Potential rule change prohibits RBs from lowering their heads (1 Viewer)

KikkomanSauce

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One of the six potential rule changes this coming season will make it illegal for running backs to lower their heads to initiate contact with a defender.

Matt Forte is none too happy about this

Matt Forte Blasts Proposed NFL Rule That Would Ban Running Backs From Lowering Helmet | NFL | NESN.com

Here's what I don't get: the sport of football is based around very large, freakishly athletic guys colliding into one another at full speed. Such a thing can never truly be safe. This possible rule in itself is ridiculous. If RBs can't lower their heads then they're surely going to get shots right to the chin from charging defenders - people trained to hit hard. That is worse than the head first collision. It's why the uppercut is the best finisher in Boxing. It rattles and concusses the brain way more than say a hook to the head.

We Saints fans know more than every other fan base that the NFL's "safety initiative" is purely about avoiding litigation. Here's an idea, put waivers into every contract preventing lawsuits due to injury and give insurance. If players decide to take the risk, it's on them. If not, find a different profession. Or how about making all players wear the most safest proven helmets? Many players don't use them because they find them uncomfortable to play in - and the NFL has no problem with this.

I really hope this is shot down. Not only will it make the game more dangerous under the guise of safety, but it gives the NFL (mostly Goodell) the appearance of championing safety - as he is wont to do - as opposed to his true stance: revenue.
 
One of the six potential rule changes this coming season will make it illegal for running backs to lower their heads to initiate contact with a defender.

Matt Forte is none too happy about this

Matt Forte Blasts Proposed NFL Rule That Would Ban Running Backs From Lowering Helmet | NFL | NESN.com

Here's what I don't get: the sport of football is based around very large, freakishly athletic guys colliding into one another at full speed. Such a thing can never truly be safe. This possible rule in itself is ridiculous. If RBs can't lower their heads then they're surely going to get shots right to the chin from charging defenders - people trained to hit hard. That is worse than the head first collision. It's why the uppercut is the best finisher in Boxing. It rattles and concusses the brain way more than say a hook to the head.

We Saints fans know more than every other fan base that the NFL's "safety initiative" is purely about avoiding litigation. Here's an idea, put waivers into every contract preventing lawsuits due to injury and give insurance. If players decide to take the risk, it's on them. If not, find a different profession. Or how about making all players wear the most safest proven helmets? Many players don't use them because they find them uncomfortable to play in - and the NFL has no problem with this.

I really hope this is shot down. Not only will it make the game more dangerous under the guise of safety, but it gives the NFL (mostly Goodell) the appearance of championing safety - as he is wont to do - as opposed to his true stance: revenue.
Already a thread on this, but if they do pass this rule...I'm running out of reasons to watch football.:rant:
 
Already a thread on this, but if they do pass this rule...I'm running out of reasons to watch football.:rant:

I hear ya. I am as well.

This all goes back to money not safety. IMO, the NFL not taking care of older players made players take to litigation to get paid is now resulting in rule changes that alter the game itself. Flag football is almost here.
 
Like it or not we'd have another Super Bowl trophy if this rule were in effect in 2011.
 
Just think how this will affect football, not just the NFL, all of football as we know it. By their admission the NFL want to change the way football is played. I am a football fan first and foremost. I enjoy the NFL but my heart is at the high school and even college level where the game is at its purest. Where kids play for the love of the game. Where it’s still possible overcome overwhelming odds with hard work and a willingness to go farther than the man across the line from you. When you take the physical nature out of this game you lose the core of what this game was built on. If this rule passes and eventually makes down to the HS level it will have a dramatic effect. Throw out Veer or any type of power running offenses. You force teams to go to some type of read option or spread passing game. I realize some of you will say those are ancient systems that probably need upgrades anyway but I disagree. I live in South Louisiana, the split back veer and wing T are as common as gumbo and 4x4 F250s yet we produce more NFL players per square foot than anywhere on God’s green earth. Many kids play football for the love of the game knowing that they have absolutely no shot of being anything other than a decent HS football player. Do we push those kids out? Do we make a football a track meet or just turn Friday night football into a show of who can spread the field and run the fastest? You already want to stop me from playing hard nose defense and punching the offense in the mouth. Now you want to take away grinding out the clock.
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When you beat on someone relentlessly and they have questionable heart and conditioning, sometimes they quit, sometimes they question how bad they really want to play this game. I am not ready to give up that part of football I love so much.
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My oldest son is a So HS MLB, 6&#8217;2&#8221; 225#, a head rattling downhill meat head. My youngest is a OG and NT, nasty and strong as an ox, Roger is pushing these types of kids out of the game and I feel everything I instilled in them is getting cast aside for a game I no longer recognize.
 
Like it or not we'd have another Super Bowl trophy if this rule were in effect in 2011.

You can say that about most rule changes that are put into place.

At the most there would have been offsetting penalties. PT lowered his helmet too.
 
This is ridiculous. Running backs are told to lower their head as part of the game. You can't get rid of something like this because it's a reaction that is based on instinct. This is just making football less attractive and turning into flag.

What is football without contact? Two hand touch and I'm not trying to go back to P.E. class. These rule changes need to be handle correctly.
 
I think it'd be hard to enforce such a rule. You'd literally have a flag on every play. At least for a long time until players readjust to not doing something that feels natural.
 
Just imagine a ball carrier running upright like Eric Dickerson. How long would it take before they have a major neck injury from the whiplash of not being able to protect yourself.

In a way, I can see why this was brought up. If a defender can't hit with the crown, why should a ball carrier be able to? The difference is improper tackling technique as a defender as opposed to a ball carrier protecting his body.
 
To me there is no simple solution. I understand everyone's point here. On the other hand, the game cannot continue down the path its going now. Players are bigger and faster and technique is worse and worse. That leads to more head injuries, more concussions, and you get things like Bran Westbrook, who said this week he is losing his memory.

Here is the problem. The league is trying to legislate out this move entirely. That is overkill.

But, running backs these days are not taught the proper way to lower their body. The way i was taught was that you lower your body so that the brunt of the make contact is made with your shoulderpad. You should not lead with ur helmet for the sake of leading with the helmet. But, these fools these days just lower their body and let whatever happens to happen, and that forces the NFL into jumping off the cliff.

And that comes from the fact that about 70% of men coaching high school and younger levels of football have no business being anywhere near a football field.

So in my mind instead of dumb rules and bounty suspensions, what the NFL should do is use its bully pulpit and power to do something about the horrible coaching our kids are getting.
 
I lost my **** when I saw Chris Mortensen reporting this yesterday. He was defending it by saying that runners will still be able to lower their shoulder, just not their head.

What kind of mutant can lower their shoulder to deliver a blow while keeping their head up?
 
Lol ****** pathetic. Imagine a running back running standing straight up. They'd be exposed to such violent hits
 
I was a RB in middle through HS. The first time I ever put on the pads and was handed the ball the first instinct I had when I hit the hole was lower my head. I was praised for it and ran that way the rest of my football days. I don't see how you can change this core instinct reaction.
 

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