Disclaimer: Sorry if this idea has been mention previously. I don't have time to read all 18 pages of this tread.
Based on the rules, the only hit that merited a flag was Merriweather's -, and it would be worthy of a suspension if the commish follows through on this.
However as Mo pointed out while Harrison's hits were legal, I think Harrison's hits or hits like them need to be mitigated, and that could only happen if the change the rules....and I have one to offer.
Its a simple one too. Just make it illegal to hit with the top of your helmet. It would not only make the game safer, it would improve the horrible tackling we get in the league now, where the main method seems to be to put your head down and throw your body at someone's legs and hope for the best.
Think about it. When I was coaching football we taught players to tackle by putting their FACEMASKS into the chest of the ball carrier, wrap, lift extend and run through the man. That not only put them in the best position to carry out their task, but to put their body in the safest position to absorb the contact. And by running through the man you eliminate the "launch aspect with is both dangerous for the receiver and well as the tackler
99% of the spinal injuries come when the player initiates contact with the top of the head. Just look at the kid who was tragically hurt at Rutgers this week end. He hit the runner with the top of his head. Bad for the runner, bad for the tackler.
That rule would also make Harrison's hits illegal/ One the other hand Robinson's hit was perfectly legal IMHO, because not only was contact initiated in his chest, but he hit him with his face mask first. It was a great hit.
As far as Merriweather goes, I want him to be punished for his hit on Heap. It was both dangerous and unneccessary. HOWEVER his other hit on Heap on his touchdown catch, I think was clean because he hit him with his forarms. I DO NOT want to see ANY hits to the head be illegal. Just those made by the top of the helmet
If they do that, not only would the game be safer, you wouldn't have to ****ify it.