. Blame the OL for giving him a free shot at the QB.

[FiatLux]

So you're saying basically that the ACC officials were trying to protect undefeated Miami by not calling targeting on this play?

Cal could have run out the clock if the rules were applied correctly and took Miami out of plahyoff contemtion.

So, left seater is saying Cal got fucked by the refs and not just by Wilcox.

[Left Seater]

Defenseless player is a tricky one. How exactly do you define it?

Defenseless isn't all that tricky as many examples are provided in the rule book:

When in question, a player is
defenseless. Examples of defenseless players include but are not limited to:

• A player in the act of or just after throwing a pass This includes an offensive player in a passing posture with focus downfield
• A receiver attempting to catch a forward pass or in position to receive a backward pass, or one who has completed a catch and has not had time
to protect themselves or has not clearly become a ball carrier (if we would call the pass incomplete if the receiver didn't complete the catch then the receiver is by definition defenseless.)
• A kicker in the act of or just after kicking a ball, or during the kick or the return
• A kick returner attempting to catch or recover a kick, or one who has completed a catch or recovery and has not had time to protect themselves or has not clearly become a ball carrier
• A player on the ground
• A player obviously out of the play
• A player who receives a blind-side block
• A ball carrier already in the grasp of an opponent and whose forward progress has been stopped
• A quarterback any time after a change of possession
• A ball carrier who has obviously given themselves up and is sliding feetfirst

The rule itself reads:

"No player shall target and make forcible contact to the head or neck area of a defenseless opponent with the helmet, forearm, hand, fist, elbow or shoulder."

The other part of targeting is to protect the person making the hit. This is the crown of the helmet rule. This rule reads as follows:

"No player shall target and make forcible contact against an opponent with the crown of their helmet The crown of the helmet is the top segment of the helmet; namely, the circular area defined by a 6-inch radius from the apex (top) of the helmet."


As for the sliding QB, here is how that situation is covered by the rules:

"When a ball carrier obviously begins a feet-first slide. Any time a ball carrier simulates or fakes a feet-first slide, the ball should be declared dead by the on-field officials at that point."

As to the question of where the ball is placed for the next snap, it is where he begins his slide. We ususally define this mechanically as the point his hips begin to drop. We also instruct the wing officials on the line of srimmage who are responsible for forward progress to go to the point you believe the hips started to drop and then back up one yard.

There was a modification to this rule due to the Pitt QB scoring a TD in a bowl game after faking a slide and the defenders pulling up.

[Left Seater]

Mikey,

Your example is a clear cut call that either the R or C should have made on the field. The QB is defenseless by rule:

A player in the act of or just after throwing a pass This includes an offensive player in a passing posture with focus downfield.

Here the QB is in the pocket with his focus downfield and the ball is in a position for the arm to be cocked to throw a pass. This meets the defenseless test. Therefore, the defender cannot make forcible contact to the head or neck area of a defenseless opponent with the helmet, forearm, hand, fist, elbow or shoulder.

This play will result in the Referee getting a down grade for the no call of Targeting on the QB and the replay official getting a correct call for initiating targeting from the booth.

Watch the replay from the endzone view. The defender clearly lowers his head/shoulders before contact and then launches and has both feet off the ground as he is trying to accelerate thru the QB.

[Wolfman]

Retied official here. I was working a D3 game in Cortland and called spearing and ejection that came with it
on a Colgate D player. It was pretty obvious. After the game a local orthopedic doctor came to me and thanked me for making the call.

[mvscal]

This one on Saturday looked questionable to me. The ASU player didn't lower his helmet. He got ejected for targeting and is out for the first half of their first CFP game. Blame the OL for giving him a free shot at the QB.

That was targeting bigger than shit. It's a textbook example even.

[The Seer]

What we saw at the end of the UT/UGA game wasn't even close. Hell, it wasn't even helmet first. It was helmet to helmet contact due to one of Newton's laws, third I think. It says a body in motion wants to remain in motion. This includes helmets. So even though there was shoulder to shoulder contact, these dudes domes continued moving and bumped.

That hit was clean. The QB was a RB on that play, certainly wasn't defenseless, and lowered HIS head before contact. Defender not going for helmet to helmet.

[Roux]

The ASU player didn't lower his helmet.

I think you need to watch the video again.

[mvscal]

The ASU player didn't lower his helmet.

I think you need to watch the video again.

Definitely grill to grill on a defenseless player. I've seen a lot of iffy targeting calls before, but this wasn't one of them.

[Left Seater]

The ASU player didn't lower his helmet.

I disagree in part. He didn’t just lower his helmet, he lowered his entire CG.

However, that doesn’t by itself make it a foul or not a foul. He clearly launched and made forcible contact to the head or neck area of a defenseless player.

[HighPlainsGrifter]

I'm not a fan of heavy handed officiating but rates of general thuggery on the field seem to be increasing. Since the players can't seem to control themselves as gentlemen playing a violent game, the adults in the room will have to do it for them. Err on the side of preventing injury until these overpaid children can demonstrate a modicum of decorum.

[smackaholic]

If that incoming tackler aims just a bit to the side and gets him with a shoulder pad rather than the helmet, dude is still gonna get JACKED!!!!

You might even make the argument that a well placed shoulder is going to have less give than a helmet on a head.

The simple fact is that when very fast, strong dudes crash into each other at high speed, bad shit is going to happen. No rules are going to change this.

[Softball Bat]

I remember when the Ravens and Raiders played in the 2001 AFC Championship Game.

T. Siragusa was not blocked, and he flopped on Rich Gannon, sending him *OUT* of the game.







Many Raider fans were incensed, saying Siragusa should have been penalized or ejected.

I laughed and thought to myself, "Bad things are supposed to happen when you don't block a big dude."



1975 AFC Championship Game Highlights.
Click it and watch it.

Watch the play starting at 1:47.
lol

Frank Lewis still doesn't know what day it is.


16:22 - G. Atkinson says hello to L. Swann.
Swann was carted off the field.



22:31- T. Bradshaw has his bell rung, is helped off the field (not looking good) and is *OUT* of the game.








Things were a lot different -----> back in the day.

[smackaholic]

If any of the 70s Steelers-Raiders playoff games were played today, there would not only be ejections, there would probably be prison sentences.

[Left Seater]

If that incoming tackler aims just a bit to the side and gets him with a shoulder pad rather than the helmet, dude is still gonna get JACKED!!!!

You might even make the argument that a well placed shoulder is going to have less give than a helmet on a head.

The simple fact is that when very fast, strong dudes crash into each other at high speed, bad shit is going to happen. No rules are going to change this.

You are correct, but remember half of the rule is to protect the tackler. There is no need for headhunting in the game.