James Sanders fined $7,500 with Anderson hit - Bernard Pollard NOT fined

[Mack Herron]

Gotta love the physical play. For the first time in his career, Sanders is bringing a big hit or 2 every game.

 

[PatsChamp88]

Keep it up Sanders I just don't like it when you give them first downs

 

[Kontradiction]

Gotta love the physical play. For the first time in his career, Sanders is bringing a big hit or 2 every game.

Huh? As far back as I can remember, Sanders has always been a hitter...

 

[Gwedd]

Huh? As far back as I can remember, Sanders has always been a hitter...

That was my impression also. Man knows how to introduce himself.

 

[WhiZa]

I believe it has something to do with the fact that Welker had a few steps after the ball went by before he got hit. I didn't see the Sanders hit, but that article describes it as a hit as Anderson was falling. As soon as Anderson hits the ground, he is no longer defenseless and it's a legal hit, if I understand the definition of a defenseless receiver correctly.

That would make sense, but then the call for welker should of been late hit instead of unnecessary roughness. If there was a call of course.

 

[RobertWeathers]

That was my impression also. Man knows how to introduce himself.

I slightly disagree. I don't think Sanders is shy from making contact. My take is that he hasn't brought the stop-you-in-your-tracks power that Harrison did. Then again, very few did. That comparison may be unfair to Sanders. It's just my take.

I will say that Sanders seems to be playing with a little more power in his game. He had the nice hit (resulted in a fine but oh well as long as guy didn't get seriously hurt) and he had the nice stop on MJD vs JAX.

 

[stevedogc]

I can understand the call from the referee. A play happens so fast, you have to make a split decision. But for the NFL to review and fine Sanders is insane. Like its has said in this thread already, whats he supposed to do? Not try to hit him.

 

[Mack Herron]

Huh? As far back as I can remember, Sanders has always been a hitter...

Sanders has been a good tackler, but in the last couple of weeks he laid guys out--three times. Broken face sort of stuff. That is Rodney Harrison stuff and he simply has not done that before. He's got a little chip on his shoulder after the benching and it is infectious. With Sanders, Meriweather, Bodden and Springs, they go from Smurfs to physical. Butler is my next guy; not physical but playmaker potential that Wilhite lacks. I look for the secondary to play a much stronger game Sun than they did the last time they faced this team.

 

[WhoaDirty]

Sanders didn't hit him in the head.

His head goes sideways ... how is that not a hit to the head?

 

[WhoaDirty]

So, what is the defender supposed to do? Not hit him?

Is the defender not supposed to dislodge the ball?

He didn't hit him in the head, right?

He didn't jump in the air, right?

Do you realize that Clark's hit on Wes Welker last year was not a penalty? On that one, Clark both launched himself AND hit him long after the ball was passed him. I really don't think you want Sanders doing anything but what he did.

Actually, I don't know what the defenders are supposed to do, the rule is tough on those hard hitting guys. But the league is under pressure over the head injury thing and they are cracking down on head shots (and yes, he did hit him in the head). Maybe if there was more emphasis on form tackling instead of kill shots, it wouldn't be as big an issue.

Yes, I do realize it wasn't a penalty, I was screaming at the TV at the time. The Steelers take cheap shots all the time. And not just the defenders. I used to hate how Ward would always aim for the defenders' heads on crack back blocks.