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NFL Divisional Round weekend thread

Discussion in 'Sports and News' started by Cosmo, Jan 12, 2021.

  1. outofplace

    outofplace Well-Known Member

    You missed part of my post. I agree that they can't call it every time players hit heads, but that one wasn't incidental. Sorensen dipped his head as he was about to make contact. That is what makes it something that should be called every time if they see it.
     
  2. rtse11

    rtse11 Well-Known Member

    USATSI_15113114.jpg USATSI_15448123.jpg So you're saying the only way to make that play is shoulder first?
     
    Tighthead likes this.
  3. Junkie

    Junkie Well-Known Member

    There was no way for the ref to see that hit and see the ball at the same time.
     
    MileHigh likes this.
  4. tapintoamerica

    tapintoamerica Well-Known Member

    Depends on his angle, I suppose, but it's got to be hard to see everything clearly on this play. The first priority has to be focusing on the ball relative to the goal line relative to the time of the fumble, etc.
    This play proves that they need to revisit the rule that says targeting can't be reviewed/appealed.
     
  5. MileHigh

    MileHigh Moderator Staff Member

    From Football Zebras:

    At first, the "helmet to helmet" rule does not apply, because Higgins is not in a defenseless posture.The other rule is "use of the helmet" (or UOH) which requires the defender to lower the helmet to initiate contact. The word "to" is operative. The force of the blow must be delivered by contact lead from the top (crown) of the helmet, and the rule is to avoid the transfer of the blow by compressing the defender's spinal column. So, there must be a distinct lining up with the head and the eyes averted to the ground.

    Sorenson does initiate the attack with his shoulder, and any shoulder-to-shoulder contact is going to involve helmet contact as well. Sorenson does lower and turn his helmet when contact is imminent, which gives the appearance of avoiding contact. There is simultaneous contact with the shoulder and helmet, so the question is how forcible is the head contact? Had the head not turned about a quarter second before contact, and there was a front-on attack that was helmet-to-helmet, there would not be a foul, but a more violent collision.

    The UOH is independent of where the defender's helmet lands, so the fact that the contact is to Higgins' helmet is irrelevant.

    There is a clear consensus from those who worked on the field that this is a UOH foul. There is also a clear consensus that an official watching the sideline and goal line in play cannot also be able to catch the UOH from the defender.

    But the question is, are we allowing the replay to distort the time element? Was the initial or simultaneous contact from the shoulder, thereby reducing the forcible element of the head hit? Is there more contact from the emblem side of the helmet than the top?

    So, we go back to the live play and make those determinations. In my estimation, when viewing the live play, it is not abundantly clear that we had a UOH call; it was only when the pylon camera angle his our screens that we moved off the touchback ruling and then into the UOH. There is no doubt that there was helmet contact in the play, but there are a lot of considerations that do not make it an automatic foul.
     
  6. rtse11

    rtse11 Well-Known Member

    "The UOH is independent of where the defender's helmet lands, so the fact that the contact is to Higgins' helmet is irrelevant."

    Exhibit A that NFL rules are effed up.
     
  7. tapintoamerica

    tapintoamerica Well-Known Member

    Mike Pereira seemed pretty adamant that it should have been flagged as an illegal hit.
     
  8. Hermes

    Hermes Well-Known Member

    It was Gene Steratore, but point stands.
     
  9. Scout

    Scout Well-Known Member

    How are you supposed to stop a diving player from the pylon?

    The atomic knee lift of Mr. Wrestling II for fucks sake?
     
  10. DanOregon

    DanOregon Well-Known Member

    Worked last night and missed the last quarter of the Bucs-Saints game. Watched the YouTube highlights though - as bad as Brees picks were - that game seemed to change on Cook's fumble.
     
  11. outofplace

    outofplace Well-Known Member

    The league does seem to love those safety rules that also happen to favor the offense.
     
  12. outofplace

    outofplace Well-Known Member

    I'm not saying it wasn't an understandable error. I was just surprised we hadn't seen more talk about it on this thread given the importance of the play.
     
    Tighthead likes this.
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