December 18, 201312 yr From your link.... (b) Prohibited contact against a player who is in a defenseless posture is: (1) Forcibly hitting the defenseless player’s head or neck area with the helmet, facemask, forearm, or shoulder, regardless of whether the defensive player also uses his arms to tackle the defenseless player by encircling or grasping him; and (2) Lowering the head and making forcible contact with the top/crown or forehead/”hairline” parts of the helmet against any part of the defenseless player’s body. I'm not sure why you quoted that...? I've already said by rule it's a penalty/fine... I just pointed out that IMO, it's stupid that the punter is marked as defenseless, meaning you can't hit them, but they can tackle the ball carrier... The rule I quoted says to me that you can't hit them at all during a kick/return, regardless of how/where you hit them.
December 18, 201312 yr I'm not sure why you quoted that...? I've already said by rule it's a penalty/fine... I just pointed out that IMO, it's stupid that the punter is marked as defenseless, meaning you can't hit them, but they can tackle the ball carrier... The rule I quoted says to me that you can't hit them at all during a kick/return, regardless of how/where you hit them. The portion I quoted shows what contact is prohibited against a defenseless player....A normal tackle is completely within the rights of the return team member on the punter/kicker.
December 18, 201312 yr The portion I quoted shows what contact is prohibited against a defenseless player....A normal tackle is completely within the rights of the return team member on the punter/kicker. I guess we just interpret that different ways. The part I quoted singles out punters/kickers for a reason, IMO.
December 18, 201312 yr I guess we just interpret that different ways. The part I quoted singles out punters/kickers for a reason, IMO. It also lists QBs. Defensive players don't get penalized for simply sacking them, right? Same idea with a punter/kicker. Normal blocking, nothing wrong with it. Go up near the head, and it's a flag every time. Edited December 18, 201312 yr by UKMustangFan
December 18, 201312 yr The portion I quoted shows what contact is prohibited against a defenseless player....A normal tackle is completely within the rights of the return team member on the punter/kicker. Actually you can not tackle the punter/kicker on a return, all blocks have to be above the waist.
December 18, 201312 yr I'm not sure why you quoted that...? I've already said by rule it's a penalty/fine... I just pointed out that IMO, it's stupid that the punter is marked as defenseless, meaning you can't hit them, but they can tackle the ball carrier... The rule I quoted says to me that you can't hit them at all during a kick/return, regardless of how/where you hit them. You quoted the part that says a punter is defenseless which is right. If you look further than just the top you'll see that if a player is defenseless it just means you can't hit them in the head or with the crown of your helmet. Nowhere in the rules does it say you can't hit a defenseless player at all.
December 18, 201312 yr What a joke I could pay that. If this wasn't on a football field it's settled for a whole lot more.
December 18, 201312 yr You quoted the part that says a punter is defenseless which is right. If you look further than just the top you'll see that if a player is defenseless it just means you can't hit them in the head or with the crown of your helmet. Nowhere in the rules does it say you can't hit a defenseless player at all. My point remains that the punter/kicker being "defenseless" just because he is a punter or kicker is silly to me. I'm not debating the rules, there are many rules in sports that I think are stupid. A punter/kicker is a football player, and especially when trying to make a tackle.
December 18, 201312 yr My point remains that the punter/kicker being "defenseless" just because he is a punter or kicker is silly to me. I'm not debating the rules, there are many rules in sports that I think are stupid. A punter/kicker is a football player, and especially when trying to make a tackle. I agree with that. If they are making themselves a part of the play then they shouldn't be considered "defenseless" but what I quoted earlier, you said you can't hit them at all during the return which is not true.
December 18, 201312 yr My point remains that the punter/kicker being "defenseless" just because he is a punter or kicker is silly to me. I'm not debating the rules, there are many rules in sports that I think are stupid. A punter/kicker is a football player, and especially when trying to make a tackle. You most certainly are debating the rules. You don't like the rule that gives the punter defenseless status. That rule is to prevent exactly what the Steelers player did. They don't want players going around head hunting and trying to injure kickers. The players know the punter/kicker have that rule designated. That's exactly why it was so dirty.
December 18, 201312 yr You most certainly are debating the rules. You don't like the rule that gives the punter defenseless status. That rule is to prevent exactly what the Steelers player did. They don't want players going around head hunting and trying to injure kickers. The players know the punter/kicker have that rule designated. That's exactly why it was so dirty. If a punter/kicker is trying to make a tackle, they should be able to be blasted just like every other player on the field... If he was just jogging along minding his business nowhere near the play, I agree it would be dirty... He wasn't, he was within closing distance of the returner, attempting to make the tackle and he got blocked. I have zero problem with the play of blocking him, he was trying to make the tackle.
December 19, 201312 yr For the hit on Huber? Agreed. No for intentionally trying to hurt someone's knees. It was a bad hit but you don't know his intentions. And regardless of his intentions, the opposite teams punter had nothing to do with the play so why are you going to hurt him?
December 19, 201312 yr You may want to re- introduce yourself to the 2013 rule book. That is a penalty against any player on the field (to the head or neck region). Yes' date=' he can and should be blocked legally like any other player on the field. Mike Pereira said the punter is considered defenseless the entire play. News flash, they're trying to "protect" all players. Vontaze Burfict got penalized for pushing a QB out of bounds vs. the Ravens, when he still had one foot in play. This has become a very discretionary and inconsistent interpretation by the refs.[/quote'] And the refs are consistently inconsistent at all times. It's not like they are picking on the previous Bengals. The Bengals would have lost this game regardless of the outcome of this play IMO.
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