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No suspension for giant's Safeties?


ThomasRoane

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More proof that Mara has undue influence on the the NFL (as if the cap penalty wasn't enough).  Merriweather was suspended two regular season games for a blow with the shoulder.  The giant's safeties led with the head on Niles Paul and knocked him unconscious. The Washington media and fanbase should be taking the NFL to task for this gross double standard!

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I would have to watch the video again, but I dont know that the hits warrant a suspension (perhaps a fine).  To me, it didnt look like they were targetting Paul.  It was just a bang - bang play and Paul ended up on the wrong end.  Again, before you jump on me, I would need to watch the play again.

 

And it still amazes me how quick this fanbase (and I am a fan) jumps to conspiracy theories when something doesnt go the Skins way.

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I would have to watch the video again, but I dont know that the hits warrant a suspension (perhaps a fine).  To me, it didnt look like they were targetting Paul.  It was just a bang - bang play and Paul ended up on the wrong end.  Again, before you jump on me, I would need to watch the play again.

 

And it still amazes me how quick this fanbase (and I am a fan) jumps to conspiracy theories when something doesnt go the Skins way.

 

Merriweather's hits were mostly "bang bang plays" and like the OP stated, one was to the shoulder that got him suspended.

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Merriweather's hits were mostly "bang bang plays" and like the OP stated, one was to the shoulder that got him suspended.

 

I hate to admit it, but Merriweather has a reputation for being a head hunter.  Yes, the hit that he was suspended for was indeed a hit with the shoulder, but the history is there.

 

Do either of the Giants safeties in the Paul play have a history of head hunting?

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There's absolutely no reason to suspend them....they weren't targeting Niles.

 

It wasn't excessively malicious or dirty.

 

How can you say that?  Demps both lowered and led with his head on the hit on Pauls.  Lowering the head is what the NFL is supposed to be eliminating. 

 

LOL if you've ever played football pretty much every play is a 'bang-bang' play.  This isn't Bugs Bunny where you have air brakes.  Guys fly around with malicious intent the entire game.  It's a double standard if Merriweather is suspended for leading with the shoulder but not hitting low enough yet Demps leads with the head and doesn't lower his target zone either.  And he gets a free pass?

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I actually thought the big problem on that play was Paul lowering his head. He basically took away the strike zone for the safeties.

 

Of course, I still have no idea what the actual rule is on this helmet to helmet stuff. I agree with it in theory, because I don't really want to watch a player die on the field, but I just don't understand how anyone could possibly enforce it.

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Meriweather was suspended because of the number of previous fined hits.  He was fined, not suspended, up until #5.

 

No one else in the NFL is in immediate danger of receiving a fifth fined hit (the safety for Tampa Bay, I think, is close), so any other player in the NFL could only be suspended if the hit was so malicious that a fine would not be sufficient.

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How can you say that?  Demps both lowered and led with his head on the hit on Pauls.  Lowering the head is what the NFL is supposed to be eliminating. 

 

LOL if you've ever played football pretty much every play is a 'bang-bang' play.  This isn't Bugs Bunny where you have air brakes.  Guys fly around with malicious intent the entire game.  It's a double standard if Merriweather is suspended for leading with the shoulder but not hitting low enough yet Demps leads with the head and doesn't lower his target zone either.  And he gets a free pass?

 

You are letting a bias blind you.

 

This opening line explains the reasoning behind your rationale:

"More proof that Mara has undue influence on the the NFL (as if the cap penalty wasn't enough)."

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I actually thought the big problem on that play was Paul lowering his head. He basically took away the strike zone for the safeties.

 

Of course, I still have no idea what the actual rule is on this helmet to helmet stuff. I agree with it in theory, because I don't really want to watch a player die on the field, but I just don't understand how anyone could possibly enforce it.

The rules are pretty explicit that the receiver lowering his head is not a defense to a penalty for contact in the head area (if the receiver is still in a defenseless position when the contact occurs).  I don't have good enough recollection to remember if Paul had started to run under control - I don't think he had.  See above for why it wasn't a suspension. 

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I actually thought the big problem on that play was Paul lowering his head. He basically took away the strike zone for the safeties.

 

Of course, I still have no idea what the actual rule is on this helmet to helmet stuff. I agree with it in theory, because I don't really want to watch a player die on the field, but I just don't understand how anyone could possibly enforce it.

 

this exactly..  if the ball carrier lowers his head, isnt he in violation of the rule?  i understand the nfl wanting to make the game safer, but this is going to be controversal for a while.  its rarely black or white, most hits are in between and its just going to be a judgment call.

 I don't have good enough recollection to remember if Paul had started to run under control - I don't think he had.

 

he had enough time to catch the ball, turn and see he was about to get crushed, and lower his head.  its almost natural to lower your head to brace for the hit so these plays are almost impossible to eliminate.  cant really punish the safeties if they aim low, and the receiver lowers into them.

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If helmet to helmet hits are going to be punished, Rolle AND Demps should absolutely be fined or suspended.

 

Thanks Dan!  I'll let the evidence speak for itself.  The player on offense lowers his head often and the defensive player is ALWAYS the one fined or suspended. 

 

You can call me a conspiracy theorist all you want.  But only the Redskins and cowboys (NFC east rivals) were hit with the salary cap penalties while other teams were let off the hook; Mara was in charge of the ruling committee to do so. 

 

Regardless, the hit on Paul should warrant a suspension for both safeties but they're not even fined?  And no one is talking about it?  There's nothing in the rules that say your past history has a darn thing to do with the punishment.  The rule is about protecting the players.  Period.

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...he had enough time to catch the ball, turn and see he was about to get crushed, and lower his head.  its almost natural to lower your head to brace for the hit so these plays are almost impossible to eliminate.  cant really punish the safeties if they aim low, and the receiver lowers into them.

I'm not sure exactly when a player ceases to be defenseless.  Just guessing I would think the player would need to be able to make a football move to protect himself.  I remember thinking at the time that he was able to duck down low enough to avoid the brunt of the hit, with the Giants hitting themselves more than Paul - that just goes to show how deceptive the film can be.

 

I watched a lot of football last weekend, I was surprised at the number of instances where the DB made the form tackle rather than the dangerous hit, especially in college.  Neither Giants safety made an effort to tackle with anything other than their heads or shoulders.  It's not the worse hit I've seen, I don't know if its fineable, but definitely the correct call on the field.

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Put this next to Bob Costas sitting in a sold out Arrowhead with fans wearing headresses, doing the tomahawk chop........not a peep from Bob last Sunday, much less a continuation of the pointed diatribe on the state of native american mascots we had to endure last year @Dallas. Nothing to see here folks...**** you.

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Disagree. Niles catches the ball, looks forward takes a couple steps and clearly lowers his head as the two Giants are coming in to tackle him.

BM's hit in the preseason, he lowered his head a yard or two away from Smith and ran into him head first like that. Smith also had just come down from jumping and had I think just gotten one foot on the ground when he got the BM killshot

Completely different.

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Brandon Meriweather tackling players with his head is like a parolee robbing the same liquor store he's been sent to jail for robbing 5 times previously. If they catch him holding up that store again they're going to come down harder than a first time offender... there isn't a double standard because the two scenarios are completely different based off the previous actions or infractions on the players involved. In this case, unfortunately, we've been gambling our secondary hopes on a ****ing idiot who can't learn how to make a proper tackle for the past how many years now? When Meriweather is on the field (which is a rarity in itself since he has been injured and suspended quite a bit here in DC) he seems to promptly find ways to remove himself from the field.

 

The best was when he made an illegal hit and knocked his own dumb ass right out of the game. He's one of the many embarrassments to this franchise with which we refuse to part. Wouldn't want to develop that young safety talent, let's keep plugging 5th round draft picks who either aren't ready, or aren't skilled enough and are only on this roster for special teams, into the void left by our starter.

 

We could have had ****ing Ryan Clark all these years. He was fantastic in 2005 but should we pay this good player, loyal guy? NO, LET HIM GO TO PITTSBURGH, BRING IN ADAM ARCHULETDOWN - PERSONAL PUNT PROTECTOR EXTRAORDINAIRE.

 

Sorry guys, I have a lot of pent up Redskins rage, you all understand.

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I hate to admit it, but Merriweather has a reputation for being a head hunter.  Yes, the hit that he was suspended for was indeed a hit with the shoulder, but the history is there.

 

Do either of the Giants safeties in the Paul play have a history of head hunting?

 

it really shouldn't matter if it really is about player safety ... they aren't less hurt by a concussion caused by a first time cheap shot then they are by a concussion caused by Merriweather.  I'm not saying he should get a pass .. I'm saying if it's the rule than call the damn foul AND enforce the league penalties regardless of a player's reputation.  The concept that players get a pass on cheap shots until they have a rap sheet is COMPLETE BS ... or said another way ... fully consistent with the Mara exception re: league rules/US Law and the NFL's general approach to rule and sanction enforcement

I would have to watch the video again, but I dont know that the hits warrant a suspension (perhaps a fine).  To me, it didnt look like they were targetting Paul.  It was just a bang - bang play and Paul ended up on the wrong end.  Again, before you jump on me, I would need to watch the play again.

 

And it still amazes me how quick this fanbase (and I am a fan) jumps to conspiracy theories when something doesnt go the Skins way.

I don't understand ... the other NFL fanbases don't do the same?

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