New rule banning lowering of the helmet

Post makes some good points that are being dismissed.

However, Post, you need to take into account how much bigger and faster these football players are, and the different rules in the sport. A lot of the big hits in football happens when the ball is in the air, which isn't a factor in rugby that much. QB passing to a WR down the middle, and the safety going for a hit, is where most of the violent hits happen. Helmet or no helmet, two guys going full speed in the same direction is going to case injuries.

Just keep your face up and you won't be flagged

The rule says helmet not face.

Originally posted by RonMexico:
Just keep your face up and you won't be flagged

This. The players will need to play like they did in the 50s/60s. Definitely will see more broken tackles or arm tackles. I don't think anyone would come try to blow up the ribs of a RB with their crown who doesn't have his head down.

Chest, shoulders, and arm tackles.

I think it is going to be more difficult for the offense to adjust to this than the defense. Defenders will be taking on the initial stages of the punishment until offensive players adjust.

Never thought a Rugby player who we were trying to get to player lower will actually have the best form of how to take on hits while carrying the ball.

This is the one that will be tough to keep from doing.

They are trying to completely kill the NFL to the point of no return. It's just sad. Do these ivory tower pencil necks even understand physics? Did they try running a 4.4 like a RB full speed ahead and not lean your head slightly forward? How are you going to run that fast with your head completely straight up like all the way upright? That's just not even your body position running full speed down hill so to speak. It's just completely unrealistic.

If they are going to do this rule which is beyond a stupid rule at least be reasonable. It's so bad that doesn't even describe it. But you need to have an inadvertent or unintentional foul or even a no call in some marginal cases. If you call every single time a helmet slightly leans forward and has some degree of contact you are looking at 50 + more fouls per game. The game is over IMO if they do this. It's just sad how they continue to ruin the NFL more and more.

You have to just sign a waiver to play the game. The game is rough. 6'7" 335 lb. guys slamming into each other and guys on offense and defense running full speed 4.5 or 4.4 into each other will NEVER be safe. What dream world are they living in to think this is safe? It's not and it never will be. Full contact football is a very rough game. So in exchange for getting paid millions you have to sign a waiver to play that you are taking the risk. Plus like I said there is a HUGE difference IMO between an inadvertent or unintentional slight lean forward while running full speed and a very intentional spearing. Like a defender leveling a guy coming across the middle with the crown of his helmet with hitting the other helmet. I could easily legitimately see that. But this if you lean forward slightly (which all players do running full speed on both sides on every play) and there is contact of any kind it's a penalty. Even if very slight contact. I think this is just out of hand ridiculous.

This guy was fast running upright.

Originally posted by Joecool:
This guy was fast running upright.

His head is leaning forward on the very cut up clip you show. He is not anywhere near absolutely perfectly upright which is what the NFL now wants. It's totally unrealistic. Did you ever run really fast? In football, track, cross country? Anything at all? It's not a perfectly up and down upright position. You would not generate any speed that way.

This rule is overdue! When players started using their helmets as weapons the game became much more dangerous. When tackling is taught it is usually face mask or shoulder into the opposing player, which was safer for the tackler as it prevented neck injuries and concussions.

It will be difficult to retrain the players but since they cracked down on Goldson and Whitner it has been on the way. Just a fact of life and I hope it saves some players from early onset alzheimer's.

Originally posted by SanDiego49er:

Originally posted by Joecool:
This guy was fast running upright.

His head is leaning forward on the very cut up clip you show. He is not anywhere near absolutely perfectly upright which is what the NFL now wants. It's totally unrealistic. Did you ever run really fast? In football, track, cross country? Anything at all? It's not a perfectly up and down upright position. You would not generate any speed that way.

Can't get anymore upright than this:

Too many defenders leaving their feet to make hits / "tackles". Can't control the direction your body is headed once you leave the ground.

I blame Madden 2005, the Hit Stick and Ray Lewis.

Originally posted by Joecool:

Originally posted by SanDiego49er:

Originally posted by Joecool:
This guy was fast running upright.

His head is leaning forward on the very cut up clip you show. He is not anywhere near absolutely perfectly upright which is what the NFL now wants. It's totally unrealistic. Did you ever run really fast? In football, track, cross country? Anything at all? It's not a perfectly up and down upright position. You would not generate any speed that way.

Can't get anymore upright than this:

Originally posted by Joecool:

Originally posted by SanDiego49er:

Originally posted by Joecool:
This guy was fast running upright.

His head is leaning forward on the very cut up clip you show. He is not anywhere near absolutely perfectly upright which is what the NFL now wants. It's totally unrealistic. Did you ever run really fast? In football, track, cross country? Anything at all? It's not a perfectly up and down upright position. You would not generate any speed that way.

Can't get anymore upright than this:

He's not trying to run through tackles. It's a totally different sport. If people were diving at him and trying to tackle him and he is running through a crowd would he run like that? No.

Originally posted by SanDiego49er:

Originally posted by Joecool:

Originally posted by SanDiego49er:

Originally posted by Joecool:

This guy was fast running upright.

His head is leaning forward on the very cut up clip you show. He is not anywhere near absolutely perfectly upright which is what the NFL now wants. It's totally unrealistic. Did you ever run really fast? In football, track, cross country? Anything at all? It's not a perfectly up and down upright position. You would not generate any speed that way.

Can't get anymore upright than this:

Originally posted by Joecool:

Originally posted by SanDiego49er:

Originally posted by Joecool:

This guy was fast running upright.

His head is leaning forward on the very cut up clip you show. He is not anywhere near absolutely perfectly upright which is what the NFL now wants. It's totally unrealistic. Did you ever run really fast? In football, track, cross country? Anything at all? It's not a perfectly up and down upright position. You would not generate any speed that way.

Can't get anymore upright than this:

He's not trying to run through tackles. It's a totally different sport. If people were diving at him and trying to tackle him and he is running through a crowd would he run like that? No.

Nearly every player runs upright in open space. Most do lower down as it gets more crowded but the only time the ball carrier puts his head down is to brace impact or concede the run.

Look at Earl Campbell. None of the tackles against required him to put his head down. He only did on the first one to give punishment.




At the end of the day, if defenders don't come flying in like missles, then ball carriers can run more upright which leads to more amazing runs rather then leaning forward too much, putting your head down, and conceding the run even if you aren't hit square.

I think it is time to ditch helmets.

I don't think they work and give footballers a false sense of security. If they don't feel invincible they are not going to use their heads as a battering ram.

The speed they hit each other even with the helmet the brain is going to slosh around in the skull anyway. That is what causes concussion and the damage.

With no helmets they are more likely to take more care with what they do with their heads. Rugby Union and Rugby League player don't wear helmets and get involved in more scrimmages and hard contacts but don't seem to be any worse off then NFL plays. Plus you would have better vision without a helmet.

I am just not sold on the benefits of them.