Has the NFL become the pussy league?

[Baked]

Inside NFL's new 'Brady Rule'



Tom Brady hasn't even thrown a pass in his comeback, and he's already affected change for the 2009 NFL season. In part because of the season-ending left knee injury that Brady suffered in the Patriots' 2008 season opener against the Chiefs, the league's Competition Committee adopted a clarification of the current rule on hits to a quarterback in the knee area or below. The clarification specifically prohibits a defender on the ground who hasn't been blocked or fouled directly into the quarterback from lunging or diving at the quarterback's lower legs. Brady tore his left ACL and left MCL in the first quarter of the Patriots' 17-10 win over the Chiefs Sept. 7. As Brady stepped into a 28-yard completion to Randy Moss, Chiefs safety Bernard Pollard made a desperation dive into Brady's left knee after he had been blocked to the ground just short of Brady by running back Sammy Morris. Pollard was not flagged or fined for the hit. Under the revised rule, a play like his would be penalized, according to Titans coach Jeff Fisher and Falcons president Rich McKay, co-chairmen of the committee. "I think all the quarterbacks in this league are critical to what the game is about," said Patriots owner Robert Kraft. "It's like if Peyton Manning were gone for a season, I think the whole NFL suffers, the same way the NFL suffered with Tommy out. So whatever we can do to protect quarterbacks and to minimize the opportunity of them being taken out with a year-ending injury I would support. "It's not good for the league. What makes it special is special players. It's like going to see a great movie and the star isn't in the movie. It's the same principle."

Boston Globe

Link

Sigh... 1st you can't touch the head, then you can't tackle from behind, now you can't tackle below. What's next, flag football?

 

[oiprocs]

Boston = Whine

 

[ric1287]

yay, just what we needed more BS rules to protect the QB. Why don't they just make the D-line count to 4-mississippi before rushing?

 

[Inspector Jihad]

The clarification specifically prohibits a defender on the ground who hasn't been blocked or fouled directly into the quarterback from lunging or diving at the quarterback's lower legs.

Chiefs safety Bernard Pollard made a desperation dive into Brady's left knee after he had been blocked to the ground just short of Brady

Under the revised rule, a play like his would be penalized

😕

 

[sash1]

eventually they're just going to abolish the offensive and defensive lines and you can't rush the QB anymore

 

[buck]

That is just sad.

 

[SSSnail]

You can tackle someone without going for their knees if you're rushing and there's just a quarterback left. Seriously ask yourself this question, what effects would it has if you tackle below the knees or at the waist? One would potentially cause serious injuries and the other won't, that's what.

You can say the same thing in other sports, take MMA for instance, you have two guys in a ring with every intention of beating the living crap out of the other, why have rules? Right? You'd be wrong if you think rules are there to sissified the sport.

 

[sactoking]

Originally posted by: Baked
Sigh... 1st you can't touch the head,

Yeah, with YOUR HELMET.

then you can't tackle from behind

Sure you can, you just can't pull a player down by the collar of their shoulderpads.

now you can't tackle below. What's next, flag football?

You can still tackle below the waist, you just can't lunge at someone's knee and say you "tripped".

 

[ric1287]

Originally posted by: sactoking

Originally posted by: Baked
Sigh... 1st you can't touch the head,

Yeah, with YOUR HELMET.

then you can't tackle from behind

Sure you can, you just can't pull a player down by the collar of their shoulderpads.

now you can't tackle below. What's next, flag football?

You can still tackle below the waist, you just can't lunge at someone's knee and say you "tripped".

and that will be measured how? Lie detector after the game? The Ref's are bad enough without having to judge "intent" on every fucking tackle now.

 

[Deeko]

Originally posted by: sactoking

Originally posted by: Baked
Sigh... 1st you can't touch the head,

Yeah, with YOUR HELMET.

then you can't tackle from behind

Sure you can, you just can't pull a player down by the collar of their shoulderpads.

now you can't tackle below. What's next, flag football?

You can still tackle below the waist, you just can't lunge at someone's knee and say you "tripped".

No. You CANNOT TOUCH A QUARTERBACKS HELMET. Period. Its an automatic 15 yard penalty, no matter what you touch him with.

 

[ric1287]

Originally posted by: SSSnail
You can tackle someone without going for their knees if you're rushing and there's just a quarterback left. Seriously ask yourself this question, what effects would it has if you tackle below the knees or at the waist? One would potentially cause serious injuries and the other won't, that's what.

You can say the same thing in other sports, take MMA for instance, you have two guys in a ring with every intention of beating the living crap out of the other, why have rules? Right? You'd be wrong if you think rules are there to sissified the sport.

Completely different situation. This was an accident, Brady stepped into the hit + dude diving at the same time = ACL rippage. You don't create new rules because of freak accidents.

 

[sactoking]

Originally posted by: ric1287
and that will be measured how? Lie detector after the game? The Ref's are bad enough without having to judge "intent" on every fucking tackle now.

There's not much discretion that needs to be used when one views the Bernard Pollard or Kimo von Oelhoffen hits on Brady and Palmer.

 

[Deeko]

What I especially hate about these rule changes is the motive. The NFL does not give a rats ass about player safety. They care about money. They only make a rule change like this when it impacts a high-profile player - see Brady Rule, Palmer Rule, Roy Williams Rule, etc.

 

[Deeko]

Originally posted by: sactoking

Originally posted by: ric1287
and that will be measured how? Lie detector after the game? The Ref's are bad enough without having to judge "intent" on every fucking tackle now.

There's not much discretion that needs to be used when one views the Bernard Pollard or Kimo von Oelhoffen hits on Brady and Palmer.

Both should be legal. This is football.

 

[Inspector Jihad]

Originally posted by: SSSnail
You can tackle someone without going for their knees if you're rushing and there's just a quarterback left. Seriously ask yourself this question, what effects would it has if you tackle below the knees or at the waist? One would potentially cause serious injuries and the other won't, that's what.

You can say the same thing in other sports, take MMA for instance, you have two guys in a ring with every intention of beating the living crap out of the other, why have rules? Right? You'd be wrong if you think rules are there to sissified the sport.

yes, there need to be good rules. this is not one of them.

 

[ric1287]

Originally posted by: sactoking

Originally posted by: ric1287
and that will be measured how? Lie detector after the game? The Ref's are bad enough without having to judge "intent" on every fucking tackle now.

There's not much discretion that needs to be used when one views the Bernard Pollard or Kimo von Oelhoffen hits on Brady and Palmer.

Yeah, neither was intentional and neither should have made the entire league change.

The only thing that should have changed from those hits would be teams getting better fucking O-linemen.

 

[sactoking]

Originally posted by: Deeko
No. You CANNOT TOUCH A QUARTERBACKS HELMET. Period. Its an automatic 15 yard penalty, no matter what you touch him with.

I was just thinking of the general helmet-to-helmet rule. I was interpreting Baked's original post to reference all players, since he used the term "players" and not "quarterbacks" and referred to the Roy Williams rule, which applies to everyone.

 

[oznerol]

Protect the QB.

From a business standpoint it makes sense. It not only hurts the teams, but it hurts the marketability of the games. No Brady/Manning headline game? Lower advertiser rates. No one wants a 3rd string QB passing to a practice squad WR week 2 of the playoffs. The NFL needs to protect their assets.

And from a game standpoint, it really has no negative repercussions.

If I'm a DL/LB, and I break away from my block and have direct access to the QB - so long as he still has that ball I can unleash all hell on him. However, if I am beat and on the ground, a "desperation" lunge at the QBs shins will only do harm - especially if the QB is stepping into a pass like Brady was. Very rarely do attempted tackles from the ground work, aside from tripping up a runner - which is actually still legal against the QB. You just can't lunge at their lower legs.

I hate the Patriots as much as anyone here, but Pollard's tackle was done out of desperation. I don't think he intentionally tried to hurt Brady, but nothing good comes out of those types of moves, and discouraging players to do them isn't a terrible idea.

The NFL suspending Eric Smith after his hit on Anquan Boldin is a bigger issue than this, I think.

 

[sactoking]

Originally posted by: ric1287
Yeah, neither was intentional

Are you kidding? von Oelhoffen jumped at Palmer's knee and Pollard stuck out his elbow to hit Brady.

 

[AstroManLuca]

Originally posted by: scorpious
Boston = BAWWWWWston

fixed

 

[ric1287]

Originally posted by: sactoking

Originally posted by: ric1287
Yeah, neither was intentional

Are you kidding? von Oelhoffen jumped at Palmer's knee and Pollard stuck out his elbow to hit Brady.

No, Brady stepped into it. Your stance is what is wrong with these rules, you cannot say "look!!! he intended to do that!!! Fine him, suspend him, my favorite QB is hurt OMG!!!!"

It should be on the O-line and the QB to protect themselves, not the pussy rules.

If you add all these stupid rules you then need to add rules to prevent the D-linemen from getting chop blocked on the knees which is far more prevelent than these 2 instances

 

[sactoking]

Originally posted by: ric1287
If you add all these stupid rules you then need to add rules to prevent the D-linemen from getting chop blocked on the knees which is far more prevelent than these 2 instances

See: rules preventing crackbacks on LBs and rules preventing chops on D-linemen outside of specific areas of the field (I believe in response to Denver's use of chops on sweeps and pulls).

 

[krylon]

He should have maintained, the stance of dominance.

 

[ric1287]

Originally posted by: sactoking

Originally posted by: ric1287
If you add all these stupid rules you then need to add rules to prevent the D-linemen from getting chop blocked on the knees which is far more prevelent than these 2 instances

See: rules preventing crackbacks on LBs and rules preventing chops on D-linemen outside of specific areas of the field (I believe in response to Denver's use of chops on sweeps and pulls).

I have never ever in my life see that called and I know it exists. I do however see at least one "roughing the passer" call per game which usually involves an LB looking at the QB in a mean way.

I'd actually accept these stupid rules if they flat out stated what they are really for. "We don't really care about anyone else in the league than the 5-6 star QB's and we will do everything we can to make sure they stay healthy."

 

[oiprocs]

Originally posted by: AstroManLuca

Originally posted by: scorpious
Boston = BAWWWWWston

fixed

I've never been prouder to be the owner of a fixed post.