You can hit a defenseless player legally...

Of course height isn't a consideration when calling a penalty, but when you give a video example of how Garvin could have legally deliver a blow, then height is absolutely a consideration.

You're talking about a guy who is 5-10 hitting a guy 6 inches TALLER versus a 6-3 guy hitting someone 2 inches SMALLER. Not considering Hill being airborne you're taking about an 8 inch difference. Look at the clip and see where Polamalu's head impacts Hill then add 8 inches and you'll see that Polamalu's head would have impacted Hills head all things being equal.

In order for Garvin to hit Huber in the same spot on his body as TP hit hill, Garvin would have had to lower himself nearly 1 foot.

Its a bad example.

 

Just wait, this is only going to get uglier. Players will finally say screw it (especially these lower pay scale players who can't afford to be dishing out 25-50K every other game) and start hitting players low. So instead of a player getting his bell rung and possibly missing a game or two their careers are going to be over because someone took out their knees. Then the NFL will have to start punishing those players and then the only way to legally tackle a guy will be gently around the waist, but only if they give you permission to do so first.

 

So you're saying that it would be illegal because you think other fines were given out for BS hits? Makes sense.

Garvin hit the punter in the chin with his helmet. Why wouldn't Goodell be all over that with a fine?????

The definition of a defensless receiver is one attempting to catch a pass; or who has completed a catch and has not had time to protect himself or has not clearly become a runner. So you're saying that if Hill had his feet planted Troy would have been fined? Sorry, I call BS again. At that point he is less defenseless than he was when Troy hit him.

 

Don't buy it for a second.

Where Troy's head could have impacted Hill is irrelevant.

So Garvin would have had to lower himself by a foot, big deal. He could have done that very easily.

 

When you're using the hit as an example of what Gavin could have done, it's absolutely relevant.

 

Ok, you're right. I guess Garvin should have just let Huber make the tackle because there is no way to block a punter legally. The NFL should put contact sensors on punters so they know if anyone even touches them.

 

My point about the other fines had to do with my comment about todays NFL standards. They fine players all the time these days for what THEY consider illegal hits. That's all. My point about Hill being in the air had to do with the example YOU provided. Had Hills feet been planted on the ground Troy would have hit him in the head and been fined. Not that hard to decipher really. :roll:

 

While they're at it they might as well put them on the QB's too!

 

So you're assuming Troy would have targeted the same spot if Hill's feet were on the ground. Interesting.

 

Yeah you're right.....if they played in slow motion and he had time to set himself up for the perfect block. The game moves way too fast to say he could have done that very easily. Besides, nothing wrong with the hit anyhow except it broke a mans jaw which multiplied the hit x100.

 

You make it seem like time slows down on every play. Interesting.

 

A kicker is a defenseless player during the process of making the kick, but after he completes the kick and advances down the field doesn't he become a defender as well as the rest of his special team? Garvin no doubt made an illegal H to H hit, but the status of defenseless player shouldn't apply to a kicker once they legally become eligible to block and tackle after the kick. The rules committee needs to address the status of a kicker after they complete the kick, in my opinion......

 

While they're at it they might as well put flags on and stop contact all together.....since that seems to be what RG wants anyhow.

 

I got an idea! Why don't they just get rid of kicking altogether! everybody start at their own 20 at every change of possession.

 

Garvin was between the hash marks and the numbers on the left side of the field when he started running towards Huber and didn't hit him until he was at the right hash marks!!! He had PLENTY of time to decide where he was going to hit him. Watch the reply.

Nothing wrong with the hit other than the broken jaw? An illegal hit CAUSED the broken jaw.

 

Yeah, defenders can't possibly adjust their hits based on where an offensive player is.

 

Troy rarely hits guys in the head. He usually goes for the midsection or thigh. He's made a career of doing it. You're making an awfully big assumption that Troy wouldn't have aimed lower had Hill's feet been on the ground. Taking into consideration all the hits Troy has made in his career, I have no doubt he specifically aimed his hit. He didn't hit Hill in the chest because he was in the air, he hit Hill in the chest because that's where he wanted to hit him, and I have no doubt that he would have hit him in the chest even if his feet were on the ground.

Love him or hate him, Ray Lewis was a headhunter for a lot of his career. When the rules changed, I noticed that he started aiming lower than he ever had before. Players are able to aim their hits almost every time. There may be times where it just happens so fast that it's hard to avoid, but most of the time the players are simply being reckless by going for the head.

 

I've played hockey my whole life. Hockey is a much faster sport than football. I loved throwing big hits and did it every chance I got. With that said, if someone turned their back to me at the last second, I would let up. Sometimes I'd still end up hitting them as I simply couldn't stop, but it would simply be me bumping into them rather than crushing them like I would if they were facing me. If me and every other hockey player out there can let up with a split second notice, then football players can too.

You're not giving these NFL players enough credit, or you're giving them too much credit depending on how you look at it. They're seeing a big hit right in front of them and they're getting tunnel vision. They're not aiming their hit and they're not thinking about the rules, they're simply trying to get a piece of the player they have lined up, where ever that piece happens to be. These guys can aim their hits, but some of them are choosing not to.

 

Thank you Shaner!

 

I'm not saying Ray Lewis never went to the head, just like I'm not saying Troy never hits the head. Both have done it and I'm sure Troy will do it again before his career is over. Just talking about most of their plays, I find Troy rarely hits the head and I find Ray Lewis went from being a headhunter to someone that usually hit lower.

 

Not sure off the top of my head, I left my spreadsheet at home.