NFL needs consistency with illegal hits

[Whodis]

http://nfl-facts-and-rumors.blogs.cb...75988/26273489

Despite the detailed instructions and the diagrams and the variety of explanations and the tutorials, many of us still don’t understand the newly-reinforced helmet-to-helmet and defenseless receiver rules.

Why are some hits called and not others? What about the helmet-to-chest hits on a quarterback who just threw the ball? Is he defenseless? Can the defender led with his facemask? With the crown of his helmet? What if it’s below the waist?

I suppose some people have a handle on the rules, but there are times when I’m not sure if anybody knows what the hell is supposed to be called. Like, um, the dudes wearing the stripes during tonight’s Ravens-Steelers game.

Last Sunday, I got into a discussion with a Steelers fan on Twitter about why James Harrison was penalized for his illegal hit on Bills quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick.

He claimed Harrison hit Fitzpatrick in the upper chest, and his helmet slid into Fitzpatrick’s chin. I countered that it was head-to-chin all the way.

He claimed there was a bias against the Steelers. I countered that the officials were giving Harrison more scrutiny – based on his reputation, why wouldn’t they? – but that ultimately Pittsburgh was treated the same as everybody else.

We went back and forth probably 10 or 12 times.

This week, owner Art Rooney II got into the act, saying he thought the NFL looked at the Steelers differently. I still vehemently disagree, even after tonight’s 13-10 Pittsburgh win against the Ravens when Roethlisberger was hit in the helmet twice with no flag thrown.

But what I’ll continue to question is why every game is called differently. And I believe this: if Harrison had destroyed the Ravens TE, instead of Baltimore’s Jameel McClain leveling Steelers TE Heath Miller on what was CLEARLY a helmet-to-helmet hit, Harrison would have been ejected, fined and suspended.

But with McClain, a yellow flag was not thrown. I’ll repeat that: when McClain gave us an absolute clinic on what is an illegal hit – there’s very little doubt this play will show up on the video that officials present to teams during next year’s training camps – and what should be penalized.

Instead, Miller crumpled to the turf in a frightening manner, and he later walked off the field with a concussion. And a 15-yard penalty was not called.

Minutes afterward, while the game was still in the third quarter, word began to leak out. NFL officials made sure to let everyone know that a penalty should have been called and that a mistake had been made. But the flag wasn’t thrown. And frankly, it wasn’t fair.

I understand the argument that players move at warp speed, and they can’t always control how they’re hitting an opponent. Mistakes happen. I get that. But the rule is the rule, and the penalties need to be enforced equally across the board.

I’m sure Harrison would agree.

“It was a hit that should have been penalized,” Harrison told NBC after the game. “Nine times out of 10, if you put me on that hit, a flag goes up and I’m fined.”

At the very least.

[Curtain_of_Steel]

So 2 head shots to the QB and one "take the head off" shot to our TE and no penalty?

Well they were consistent.

If I recall we flicked brees of Brady? and got called for a personal foul. Can't remeber which game but it was a loose hand flairing and hit their helmet.

Here BB gets a broken nose, how is that possible without a head shot?
Than on that scramble by suggs he gets a lighter head shot.

Of course Miller gets decapitated, which doesn't draw anything. But my guess is, 2 of those should be big fines based on Harrisons weekly fee's.

[Quasar]

This is it. If the league does not pass out 2 big fines for the shots on Big Ben and Heath Miller, then CLEARLY the league is biased against the Steelers. We are waiting, Goodell....

[Curtain_of_Steel]

Since the nfl made comment last night about millers hit, the fine should be out already, why wait. There is one coming on that one for sure.

Has he ever been fined before? As if not its a ligh little slap on the pocket book. Goodell will state, he did show remorese in waving on the steelers trainers after he shook loose Millers spinal cord from his head.

[CargoJon]

Remember the Eagles-Colts game a few weeks ago when the Colts got back into the game when an Eagles defender barely glanced Peyton Manning's helmet on a missed 4th down play?

Imagine Brady with a broken / bloody nose or Dallas Clark getting laid out like that.

The officials showed their true colors last night. And I feel good in complaining about the officiating because we won the game. This isn't a case of "sore loser" official criticism.

[Chadmagic]

Here is the situation as I see it. The refs are either biased or blind. Take your pick. One of these has to be right. Because there were 3 blatant personal fouls last night that were not called. 2 of which should come with fines.
None of which were called.

I get the refs can't see everything, so missing 1 is understandable. I will even give them 2. But that hit on Miller should have been called. The refs should have thrown the flag while Miller was lying helpless on his back on the field. I am not sure why they didn't

Personally, I think that the refs are given instructions to watch certain players in every game a bit more closely. Harrison being one of them. So the refs tend to zero in on those players the whole game and as they do they lose focus on the other players. Hence the missed calls tonight.

I hope the players strike next year gets nasty and that some higher ups (Roger Goodell) lose their jobs.

And maybe its time to revisit the idea of making refs full time.

[steelerchad]

In all 3 cases, the penalty was committed where the ball was. So there should be no missing the call. The camera follows the ball and so does at least 1 of the officials. How you miss all 3 of those fouls is amazingly incompetent or amzingly biased.
The win is sweet justice however.

[Whodis]

I don't think Ngata should be fined. The way I see it is the fines are out of hand and does the Steelers no good. As I said in previous discussions, moneys means nothing, it's the flags on the field.

I wish this whole nonsense would go away and this "trying to protect players" would go away. The inconsistancy gives us no advantage at all. Carr will be the sacrificial lamb for the league to show they are not singling out Harrison. IMO

[KYSteelersfan]

Originally Posted by Whodis

I don't think Ngata should be fined. The way I see it is the fines are out of hand and does the Steelers no good. As I said in previous discussions, moneys means nothing, it's the flags on the field.

I wish this whole nonsense would go away and this "trying to protect players" would go away. The inconsistancy gives us no advantage at all. Carr will be the sacrificial lamb for the league to show they are not singling out Harrison. IMO

Why would Carr be sacrificed? It was McClain who made the hit on Heath.

[iceman000123]

Originally Posted by Whodis

I don't think Ngata should be fined. The way I see it is the fines are out of hand and does the Steelers no good. As I said in previous discussions, moneys means nothing, it's the flags on the field.

I wish this whole nonsense would go away and this "trying to protect players" would go away. The inconsistancy gives us no advantage at all. Carr will be the sacrificial lamb for the league to show they are not singling out Harrison. IMO

I would agree with this had it not been for the amount Harrison has had to pay. I want both of those guys to get fines for what transpired on the field yesterday. Especially the hit on Miller. That was SCARY! I don't want an advantage or anything I just want good physical FOOTBALL