New Helmet Rule Already Causing Confusion

[jimnance]

This new rule gives the Jete an unfair competitive advantage over the rest of the league.
The gist of it is the nfl no longer wants teams to " use their heads" while on the field.
That's something the Green Beans have never done anyway. Everyone else will have to make adjustments.

 

[Bradyking12]

I can already see the head case coming.

 

[Bradyking12]

This new rule gives the Jete an unfair competitive advantage over the rest of the league.
The gist of it is the nfl no longer wants teams to " use their heads" while on the field.
That's something the Green Beans have never done anyway. Everyone else will have to make adjustments.

Same with the LOLphins and the Buffano Skills.

 

[captain stone]

I think it's because if you read the exact wording of the rule (as paraphrased by ESPN in that article), it says the following:



It seems like that happens on almost every play, both by defenders and by ball carriers. So shouldn't there be a penalty on every play as well? That's part of the reason some people are saying this will 'change the game of football as we know it.' But the article also says:



Which is counterintuitive, given that we see lowering the helmet happen all the time.

So I'M pretty confused and will just see how it plays out (expecting complete ****show if this gains traction). If you're not confused then I take my helmet off to you captain.

To me, the answer is should be clear: If the Defender is engaged in a legitimate tackle attempt, then his arms should be extended towards the Runner, and when contact is made, those arms should be every bit the leader in the contact, which would naturally also include the shoulders and helmet. If, however, the purpose of the Defender is to "jack up" the Runner and not extend his arms, then the officials have every right to throw a penalty flag.

 

[TB_Helmet]

To me, the answer is should be clear: If the Defender is engaged in a legitimate tackle attempt, then his arms should be extended towards the Runner, and when contact is made, those arms should be every bit the leader in the contact, which would naturally also include the shoulders and helmet. If, however, the purpose of the Defender is to "jack up" the Runner and not extend his arms, then the officials have every right to throw a penalty flag.

That might be clearer than the rule on the table now (and the words 'jack up' should definitely appear in the rule book), but that would have drawn a penalty on about 25% of all tackles last year, by my (admittedly complete guess) estimation.

 

[Actual Pats Fan]

I thought the the thread title was "New Helmets already causing Concussions."

Nah, they're saving that one for if/when Pat Patriot is restored

 

[Tony2046]

The first few weeks will likely resemble the replacement ref games of 2012.

Just an absolute mess.

It'll be funny when the Pats win a game because of a helmet rule call. The Pats will understand the rule and understand how the refs for each game will call the rule. I can't wait. "F'ing Cheatriots" hahaha

 

[long distance]

too much fuss . chance to sell some more air
also some forcing for calling it conservatively . which they will anyway . esp. by teams/players that like to compensate simply with overaggressiveness

good coaches will gather info . exchange w officials . prepare the team
pats will be one of them

as long time&distance advocate of getting “helmet as a weapon“ out of the game
looking forward seeing first steps . believe and hope it works

 

[Joker]

it's all BS...play friggin' football. They get paid what I've made in my lifetime in one or two seasons.I want to see hits...don't give me this freakin' flag football in lingerie crap.

 

[IcyPatriot]

The other new helmet rule appears within the specific forms of unnecessary roughness, prohibiting ramming, spearing, or butting with any portion of the helmet. The 2018 rulebook removes the terms “violently and unnecessarily,” extending the ban to all ramming, spearing, or butting — with the exception of incidental helmet contact that occurs during conventional blocking or tackling.

The fact sheet doesn’t address this rule at all, providing no guidance of any kind to players and coaches regarding a rule that presumably applies as written, but that will be enforced however the league decides to enforce it, possibly with a standard that shifts and changes from week to week, with no real certainty or predictability as to what the rule really is.

The full scope of the league’s handling of these issues during the 2018 offseason suggests that someone(s) within 345 Park Avenue has become determined to reconfigure the rules to allow the helmet to be removed from the game, in order to fend off the existential threat posed by parents not letting their children play football. If so, the new helmet rules eventually will be applied broadly toward the end of ensuring that any effort to use the helmet directly or indirectly as a weapon exits the game for good.

NFL helmet rule fact sheet is incomplete

 

[TB_Helmet]

Here’s an article about last nights game with some videos. Looks like it’s gonna be bad.

https://deadspin.com/the-helmet-rules-debut-was-really-messy-1828078313

 

[chasa]

Here’s an article about last nights game with some videos. Looks like it’s gonna be bad.

https://deadspin.com/the-helmet-rules-debut-was-really-messy-1828078313

I watched those clips and honestly, based on the wording of the rules, they were all penalties. They each lowered their heads when going for the tackle, often times the player they were tackling were already going to the ground.

Seems like a simple solution for anyone confused is to just keep your head up.

 

[Joey007]

Here’s an article about last nights game with some videos. Looks like it’s gonna be bad.

https://deadspin.com/the-helmet-rules-debut-was-really-messy-1828078313

I do want to wait until I see this happen in a real NFL game.

Refs are always flag happy in the preseason.

 

[TB_Helmet]

I watched those clips and honestly, based on the wording of the rules, they were all penalties. They each lowered their heads when going for the tackle, often times the player they were tackling were already going to the ground.

Seems like a simple solution for anyone confused is to just keep your head up.

Maybe the first couple, but I didn’t think the last one looked like a penalty. That’s the one that’s gonna cause some confusion, since that tackle happens fairly regularly.

 

[TB_Helmet]

From the article:

John Harbaugh, who called the helmet rule a “great rule” back when it was announced in May, had very little to say about it Thursday night, telling reporters, “I don’t know enough about the rule to understand it right now and comment on it.”

To which someone in the comment section replied:

That’s what we were counting on all along, Baltimore.

-Belichick