December 19, 201312 yr This is my point... Why does it matter that it's the punter? He was trying to make a play on the ball... Position should be irrelevant, IMO. It does matter because of the past indiscretions in the league where P's and K's were targeted. Ding them or put them out, and the game is changed. Sound strategy to do so if it's considered legal. It was effective even if the kicker was not hit or hurt; as some of the small kickers seemed to have it in the back of their minds during the kick, that they were about to be crushed.
December 19, 201312 yr We have officially made the target the belly button. Can't go high, can't go low. Randall Cobb and Rob Gronkowski disagree.
December 19, 201312 yr Randall Cobb and Rob Gronkowski disagree. I said it in the preseason. We'll have more defensive concussions than before due to knees to the head and we'll have quite a few more knee injuries. IMO, if you ask an athlete if they would take a knee injury in the prime of their career or a head injury that affects them down the road, the vast majority would take the latter. Blown out knees don't provide for the next 3 generations of your family.
December 20, 201312 yr I would say they need to be protected more than QB's. You lose a kicker, especially, you are in trouble in most NFL games where 3 points or less decide many. I think they could solve it by letting teams carry an extra punter and kicker for emergency only, not when they are having an off day. Then they could be like everyone else.
December 20, 201312 yr You bring up a good point...I wonder if the league could draw up some sort of waiver agreement that players had to sign, basically releasing the league from any liability that could be caused long-term by hits to head? It seems most players have said, they'd rather get hit high, than have their knees taken out. They do that, the league could allow the high hits of old, and make the low ACL shots the penalty...:idunno: I'm not sure signing a waiver* would protect them against what they are most fearful of, which is losing fans. I think the rules on helmet-to-helmet hits/defenseless players/targeting is heavily PR driven. It makes the game less exciting, more annoying, but it's as popular as ever. Seeing relatively young former players with CTE or other brain trauma AND hearing that the NFL had known about the science and didn't address it starts to make watching it a moral decision. I think the NFL is trying to say "we're doing something! Keep watching!" *I wonder if that's even possible with the NFLPA or if it doesn't already exist
December 20, 201312 yr We have officially made the target the belly button. Can't go high, can't go low. Right. We don't have to like the rules. They are known though.
December 21, 201312 yr Author Right. We don't have to like the rules. They are known though. Astute observation, indeed.
December 21, 201312 yr Because a Bengals player said they were bragging about getting the punter after. Which still has nothing to do with the Steelers punter. You are every bit as bad as those you accuse of being dirty.
December 24, 201312 yr Which still has nothing to do with the Steelers punter. You are every bit as bad as those you accuse of being dirty. Laughable. I don't play therefore I had no chance to retaliate. Cheap shots by cheap players are dirty.
December 24, 201312 yr Laughable. I don't play therefore I had no chance to retaliate. Cheap shots by cheap players are dirty. But you are criticizing the dirty act in one post and condoning it in another....
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.