Unnecessary Roughness Penalties

[ThunderDan]

I think I have had enough of this.

I understand needing to protect defenseless players and to not let 300 lbs DL pile-drive the QB into the turf but after this week I am sick of it.

Jenkins goes helmet to helmet with Ryan and no call while the ATL player hits Vick in the back at half speed with the crown of his helmet and helps keep him stay upright and that gets a flag. On Ryan's "splits" play the PHI DL has him in a headlock to bring him down and no call. On antoher play Ryan gets rid of the ball and 3 steps later the PHI DL brings him down. Bishop hits Cam while in the process of tackling Cam but the ball was still there before he goes to make the tackle. 15 yard penalty on the ATL DB for going helmet to helmet and Chris Colinsworth goes apeshit. To me that was a legal play, the WR wasn't defenseless and to me it looked like the DL was trying to deliver a forearm to the shoulder not hit the helmet but at the speed of the game missed by 2 inches and their helmets glanced into each other.

The NFL has to get the subjectivity of the call out of the game. Either everything is a 15 yard penalty or some very specific subset of hits is a penalty everytime no matter what the intent or severity of the hit.

[Pugger]

It is ridiculous. I saw that headlock 'tackle' of Ryan last night and was surprised that wasn't flagged. If a defender is about to sack the QB but the ball gets out of there 2 steps before he releases the ball that shouldn't be a penalty unless the QB gets hit helmet to helmet. Good lord, what is the defender supposed to do, stop in mid-air??

[pbmax]

Until I see a better angle on replays, not only was the Robinson hit to Maclin not helmet to helmet, but also may not have been helmet to anything. If the helmet hit anything, it hit Maclins shoulder.

And as I understand the rule, it was legal.

As for roughness, I am all for not hitting with the crown of the helmet. So I have no problem with the penalty on the Vick hit in the back. But the Jenkins no call was odd and probably blown.

Thought both Bishop's call and the one for Rodgers were ticky tacky and did not involve the helmet or anything worthy of a flag.

[pbmax]

It is ridiculous. I saw that headlock 'tackle' of Ryan last night and was surprised that wasn't flagged. If a defender is about to sack the QB but the ball gets out of there 2 steps before he releases the ball that shouldn't be a penalty unless the QB gets hit helmet to helmet. Good lord, what is the defender supposed to do, stop in mid-air??

The defender shouldn't be in the air, according to the rules. But otherwise, I agree that meaningless contact that does not involve the head should be ignored.

[Joemailman]

Until I see a better angle on replays, not only was the Robinson hit to Maclin not helmet to helmet, but also may not have been helmet to anything. If the helmet hit anything, it hit Maclins shoulder.

And as I understand the rule, it was legal.

As for roughness, I am all for not hitting with the crown of the helmet. So I have no problem with the penalty on the Vick hit in the back. But the Jenkins no call was odd and probably blown.

Thought both Bishop's call and the one for Rodgers were ticky tacky and did not involve the helmet or anything worthy of a flag.

It looks to me like Robinson's helmet hits Maclin in the chin, and then the shoulder. The best look is it the 1:20 mark. I think it was a penalty.

[Zool]

I guess I had a different feed than you guys did. Robinson lead with the top of his helmet directly the to the chin of Maclin.

Not really sure how much more specific it can get than that for a personal foul. Don't fucking lead with your head. Its always a foul. It used to be called spearing if you recall. Was a penalty before too but called way less.

[Joemailman]

It also appears he attempted to follow through with a forearm to the head. Not sure if it connected.

[pbmax]

Well alright, I withdraw my complaint. The 1:20 mark replay does show his helmet getting Maclin's chin. I did not see it last night, even though I did see that replay.

But leading with your head is still legal despite the broadcast complaints. You just can't hit someone around the head or neck with your head when they are defenseless. Its a dumb position to put yourself into as his being carted off the field last year shows, but its still legal into the body.

[smuggler]

Did they change the rules from last year? I thought a helmet to helmet hit on a runner was legal? It's only illegal on a defenseless receiver.

He was running with the ball. Bad call, says I. The officiating in the game somewhat favored the Eagles.

[Deputy Nutz]

Robinson lowered his head, and although his helmet didn't make contact the intention was clear. I believe the receiver had enough time to react to a collision so he wasn't defensless, but he can't lower your helmet like that in todays game.

The NFL is going to bury itself with all of this regulation.

[pbmax]

Robinson lowered his head, and although his helmet didn't make contact the intention was clear. I believe the receiver had enough time to react to a collision so he wasn't defensless, but he can't lower your helmet like that in todays game.

The NFL is going to bury itself with all of this regulation.

Its going to be interesting to see if the NFL cares to explain if they fine him.

And the NFL could regulate however they wish, but when you need 2 super slowmo cameras to figure it out, its going to get no support from the fans or players. There is no way to understand the rules of the game at actual speed.

[jmbarnes101]

Just like bloated laws and regulation are currently killing our country, the same will kill the NFL. Player safety is one thing but you can't regulate it out without fundamentally changing the game. If rules can't be be determined by an average 8th grade kid they need to go.

[ThunderDan]

It looks to me like Robinson's helmet hits Maclin in the chin, and then the shoulder. The best look is it the 1:20 mark. I think it was a penalty.

I agree he made contact with his facemask but I beleive the intent was to bring his shoulder into Maclin and made incidental contact with the helmet. Maclin wasn't defenseless which I think where the penalty is suppose to derive friom.

[Harlan Huckleby]

Thought both Bishop's call and the one for Rodgers were ticky tacky and did not involve the helmet or anything worthy of a flag.

I saw the same call made in the New England game. Evidently it is not a "ticky tacky" call, it is the new rule. If you hit the QB ANYWHERE after the ball is released, it's roughing the passer.

Man, you can't hit the QB's helmet, which makes sense but is very hard to avoid when the point is to interview with passing.
Its an automatic penalty if you tackle in the lower legs.
And now a tackle to the midsection is "roughing" if the damn ball has left the QB's hand.

It's gotten ridiculous. The penalty is game changing, and the defenders are just doing what they have to. They can't know exactly when the ball will be released.

[ThunderDan]

The officiating in the game somewhat favored the Eagles.

That's what I thought too. Just wondering if the NFL was trying to keep the "Dream Team" mystique alive.