Players and their ridiculous excuses for illegal hits

[PatsFan2]

That's dumb to say. These are professional athletes. Defenders can either get stronger or accept the fact the best they can do is slow him down and have another guy help. Big guys like Gronkowski shouldn't have their knees be taken out because his defender(s) are being out-muscled by him.

Ok when Brandon Spikes Dis-members a RB from the Football please dont cheer. Football fans are so hyrocritical I wonder if one of our Defenders had done the same to Josh Gordon if we would say that was a illegal hit? Gronk is already paid I wish him a Speedy recovery.

 

[Deus Irae]

Those of you complaining about Ward's hit should dig up Mankins post-game interview from last night. Beyond that, here are some Patriots defensive players discussing it:

“We’re all professional athletes,” said linebacker Rob Ninkovich. “This is our livelihood, this is what we do for a living. But with a receiver coming at you, you can’t go high so you’re gonna go after his legs. Unfortunately, tall guys – tight ends – get the worst of it and they’re getting hit in the knees. Their careers are being affected. There’s been plenty of knee injuries because of the rules in place than there were in the past.”

“It’s tough,” said Devin McCourty. “I felt like there was a play earlier in the game where I did the same thing (Ward) did. It just sucks because of the angle he got (Gronkowski) at. As defenders, you just don’t want that to happen but you can’t go high. It just sucks to see that happen.

“You hate to see it but it’s the new rules, go low on a guy,” said Brandon Spikes. “Honestly, I don’t approve of it. I can’t play the game that way, watch somebody get put out for the season but those are NFL rules, it is what it is and we gotta do business and business is being done.”

Patriots react to Gronk injury, rules on high hits | Comcast SportsNet - CSNNE.com

Here's Mankins, an offensive player, discussing it, without the video available:

"Definitely. I got fined a couple weeks ago for head butting, which is out of control," Mankins said. "Other than that, if I was a safety or a corner and I had the option of going high or going low, I'm going low. I'm not going to take the fine, I'm not going to take the penalty that hurts my team. I'm going to go where the safest place to hit him for the defender is is going low. If you go high you're going to get a penalty and a fine, so there's a double jeopardy there. So those guys, it's unfortunate that it happens, but I can't blame those guys."

Mankins: 'Safest' for defender is going low | Comcast SportsNet - CSNNE.com

It's not players making ridiculous excuses. It's players doing what they have to do because of the way high hits are being called.

 

[Cookenbauer]

Too much reactionary emotion in these posts.

Nfl players are some of the most amazing athletes in the world. Not only do you need to be a world class athlete..you have to study countless hours of film just to give you a chance to be in the right position to make a play..let alone actually make one.

People talking about strike zones have no clue how hard it is. And those who claims defensive backs are intentionally aiming at knees are simply being absurd.

I mean there were people talking about how mangold was being dirty for aiming at talibs knees on an interception...and using slo mo replay as their proof. Absolutely ridiculous.

It was just an unfortunate play. One half second later and people are talking about how gronk makes an amazing catch and is a beast.

 

[obgod3]

Here is my take, I don't believe Ward was trying to ruin Gronks career or season. But the real problem I have with the tackle is the launch, if he has to run up and grab the legs with his arms then this doesn't happen. I bet most of these injuries are caused by a player launching themselves. Take launching out of the game and I bet you don't see as many injuries, tackling seems like a lost art now, just throw your body at someone. Make any play where a defender launchers himself at an opposing offensive player a penalty.

 

[DaBruinz]

DaBruinz, do not take this the wrong way because I'm only commenting on the coincidence and pertinence but after reading your comments to Brady6 about never having practiced in another thread and then reading this thread I then went on to twitter and saw this straight after from Bucky Brooks:




It seemed relevant.

Actually. Not relevant at all. Been there. Not just in football but in hockey as well.

As I said in the other thread . I was taught you never got at the opponents knees. EVER. You always go thighs to armpits. Regardless of the size difference. My coaches would rather see me knock the guy off balance and have a teammate finish him off than either myself or the opposing player suffer a devastating injury.

 

[DaBruinz]

1.) it was not an illegal hit, no flag was thrown, and no penalty is forthcoming.

2.) its not really a ridiculous excuse, this is what the players asked for.


was the hit? dirty? yes. illegal? nope.

Just because a flag wasn't thrown doesn't mean it wasn't an illegal hit. Ward clearly went in with the intent to injure.

Yes, it is a ridiculous excuse and no it isn't what the players asked for. Unless you're saying that every player who has sustained a crippling knee injury due to a low hit WANTED that to happen..

 

[Ring 6]

So you say its alright to try and tackle a man with a hit that can ruin ones season? Gronk is hard to tackle period, but you don't cheap shot someone by going for their legs and possibly tearing ones knee up. So what you give up a few more yards, but you want to save 5 measly yards and possibly destroy the players career. Come on man

Every tackle is a potential injury. Players have been tackling below the waist for 100 years.
The argument that a defender should make a less effective hit and miss the tackle in order to possibly reduce the chance of injury is ridiculous. Gronk was trying to run him over, he was trying to do whatever he could to get the receiver to the ground.

 

[Ring 6]

Just because a flag wasn't thrown doesn't mean it wasn't an illegal hit. Ward clearly went in with the intent to injure.

Yes, it is a ridiculous excuse and no it isn't what the players asked for. Unless you're saying that every player who has sustained a crippling knee injury due to a low hit WANTED that to happen..

Ward went in with the intent to tackle.

 

[Patsrock]

Can't complain about a legal tackle. Ryan did go after someone's knee right after.

 

[manxman2601]

Actually. Not relevant at all. Been there. Not just in football but in hockey as well.

As I said in the other thread . I was taught you never got at the opponents knees. EVER. You always go thighs to armpits. Regardless of the size difference. My coaches would rather see me knock the guy off balance and have a teammate finish him off than either myself or the opposing player suffer a devastating injury.

Then having played rugby and tackled guys much bigger than myself, I would say you were taught very badly. Firstly you can't rely on other players to to "finish him off" and secondly, a player can be 5'0 or 6'11", if he doesn't have his legs under him, he's not going anywhere.

 

[Kontradiction]

I seriously doubt anyone's knowledge of the game when they advocate that Ward should have gone higher. No offense to some of the posters here in saying that. DB's are taught to aim for the legs on bigger receivers and tight ends from a young age. There's a reason for that. Oh and Ward DID hit Gronk in the thigh. Look at the GIF. The knee injury was the unfortunate side effect of Gronk's foot being fully planted in the ground.

 

[DaBruinz]

Ok when Brandon Spikes Dis-members a RB from the Football please dont cheer. Football fans are so hyrocritical I wonder if one of our Defenders had done the same to Josh Gordon if we would say that was a illegal hit? Gronk is already paid I wish him a Speedy recovery.

HUH? what does Spikes putting his helmet on the football to knock it loose have to do with Ward hitting Gronk in the knees?

Yes. I would say it's an illegal hit and I would criticize the player for it. Unlike you, I despise injuries to players and think that any intent to injure should result in a permanent suspension from the league for it.

 

[Galeb]

And Mr Expert please tell us how was Ward suppose to tackle that mountain of a man???

By attacking his center of gravity, wrapping up the waist.

 

[Bobsyouruncle]

Players rarely get hit upright. They don't move like gingerbread men. When a player comes in for a tackle the runner bends at the waist and drops their shoulder. This creates a much smaller target in the upper torso with the head leading. Now even a good tackle could result in some incidental helmet to helmet contact that is not dangerous. But that's why they wear helmets.

However the league started penalizing and fining for textbook tackles where the helmets brush against each other. This is obviously unreasonable and stupid. So the coaches start teaching players to go lower to avoid when the offensive player bends down and initiates contact.

Ward could have gone lower or higher, and I think he's a little reckless. However flogging will not change the fact players are tackling like this more and more, and the likelihood of injury will be higher until the NFL does something. Preferably removing their stupid fines for unintentional non-dangerous hits to the head.

 

[Ring 6]

By attacking his center of gravity, wrapping up the waist.

He was not approaching the play from an appropriate angle to do that.

 

[manxman2601]

HUH? what does Spikes putting his helmet on the football to knock it loose have to do with Ward hitting Gronk in the knees?

Yes. I would say it's an illegal hit and I would criticize the player for it. Unlike you, I despise injuries to players and think that any intent to injure should result in a permanent suspension from the league for it.

As Patriot fans this season, I think it's fair to say that we all despise injuries. But I am curious how you would prove intent in situations like that which, if you're planning on permanent suspensions, you would absolutely have to do (and probably in a court of law).

 

[Ivan]

And Mr Expert please tell us how was Ward suppose to tackle that mountain of a man???

By putting his arms out and taking him down. That was as blatant a cheap shot as they get, he made no effort to tackle him only to take his knee out, it was bullsh.t. I really hope he gets the same treatment someday. POS. They either do something about the cheapshots or every really good skill player in the league is going to be watching from their hospital beds.

 

[DaBruinz]

It's not players making ridiculous excuses. It's players doing what they have to do because of the way high hits are being called.

Sorry, but it IS players making ridiculous excuses and just because it's Patriot players agreeing with Ward doesn't change it. . There is more than just "HIGH" (above the shoulders) and "LOW" (knees and below) when it comes to tackling. The fact that ANY football player is saying otherwise is sickening.

 

[manxman2601]

By putting his arms out and taking him down. That was as blatant a cheap shot as they get, he made no effort to tackle him only to take his knee out, it was bullsh.t. I really hope he gets the same treatment someday. POS. They either do something about the cheapshots or every really good skill player in the league is going to be watching from their hospital beds.

Is McCourty a POS you hope gets the same treatment some day? He admitted to doing the same thing.

 

[Galeb]

He was not approaching the play from an appropriate angle to do that.

I have never experienced an angle I could not wrap up the waist. The angle will change where you must place your feet and how you use your legs, but you can always attack the waist. If you can lunge at and hit the knee with your shoulder pad you can certainly lunge at the waist.