James Butler's Illegal Horse Collar on Wes Welker (Picture)
 

1mn43 left in 1st Quarter

http://img153.imageshack.us/img153/2...3oo2fb9.th.jpg

Big Picture :
http://img120.imageshack.us/img120/1731/dscf0233gx3.jpg

Will safety James Butler be suspended one game for Last night illegal horse-collar tackle on Wes Welker?

and why the ref. didn't give a 15 yard penalty to NE for that illegal horse collar tackle ?


Big Picture:
http://img153.imageshack.us/img153/2050/dscf0234mz3.jpg

Re: James Butler's Illegal Horse Collar on Wes Welker ( Picture)
 

For it to be a penalty, you have to actually grab the shoulder pad. Its not a penalty if you grab the shirt only. I believe on the video, it appears he has the shirt only, not latching onto the shoulder pad. That isn't a penalty.

J D Sal

Re: James Butler's Illegal Horse Collar on Wes Welker ( Picture)
 

I agree with JDSal. It looked like a horsecollar in real time, but in hindsight it seems it was just the jersey. Good no call.

Re: James Butler's Illegal Horse Collar on Wes Welker ( Picture)
 

That is not the case anymore last year that included the back of the jersey collar. That was a penalty and he will be fined I bet.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horse-collar_tackle

Re: James Butler's Illegal Horse Collar on Wes Welker ( Picture)
 

I thought it was a good non-call. He definatly grabed the coller but held up and did not ride him down. I wouldn't want one of our defenders called on the same play.

Re: James Butler's Illegal Horse Collar on Wes Welker ( Picture)
 

The horse-collar is particularly dangerous due to the awkward position of the player getting tackled, who will often fall backward in a twisting motion with one or both legs trapped under the weight of his body. This is exacerbated if the player's foot gets caught in the turf and by the additional weight of the defender. Potential injuries include sprains or tears to ligaments in the knees and ankles (including the ACL), and fractures of the tibia and fibula.[4]

The ban states that a horse-collar tackle is an open-field tackle in which a defender uses the shoulder pads or jersey to immediately bring a ball carrier down.

Wiki.

Re: James Butler's Illegal Horse Collar on Wes Welker ( Picture)
 

I didn't know that. But what about this from the wikipedia article "if a defender begins to bring a player down by the shoulder pads but lets go before the tackle is completed, he will not be penalized"
My husband and I talked about this play as it happened last night. He said he wasn't dropped by the tackle and so it wasn't a penalty. I thought the jersey thing ruled it out, but I guess I was wrong.

Re: James Butler's Illegal Horse Collar on Wes Welker ( Picture)
 

I thought the same thing when I saw it during game. Now that I see the pic, it looks more like he got the shirt instead, and it was a good non-call.

Re: James Butler's Illegal Horse Collar on Wes Welker ( Picture)
 

if safety James Butler suspended for next game , i would like to hear from coughlin for bringing his starters in last night game. :D

Re: James Butler's Illegal Horse Collar on Wes Welker ( Picture)
 

I came in to say the same thing as above, that it was a good tackle as long as he didn't grab the pads...but:

The first year of the ban, only two penalties were called by referees for the horse-collar tackle. Owners voted 25-7 in 2006 to expand the rule to include tackles by the back of the jersey in addition to tackles by the shoulder pads.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horse-collar_tackle

I guess it IS illegal after all. It's hard to blame the refs for every missed/blown call..no system is (or ever can be) perfect, I suppose.