Replacing the KO

[Defensewins]

Originally Posted by Daseal

I actually have a bit of an issue with the helmet-to-helmet hits you're suggesting. Especially with the way rules are enforced now. You NEVER see an offensive player hit with that penalty. I've seen many a RB/FB drop their head to create helmet to helmet contact with the defender, but I've never seen a flag go up because of it. Additionally, I've seen flags on the defender when the offensive player ducks their head at the last second.

These plays happen so quickly and there are so many variables that could cause it, that penalties being too high could be detrimental to the game. There are some hits that are quite obviously helmet-to-helmet, premeditated, lined up, and executed. But they are the minority when you look at penalties.

I want to see offensive players held as accountable as defensive players are, and if you get more strict when it comes to in-game penalties, they need to become reviewable. A couple fingers grazing the QBs helmet shouldn't be considered a penalty. We've gone a bit too far to limit these plays.

That is exactly right.
The offensive player lowering his head and barreling forward is dangerous to his well being. Eagles RB LeSean McCoy did exactly that against us late in the fourth quarter of the Eagles' 31-6 loss and was severely concussed. That was his fault for lowering his head.

The refs also have to have the authority to decide if an inadvertent hand to the Qb's helmet or any other protective rule that was accidental in nature and did not cause any serious contact or injury should be a NO CALL. The game changing 15-yard personal fouls have to be blatant and obvious. There are too many that are accidental and not intentional and are incorrectly called as foul. That has to change.

[GhettoDogAllStars]

Originally Posted by Daseal

I actually have a bit of an issue with the helmet-to-helmet hits you're suggesting. Especially with the way rules are enforced now. You NEVER see an offensive player hit with that penalty. I've seen many a RB/FB drop their head to create helmet to helmet contact with the defender, but I've never seen a flag go up because of it. Additionally, I've seen flags on the defender when the offensive player ducks their head at the last second.

These plays happen so quickly and there are so many variables that could cause it, that penalties being too high could be detrimental to the game. There are some hits that are quite obviously helmet-to-helmet, premeditated, lined up, and executed. But they are the minority when you look at penalties.

I want to see offensive players held as accountable as defensive players are, and if you get more strict when it comes to in-game penalties, they need to become reviewable. A couple fingers grazing the QBs helmet shouldn't be considered a penalty. We've gone a bit too far to limit these plays.

Good points. Offensive players are responsible a lot of the times, and they don't get flagged. I suppose the best approach is to try to judge intent through the review process, but most fans wouldn't like that. The head to head hits are just too dangerous to ignore in my opinion.

[BigHairedAristocrat]

How bout we tweak Hines wards idea - no helmets, but only on kick offs

[SmootSmack]

I don't think Goodell is seriously considering this. I think this is one of those cases where he threw an Idea out there to gauge the public reaction

[Coff]

Originally Posted by SmootSmack

I don't think Goodell is seriously considering this. I think this is one of those cases where he threw an Idea out there to gauge the public reaction

If so, the reaction has been clear: it isn't popular.

As I stated above, I actually like the idea, not so much because it gets rid of kick-offs, but because it gets rid of onside kicks. Onside kicks are ridiculous. They remind me of penalty kicks in soccer: something that is a very small part of the game becomes a major determining factor in the outcome of the game. The NFL should replace onside kicks with the 4th and 15 scenario for no other reason than onside kicks are dumb, fluky plays while the 4th and 15 scenario taps into the fundamental spirit of the game.

[donofriose]

Having no Kickoffs would be better than watching a commercial, then a kickoff go to the back of the endzone which takes 5 seconds and then an other commercial.

[skinsguy]

Originally Posted by donofriose

Having no Kickoffs would be better than watching a commercial, then a kickoff go to the back of the endzone which takes 5 seconds and then an other commercial.

Trust me, advertisers will get their commercials in someway, you'd still have commercial breaks - they would just work them in at some other annoying point during the ball game.

[donofriose]

Originally Posted by skinsguy

Trust me, advertisers will get their commercials in someway, you'd still have commercial breaks - they would just work them in at some other annoying point during the ball game.

What I think would happen is there would be longer commercial breaks after at a team scores. Which I am ok with. It is like Hulu where you can sometimes get the option to watch all the commercials at first then watch the entire show commercial free. I like the second option.

[skinsguy]

I understand Goodell may have thrown that out there just to gauge public reaction, but he doesn't throw that out there without some tendency of wanting to seriously move in that direction. Otherwise, he would never have mentioned it. If you want to make the game of football safer, put your investments toward the technology that's going to make the safety equipment protect the players better. Football is a dangerous, vicious, contact sport. That's just the way it is. Don't like it? Don't play it. Don't watch it.

[RedskinRat]

Originally Posted by skinsguy

I understand Goodell may have thrown that out there just to gauge public reaction <snip>.

Goodell doesn't give a fark about public opinion.

[skinsguy]

Originally Posted by RedskinRat

Goodell doesn't give a fark about public opinion.

LOL, true! But then again, I could see him asking for public opinion just so he could smugly do the exact opposite just because he's the commish.

[BigHairedAristocrat]

Originally Posted by RedskinRat

Goodell doesn't give a fark about public opinion.

I disagree. His job is to ensure the public has a high opinion of the sport. That's how the league makes money - putting out a product people want to see.

[53Fan]

Originally Posted by skinsguy

I understand Goodell may have thrown that out there just to gauge public reaction, but he doesn't throw that out there without some tendency of wanting to seriously move in that direction. Otherwise, he would never have mentioned it. If you want to make the game of football safer, put your investments toward the technology that's going to make the safety equipment protect the players better. Football is a dangerous, vicious, contact sport. That's just the way it is. Don't like it? Don't play it. Don't watch it.

Exactly. Improve the equipment...don't change the game. Right now the NFL has the most popular sport in America. Why change the game? Did Goodell work for Coca Cola long time ago?

[FRPLG]

Originally Posted by 53Fan

Exactly. Improve the equipment...don't change the game. Right now the NFL has the most popular sport in America. Why change the game? Did Goodell work for Coca Cola long time ago?

They can't improve the helmet much more in a practical sense. Apparently to improve helmets to the point of drastically reducing concussions they'd have to make the helmet so much larger that it would cause more neck injuries. There's always the notion too that the helmets only serve to promote more head injuries since they provide a sense of invulnerability that is dangerous.

[53Fan]

Originally Posted by FRPLG

They can't improve the helmet much more in a practical sense. Apparently to improve helmets to the point of drastically reducing concussions they'd have to make the helmet so much larger that it would cause more neck injuries. There's always the notion too that the helmets only serve to promote more head injuries since they provide a sense of invulnerability that is dangerous.

It's hard to believe they used to play in those leather helmets. Seems like there would have been guys laying all over the field after every play.