Collins fined $50,000. !!!!!

[Patler]

Williams was falling backwards trying to make the catch, and his helmet moved into Collins' path as much as anything else. It was not an unecessary hit, or flagrant violation whatsoever.

I understand what they're trying to do, put the onus on the defensive players to work at avoiding these helmet to helmet hits, but to call this a flagrant violation is overplaying that hand.

That was my thought too. There are times when DBs launch themselves toward the receiver's head. Collins didn't do that. Collins had his target, and Williams head sort of moved into the path.

I don't mind the penalty, or even a lesser fined. But to characterize this as Collins intentionally going helmet to helmet is inaccurate, I think.

[Fritz]

The NFL needs to lay down the law that if you knock a guy out of a game via helmet-to-helmet (by the way that phrase also sounds vaguely gay to me), you get taken out of the game.

Kinda like the NHL. That will change the game, sure, but if they want to stop any helmet to helmet stuff, that's how they'll have to do it. Fining guys isn't going to be as effective.

And no fair starting to suspend guys in mid-season. If that's what the NFL wants to do, then they need to announce that they will begin doing that at the beginning of the next NFL season - whenever that is going to be.

[Zool]

Williams was falling backwards trying to make the catch, and his helmet moved into Collins' path as much as anything else. It was not an unecessary hit, or flagrant violation whatsoever.

I understand what they're trying to do, put the onus on the defensive players to work at avoiding these helmet to helmet hits, but to call this a flagrant violation is overplaying that hand.

That was my thought too. There are times when DBs launch themselves toward the receiver's head. Collins didn't do that. Collins had his target, and Williams head sort of moved into the path.

I don't mind the penalty, or even a lesser fined. But to characterize this as Collins intentionally going helmet to helmet is inaccurate, I think.

Had he lead with his shoulder or even his face mask I don't think he gets the fine.

[gbgary]

50k...wow.

[mission]

Dude is getting 14m this year... that's like a 1k fine for league min guys!

[Deputy Nutz]

He had no reason to hit him. The ball was obivously uncatchable at the time of the collision, and Collins went helmet to helmet.

The fella from the Eagles got no fine on the hit to Collie from the Colts.

[Lurker64]

The fella from the Eagles got no fine on the hit to Collie from the Colts.

I think that was because, on further review, there wasn't anything illegal about the hit that Collie received from either Mikell or Coleman. Collie caught the ball, was hit legally by Mikell, and as a result of the hit he was knocked into Coleman, at which points helmets collided.

In retrospect, it shouldn't even have been flagged but referees never have the benefit of instant replay in the heat of the moment.

[Deputy Nutz]

If I was a receiver and I took a hard hit and dropped the ball I would just wiggle on the field and grab my head. 15 yards the "easy" way.

Collie got 15 because he was knocked out, not because he was hit illegally.

this is football shit happens. Shit doesn't always deserve a 15 yard penalty

[Little Whiskey]

Shit doesn't always deserve a 15 yard penalty

there have been times when I've taken a shit that deserved a 15yard penalty! hell, i'd have flagged myself!

[Noodle]

Colins went upstairs, he could have hit him lower with just as much impact.

"Seeing what you hit" just doesn't cut it anymore, because that usually involves leading with your facemask/helmet. DBs have got to learn to hit with the shoulder, which is a very different approach, or they will have to lower their aim-point if they insist on going helmet-first.

And at this point, I will repeat my view that they should just get rid of the facemask.

[packerbacker1234]

Actually, all these fines are being brought up in the CBA discussions I believe. THe player union is pretty pissed off over it. Goodell can be the one man shwo all he wants, but guess what... without hte players union on your side there is no NFL for him to be the show of.

I highly doubt the Players Union backs off this issue either, making it all the more likely of a holdout next season. SOrry, it was a football paly. Throw the flag for helmet to helmet contact - fine, but don't run around fining people for a bang bang play. Essentially, based on what htey said, collins should of not touched him in any way. Allowed the catch to occure, and then take out his knees.

Then someone will blow their knee, and we'll get some rule about how tackling low isn't allowed.

Injuries are part of football. The packers know this better than any team in the NFL this year. If you start telling palyers they can't make football plays, need to stop using instincts and start holding back, I fear you will actually INCREASE the injury rate.


Look at this year. So many injuries on every play, with the new rules up, and most them happening in legal and irrelvant situations just from palying the game, and I am sure some happening out of hesitation - hesitation = more likely to get hurt.


You can be like Troy Aikman and hammer home the nfl wont be about hitting anymore, but bottom line is the NFL isn;'t the only law maker around. The Players Union can tell them to shove it.

[mraynrand]

I think its dumb how they are going about this, but they will be fining anyone hitting with the top of their helmet. The simple way to avoid this is to not hit anyone with the top of your head. The adage "see what you hit" would save these guys a lot of money.

And it might save them hurting themselves. I cringe every time I see Bob Sanders lower his head and lead with his helmet. You're asking to be paralyzed.

[ThunderDan]

I think the NFL has to do something but am not sure what. It seems like they need some sort of committee that decides what fine will be given and not just 1 person.

I had the privilege of getting to know Elroy Hirsch very well in the late 1990s. He was the poster child for player safety. He could tell you every football game he ever played in. Every snap, every tackle and every catch. He couldn't tell you what he ate for lunch, he would call me a different name everytime we met until he just started calling me "Pro", he couldn't drive and he would ask you the same question 5 times during a 4 hour round of golf. He could barely walk, he more or less shuffled everywhere he went. Someone had to tee up his ball on every hole and get it out of the hole for him.

It was a shame that such a charasmatic person had to have such poor physical conditions at the end of his life. I can understand the physical pain from playing football but Elroy had no short-term memory. It was lucky that he had such great family and friends (Wisconsin Badger people) to make sure he could at least enjoy the last years of his life.

[mraynrand]

DBs have got to learn to hit with the shoulder, which is a very different approach

And Bigby's stock just keeps rising!

And at this point, I will repeat my view that they should just get rid of the facemask.

Good point - maybe the NFL should go to faceshields only, thickened at the chin area, and have a nice soft, compressible velcro-attached pillowy thingy on the front and top of the helmet.

[Cheesehead Craig]

The players should all be wearing that inflatable sumo outfit. The WRs and RBs can have velcro on their suits as will the ball so that way the QB just has to stick it on to them. Now that's entertaining stuff there.