the future of finley

[run pMc]

Ian Rapoport @RapSheet
#Packers TE Jermichael Finley spent the night at a hospital after suffering a neck injury. Source: "Precautionary. He's going to be fine"


I read this as: probably not a Nick Collins or Sean Richardson situation, but probably out for a few weeks.

[pbmax]

I guess my question is, did Finley inadvertently duck his head right into the hit to protect his rib area? If so, hard to blame the tackler.

[act/photo/13619021-mmmain.jpg[/IMG]

Can the tackler see what he is hitting? If not, don't care what the runner does.

[Fritz]

I can never figure out what the difference is between "caution" and "precaution."

Couldn't you say they kept him in the hospital as a cautionary measure?

As for Finley, I keep looking at that hit and thinking his career is done, ala Nick Collins. I hope I am wrong.

But even if he does come back, I keep thinking back to how Robert "Turd" Ferguson was never the same after taking a big hit over the middle. He developed a reticence and some alligator arms, too.

[red]

Can the tackler see what he is hitting? If not, don't care what the runner does.

this is my problem with the flag. look at that picture and straiten out finleys back. if you do that, then the defender hits him right in the waist, perfect hit. but in this case finley lowers his head to protect his mid section, something i notice a lot from him and lacy, and something i cringe at every time since both those guys were hurt the first time

that picture just makes me believe even more that finley was more at fault then the defender and shouldn't have been flagged

an offensive player can also get flagged for dropping his head and using it as a ram, correct? or am i wrong there?

not saying finley was trying to use his head as a ram there, i think he was just trying to protect himself by making the worst possible move he could have made

[ThunderDan]

this is my problem with the flag. look at that picture and straiten out finleys back. if you do that, then the defender hits him right in the waist, perfect hit. but in this case finley lowers his head to protect his mid section, something i notice a lot from him and lacy, and something i cringe at every time since both those guys were hurt the first time

that picture just makes me believe even more that finley was more at fault then the defender and shouldn't have been flagged

an offensive player can also get flagged for dropping his head and using it as a ram, correct? or am i wrong there?

not saying finley was trying to use his head as a ram there, i think he was just trying to protect himself by making the worst possible move he could have made

Except Finley is being tackled from behind. He is going down with a man draped all over him. I agree that Finley tucked his head but there is no way Finley could have straightened his back with 43 on him making a perfect form tackle from behind with the helmet up and off to the side of the offensive player.

[pbmax]

an offensive player can also get flagged for dropping his head and using it as a ram, correct? or am i wrong there?

Yes, but it needs to be head on. Would not be called in this case.

[denverYooper]

this is my problem with the flag. look at that picture and straiten out finleys back. if you do that, then the defender hits him right in the waist, perfect hit. but in this case finley lowers his head to protect his mid section, something i notice a lot from him and lacy, and something i cringe at every time since both those guys were hurt the first time

that picture just makes me believe even more that finley was more at fault then the defender and shouldn't have been flagged

an offensive player can also get flagged for dropping his head and using it as a ram, correct? or am i wrong there?

not saying finley was trying to use his head as a ram there, i think he was just trying to protect himself by making the worst possible move he could have made

I think it may be more about decreasing their attack surface like Ender Wiggin going feet first into battle, except obviously such orientation an option in an arena where g0 is 9.81 m/s/s. Getting low to the ground, like you're supposed to. A lot of guys do it by dipping their head. That's become a big no-no in the last couple of years, though, with good reason.

[red]

Except Finley is being tackled from behind. He is going down with a man draped all over him. I agree that Finley tucked his head but there is no way Finley could have straightened his back with 43 on him making a perfect form tackle from behind with the helmet up and off to the side of the offensive player.

i don't think that dend in his back is a natural position for a guy whos being tackled from behind. IMo finley dropped his head and entire upper body to protect himself and that is what caused the helmet to helmet, or helmet to shoulder pad in this case

and i still don't see what that defender can do to avoid it. he starts making his move for a hit, either before or right when fin decides to cover up. i'm guessing before, and fin was reacting to it. if the defender tries to avoid the hit either lower or out in front of finley, then finley could maybe put a hand down and keep going, and maybe still stick his head in the defender.

if the defender goes more to his right, right it finleys body. then he's spearing him head on and gets a 15 yard penalty

if the defender trys to avoid the hit by going further to his right, he risks spearing his own player and maybe knocking him off the tackle send finley free

the one option i can see to avoid the hit was to go high, but you aren't allowed to do that anymore.

i see a defender trying to go low, like defenders are suppose to do right now, and a a receivers whos trying to go even lower to meet the hit head on or to protect his mid section

[red]

Yes, but it needs to be head on. Would not be called in this case.

head on, you mean like to rams butting heads?

so offensive play A colliding head first into the side of defender B at a 90 degree angle wouldn't count? like what these two are doing?

is that what you're saying pb?

[ThunderDan]

i don't think that dend in his back is a natural position for a guy whos being tackled from behind. IMo finley dropped his head and entire upper body to protect himself and that is what caused the helmet to helmet, or helmet to shoulder pad in this case

and i still don't see what that defender can do to avoid it. he starts making his move for a hit, either before or right when fin decides to cover up. i'm guessing before, and fin was reacting to it. if the defender tries to avoid the hit either lower or out in front of finley, then finley could maybe put a hand down and keep going, and maybe still stick his head in the defender.

if the defender goes more to his right, right it finleys body. then he's spearing him head on and gets a 15 yard penalty

if the defender trys to avoid the hit by going further to his right, he risks spearing his own player and maybe knocking him off the tackle send finley free

the one option i can see to avoid the hit was to go high, but you aren't allowed to do that anymore.

i see a defender trying to go low, like defenders are suppose to do right now, and a a receivers whos trying to go even lower to meet the hit head on or to protect his mid section

We can agree to disagree then but look at Finley's feet. You don't run with both your tip-toes on the ground at the same time. The Cleveland defender behind Finley has halted Finley's ability to continue forward. In that position Finley is going to the turf period.

[Cheesehead Craig]

Looking at that play again, Finley was getting tackled and lowered his head to protect himself. Gibson did try and lead with his shoulder but their helmets collided. Gibson is a punk for doing the "no arm tackle" where he just launches himself and doesn't try and actually tackle, just hit.

[KYPack]

I think it may be more about decreasing their attack surface like Ender Wiggin going feet first into battle, except obviously such orientation an option in an arena where g0 is 9.81 m/s/s. Getting low to the ground, like you're supposed to. A lot of guys do it by dipping their head. That's become a big no-no in the last couple of years, though, with good reason.

Yoop, this a football forum.

You are gonna have to dumb down your posts if we are supposed to respond to 'em.

I mean shit, Einstein could never figure out gravity, do you think any of us could handle it?

[pbmax]

head on, you mean like to rams butting heads?

so offensive play A colliding head first into the side of defender B at a 90 degree angle wouldn't count? like what these two are doing?

is that what you're saying pb?

Yes, that is why Merriweather wasn't flagged or fined for the second helmet to helmet hit versus Starks. Even if targeting with the head, it must be lined up (I assume nearly) straight on and not at an angle.

[pbmax]

Yoop, this a football forum.

You are gonna have to dumb down your posts if we are supposed to respond to 'em.

I mean shit, Einstein could never figure out gravity, do you think any of us could handle it?

Well, he did start out with a children's book reference, but then it accelerated quickly.

[denverYooper]

Yoop, this a football forum.

You are gonna have to dumb down your posts if we are supposed to respond to 'em.

I mean shit, Einstein could never figure out gravity, do you think any of us could handle it?

The only way Finley seems to know how to make himself smaller is by ducking his head.