League Passes New Player Safety Rules

[theFRANCHISE]

Let's see Hines Ward do what he "does best" now:

[quote]NFL owners have passed four player safety rules for next season. One of them is the elimination of blindside helmet-to-helmet blocks.

The new rules state that the initial force of a blindside block can't be delivered by a helmet, forearm or shoulder to an opponent's head or neck. An illegal blindside block will bring a 15-yard penalty.[/quote]
Source: [url="http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/football/bal-nfl324,0,7737834.story"]BaltimoreSun.com[/url]

I guess we can call it the Hines Ward Rule.

There's also three other new rules, mostly special teams-related.

[MKdave]

Yeah one of them was only 2 players in the wedge on KO returns.
Don't really see how that makes things safer...

[Nevermore52]

That's going to have to be pretty blatant to get the call. Helmet to helmet, forearm to helmet, shoulder to helmet.... it's going to lead to a lot more rib injuries when they have to go lower to make the hit. People will just have to find the sweet spot between that and a spear I guess.

[McBurks]

It was a rule that was bound to change, thankfully it came sooner than later.

[theFRANCHISE]

[quote name='Nevermore52' post='172331' date='Mar 24 2009, 03:33 PM']That's going to have to be pretty blatant to get the call. Helmet to helmet, forearm to helmet, shoulder to helmet.... it's going to lead to a lot more rib injuries when they have to go lower to make the hit. People will just have to find the sweet spot between that and a spear I guess.[/quote]
But the key is still to avoid blindsiding someone. Wait for them to turn their head, or just make a clean tackle. And it's usually not hard to avoid hitting the other guy's helmet if you don't lead with your helmet. Then again, it's been awhile since I've tackled someone full-speed, so I guess it's easy to play devil's advocate in that situation.

Regardless, it goes back to teaching younger players the fundamentals that they sorely lack in all phases of the game. In theory, if you teach a young player how to tackle again (despite having done it all his life), he'll never miss another one if he can help it.

[theFRANCHISE]

[quote name='MKdave' post='172329' date='Mar 24 2009, 03:20 PM']Yeah one of them was only 2 players in the wedge on KO returns.
Don't really see how that makes things safer...[/quote]
I see what you mean; it gives another opening for defenders to get a clean shot on the returner. On the same token, however, the wedge has been abused by some teams (the Chiefs come to mind), where some blockers will go low at defenders yet go completely unnoticed.

[Reddawn36]

the wedge wasn't safe due to the fact that the reprucussion of trying to run through them, you hit them and you just get trampled

[wolfzie06]

Hines Ward can say he will keep playing "his way" all he wants, but the more he gets fined, he will get suspended eventually. I just hope he gives it up to avoid any more serious injuries his dirty play has caused.

[Reddawn36]

[quote name='wolfzie06' post='172337' date='Mar 24 2009, 03:51 PM']Hines Ward can say he will keep playing "his way" all he wants, but the more he gets fined, he will get suspended eventually. I just hope he gives it up to avoid any more serious injuries his dirty play has caused.[/quote]

i honestly hope keith rivers returns the favor of what ward did to him

[theFRANCHISE]

[quote name='wolfzie06' post='172337' date='Mar 24 2009, 03:51 PM']Hines Ward can say he will keep playing "his way" all he wants, but the more he gets fined, he will get suspended eventually. I just hope he gives it up to avoid any more serious injuries his dirty play has caused.[/quote]
I agree, especially on that last statement.

I know that a lot of players will call it "good football" and whatnot, but the game has changed [i]for a reason.[/i] Is it making the guys softer? You could argue it either way. But at the same time, I'd rather have the guys get softer if it means fewer injuries and longer careers.

And before someone brings up the notion that the game will eventually become flag football, it'll never get to that point. The game is inherently violent, but there's only so much violence that can be allowed before competition turns into survival instead.

[mjccia]

If that is called the Hines Ward rule the other one should be called the Ryan Clark rule sinced it was based on him laying out Wes Welker

[wolfzie06]

[quote name='mjccia' post='172342' date='Mar 24 2009, 03:04 PM']If that is called the Hines Ward rule the other one should be called the Ryan Clark rule sinced it was based on him laying out Wes Welker[/quote]

How about the Stealers Rule?

[Nevermore52]

[quote name='wolfzie06' post='172345' date='Mar 24 2009, 04:19 PM']How about the Stealers Rule?[/quote]

The Steelers rule? I think you are on the wrong board!

[PSL541]

Awwwww..... We don't like Pittsburgh players hitting so hard.

Whatever. The next time any of these calls are made against one of our guys, everyone will be complaining that the game is getting too soft.

[neepo13]

[quote name='PSL541' post='172361' date='Mar 24 2009, 05:12 PM']Awwwww..... We don't like Pittsburgh players hitting so hard.

Whatever. The next time any of these calls are made against one of our guys, everyone will be complaining that the game is getting too soft.[/quote]

In case you havent noticed, we already get called for most of that stuff. We even get flagged for tapping the QB's shoulder while being held, on plays that should never have been allowed to happen.

[theFRANCHISE]

[quote name='neepo13' post='172363' date='Mar 24 2009, 05:17 PM']In case you havent noticed, we already get called for most of that stuff. We even get flagged for tapping the QB's shoulder while being held, on plays that should never have been allowed to happen.[/quote]
You beat me to it...lol.

The Ravens have been one of the most penalized teams in the league over the past five seasons (I believe), therefore, I'm all for playing within the rules and I'm all for the rules getting more strict [u]IF[/u] it means keeping players safe.

[Wacko4Zacko]

Good....McGahee is probably happy about this.

[PSL541]

[quote name='theFRANCHISE' post='172364' date='Mar 24 2009, 05:18 PM']You beat me to it...lol.

The Ravens have been one of the most penalized teams in the league over the past five seasons (I believe), therefore, I'm all for playing within the rules and I'm all for the rules getting more strict [u]IF[/u] it means keeping players safe.[/quote]

According to foxsports, the Ravens were the 7th most penalized team last year (103 total penalties for 785 yards, Dallas was first). Higher than avg obviously. But I have lived in many different parts of the country (and world) and EVERYONE thinks THEIR team always gets hosed.

Ward's hits are always called cheap, but they have always been legal. Now the blindside block to the helmet will be illegal and if he does it they should flag it. If not, we can complain - and I'm sure many will. I'm just saying be careful what you wish for. Baltimore has long been an emotional team that has let their anger/drive get the best of them at times. With these new rules, that's more calls that can go against us as well.

[theFRANCHISE]

[quote name='PSL541' post='172369' date='Mar 24 2009, 05:31 PM']I'm just saying be careful what you wish for. Baltimore has long been an emotional team that has let their anger/drive get the best of them at times. With these new rules, that's more calls that can go against us as well.[/quote]
Not necessarily; towards the second half of the season, the team started to buy into the new system more, once they saw how those stupid penalties literally cost them games. No more emotional meltdowns or immature outbursts, as far as I could tell.

But that all remains to be seen, as this team has gotten younger -- and will inherently need to go through another maturation process.

[Marc2k6]

[quote name='theFRANCHISE' post='172328' date='Mar 24 2009, 03:19 PM']Let's see Hines Ward do what he "does best" now:


Source: [url="http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/football/bal-nfl324,0,7737834.story"]BaltimoreSun.com[/url]

I guess we can call it the Hines Ward Rule.

There's also three other new rules, mostly special teams-related.[/quote]

We can call this the Hines Ward Rule!

[#1 D]

[quote name='theFRANCHISE' post='172370' date='Mar 24 2009, 05:34 PM']Not necessarily; towards the second half of the season, the team started to buy into the new system more, once they saw how those stupid penalties literally cost them games. No more emotional meltdowns or immature outbursts, as far as I could tell.

But that all remains to be seen, as this team has gotten younger -- and will inherently need to go through another maturation process.[/quote]

Hopefully that maturation process will quicken as John Harbaugh has established himself as a successful head coach. hopefully the younger players will buy in quicker.

[plesiosaur]

[quote name='PSL541' post='172369' date='Mar 24 2009, 05:31 PM']According to foxsports, the Ravens were the 7th most penalized team last year (103 total penalties for 785 yards, Dallas was first). Higher than avg obviously. But I have lived in many different parts of the country (and world) and EVERYONE thinks THEIR team always gets hosed.

Ward's hits are always called cheap, but they have always been legal. Now the blindside block to the helmet will be illegal and if he does it they should flag it. If not, we can complain - and I'm sure many will. I'm just saying be careful what you wish for. Baltimore has long been an emotional team that has let their anger/drive get the best of them at times. With these new rules, that's more calls that can go against us as well.[/quote]

They're called cheap because they are cheap. He just doesn't get called. I'm sure we'll be penalized more and Hiney'll get fined more. Penalties aginst him? No way. too many "Ward" jerseys on the block. Maybe we'll get called more for touching Ketchuptown's punter's toe after the kick. It'll again be more the razor's edge for us and more smiley cheap hits for Ward.

[theFRANCHISE]

[quote name='plesiosaur' post='172409' date='Mar 24 2009, 07:41 PM']Maybe we'll get called more for touching Ketchuptown's punter's toe after the kick.[/quote]
Let's not get into that play again...I still get pissed off, watching replays of it...

BTW, I wonder how Mitch Berger's liking that honorary Academy Award on his shelf for Best Fake Penalty-Drawing Actor. *cough*

(OK, I'll stop now...glad I got that off my chest...)

[smashmouth]

[quote name='Marc2k6' post='172403' date='Mar 24 2009, 07:22 PM']We can call this the Hines Ward Rule![/quote]
Sounds good to me! Lets start a petition!

[WACKO4FLACC0]

[quote name='theFRANCHISE' post='172328' date='Mar 24 2009, 02:19 PM']Let's see Hines Ward do what he "does best" now:


Source: [url="http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/football/bal-nfl324,0,7737834.story"]BaltimoreSun.com[/url]

I guess we can call it the Hines Ward Rule.

There's also three other new rules, mostly special teams-related.[/quote]
They also changed the McGahee hit threw in the playoffs to be illegal, not quote me on this but I think it was helmet to helmet on a defenseless receiver. (was just about to start a thread on this )

[Mahatma_Sloth]

[quote name='PSL541' post='172369' date='Mar 24 2009, 03:31 PM']According to foxsports, the Ravens were the 7th most penalized team last year (103 total penalties for 785 yards, Dallas was first). Higher than avg obviously. But I have lived in many different parts of the country (and world) and EVERYONE thinks THEIR team always gets hosed.

[b]Ward's hits are always called cheap, but they have always been legal[/b]. Now the blindside block to the helmet will be illegal and if he does it they should flag it. If not, we can complain - and I'm sure many will. I'm just saying be careful what you wish for. [b]Baltimore has long been an emotional team that has let their anger/drive get the best of them at times[/b]. With these new rules, that's more calls that can go against us as well.[/quote]
I dont know if ur watchin the same Ward but the one i see goes flying in with the crown of his helmet blazing like a metior entering the atmosphere. blocking is done with hands and pads, cheap shots are done with helmets

dont know if you noticed but it is a new era of Ravens football. last year we saw some residuals of dieing tendancies this year you will se a big dif in on field attitude stuff like how Mark Clayton elects to just hand the ball over to to the ref and not make a huge production of a TD(though i think he did a flip once into the endzone like in madden )

[BloodRaven]

Hines Ward, out to the slot you go.

[Nevermore52]

[quote name='smashmouth' post='172436' date='Mar 24 2009, 09:14 PM']Sounds good to me! Lets start a petition![/quote]

I would prefer not. If you start adding rules to the books for specific offenses it has a way of making them hall of famers. Deacon Jones' head slap and Mel Blount's bump and run style just to name a few. Hines Ward in the Hall of Fame.... I wonder.....

10 years so far
800 catches
72 TDs
2 Super Bowl rings
1 Super Bowl MVP
Tons of positive publicity for being the best blocking WR in the league


That's not too far off the pace of what it would take. Let's not call it the Hines Ward rule.

[smashmouth]

[quote name='Nevermore52' post='172534' date='Mar 25 2009, 05:17 AM']I would prefer not. If you start adding rules to the books for specific offenses it has a way of making them hall of famers. Deacon Jones' head slap and Mel Blount's bump and run style just to name a few. Hines Ward in the Hall of Fame.... I wonder.....

10 years so far
800 catches
72 TDs
2 Super Bowl rings
1 Super Bowl MVP
Tons of positive publicity for being the best blocking WR in the league


That's not too far off the pace of what it would take. Let's not call it the Hines Ward rule.[/quote]
He's a Pittsburgh player, furthermore He will probally retire a Steeler.. He's pretty much a lock to get in if He plays another 2 years. Pittsburgh is pretty good with there pockets I guess.

[Nevermore52]

[quote name='smashmouth' post='172536' date='Mar 25 2009, 05:40 AM']He's a Pittsburgh player, furthermore He will probally retire a Steeler.. He's pretty much a lock to get in if He plays another 2 years. Pittsburgh is pretty good with there pockets I guess.[/quote]

[url="http://www.profootballhof.com/hof/teams.html"]The official HoF site[/url] lists the Bears with 26 entries, 5 of which were not Bears for the bulk of their careers. The Packers with 21 entries also 5 of which were not Packers for the bulk of their careers. Both of those clubs are beating the Steelers who only have 18 and 5.

Currently we have one partial (Woodson who went in as a Steeler) and two sure fire picks in J.O. and Ray.

That being said, I am looking forward to the new safety rules. When players get hurt it lessens the product on the field to some degree. I think you will still see plenty of big hits and blindsides at times too. There can still be huge hits that aren't up high or spears. See what you hit and don't aim high.