Brandon Meriweather- Suspension Looming?

[IrepDC]

Yeah, because when I think "all-pro safety", I think of the safeties getting constant flags and fines for helmet-to-helmet because they don't know how to play the game.

What are you talking about? I said there are a lot of safeties across the league where you can see the affect of this rule. You claimed everyone else in the league was fine.

[NewCliche21]

Bernard Pollard, Dashon Goldson, Donte Whitner, are all fined multiple times in every season.  I'm pretty sure Goldson almost got suspended this year already. 

 

Safeties are in such a difficult spot.  WRs are generally in the "defenseless mode" when a safety is around them.  Dislodging the ball is what these players have been asked to do for decades.  Now all of a sudden you want to change how they play with a couple new penalties and fines? 

 

I feel like a lot of the comments here are by people who never played football before or in general don't realize what these defenders are being asked to do.  It's a legitimate lose-lose situation and there is a reason why so many defensive players and coaches have a problem with the new rules. 

 

Sean Taylor is my favorite player of all-time.  He was when he was living, and he still is, so don't think that I don't know the safety position.

 

The rules change.  You used to be able to slap helmets, destroy the quarterback, push off, interfere with passes, and even use stick 'em.  Somehow, someway, the players learned to not do those things.  And, aside from the first two, those don't even cause long-term injuries.

 

You know what you call an employee who doesn't know how to adapt to his job?  Fired.  Learn to play or learn to flip burgers; it's the player's choice.

[IrepDC]

Sean Taylor is my favorite player of all-time.  He was when he was living, and he still is, so don't think that I don't know the safety position.

 

The rules change.  You used to be able to slap helmets, destroy the quarterback, push off, interfere with passes, and even use stick 'em.  Somehow, someway, the players learned to not do those things.  And, aside from the first two, those don't even cause long-term injuries.

 

You know what you call an employee who doesn't know how to adapt to his job?  Fired.  Learn to play or learn to flip burgers; it's the player's choice.

Let's make a rule next year where all QB's have to throw side armed. Learn to play or learn to flip burgers; it's the players choice.

[Bang]

 

they will be fine short term, but what about long term? The whole point of these penalties is to reduce the chances of players getting head injuries which leads to long term problems. What is the NFL supposed to do when former players have serious brain injuries and are killing themselves? I don't condone going high or low but the the NFL is trying to get the message across. Leg injuries will heal, brain injuries won't.

Making defenders duck their heads and necks lower and lower is trading potential concussions for potential spinal injuries.

 

 

I wonder if the guy who absolutely destroyed Brian Cushing's leg will get fined or suspended?

Any long term issues he might be having?

I guess it's ok to not be able to walk, so long as you're not drooling.

 

It's a dangerous game.

they're making it more dangerous, not vice-versa.

 

~Bang

[NewCliche21]

What are you talking about? I said there are a lot of safeties across the league where you can see the affect of this rule. You claimed everyone else in the league was fine.

 

I don't think that it's that difficult to understand.  If it were across the board, then you wouldn't have any players singled out; you'd have every player doing the same thing, especially the good ones.

 

Somehow the others are out there not getting fined.  Because they're playing the game without killing people long-term.  Merriweather knocked himself out.  I don't know how you don't learn from that, fine or no fine.

Let's make a rule next year where all QB's have to throw side armed. Learn to play or learn to flip burgers; it's the players choice.

 

Yep, because throwing normally is completely analogous with changing a rule because players have been dying in their 50's.

 

Come on, man.  You're better than that.

[IrepDC]

I don't think that it's that difficult to understand.  If it were across the board, then you wouldn't have any players singled out; you'd have every player doing the same thing, especially the good ones.

 

Somehow the others are out there not getting fined.  Because they're playing the game without killing people long-term.  Merriweather knocked himself out.  I don't know how you don't learn from that, fine or no fine.

 

He didn't lower his helmet or hit with the crown of his helmet yesterday. He made solid contact body to body with incidental helmet contact. I can tell the difference. When he does something dangerous, I will call him out.

 

Yep, because throwing normally is completely analogous with changing a rule because players have been dying in their 50's.

 

Come on, man.  You're better than that.

 

No, because QB's have been taught to throw a certain way their entire careers the same way we safeties are taught to hit. That's the analogy. If you want a video of how we are taught to hit, I posted one. Post any video of tackling drills and you will see what I mean. Some helmet contact is inevitable. I even explained how. The NFL is overcompensating because they didn't take care of their retired players before so they're making unrealistic rules to cover their butts. Even more annoying, the new rule is getting MORE guys hurt with all these damn knee shots.

[NewCliche21]

Making defenders duck their heads and necks lower and lower is trading potential concussions for potential spinal injuries.

 

 

I wonder if the guy who absolutely destroyed Brian Cushing's leg will get fined or suspended?

Any long term issues he might be having?

I guess it's ok to not be able to walk, so long as you're not drooling.

 

It's a dangerous game.

they're making it more dangerous, not vice-versa.

 

~Bang

 

 

Yeah man, why do they wear helmets or pads at all?  Why are there penalties in general?  Just let them play.

[WarpathHitchhiker]

Sean Taylor is my favorite player of all-time.  He was when he was living, and he still is, so don't think that I don't know the safety position.

 

The rules change.  You used to be able to slap helmets, destroy the quarterback, push off, interfere with passes, and even use stick 'em.  Somehow, someway, the players learned to not do those things.  And, aside from the first two, those don't even cause long-term injuries.

 

You know what you call an employee who doesn't know how to adapt to his job?  Fired.  Learn to play or learn to flip burgers; it's the player's choice.

 

I said earlier BM has to adapt. Nothing has changed that stance. Also my comment about having football knowledge or having played the sport was not directed at you...I'm just playing the numbers here. Most people on this board are simply casual fans.

 

You're right, the rules are changing...but only in one direction. That new rule in which the offensive players can't lower their head and lead with it into a defender--yea how many times has that been called this year? Receivers are not supposed to be able to push off, but they can and still do. Not very often is that called. With the exception of stickem, everything you listed as a new penalty goes against the defense...not to mention the defenseless player and targeting rules that are new.

 

Fact is that the defense is the side of the ball being changed with absolutely no rebuttal allowed. Even the offense would rather be hit up high than down low but the NFL will never allow it because of post-nfl money issues. If you think Roger Goodell actually cares about player safety you're crazy. He just wants more points and fewer lawsuits. Refs are arbitrarily handing out penalties during games for hits that used to be legal. Some of these hits "pass the eye test" with the referees and don't get called--when in reality they should. Other hits are getting called when they most certainly should not. With so much on the line with these penalties they should review them every single time they are called.

[mikered30]

Hit on Jeffery looked shoulder to shoulder, no?

[NewCliche21]

He didn't lower his helmet or hit with the crown of his helmet yesterday. He made solid contact body to body with incidental helmet contact. I can tell the difference. When he does something dangerous, I will call him out.

 

No, because QB's have been taught to throw a certain way their entire careers the same way we safeties are taught to hit. That's the analogy. If you want a video of how we are taught to hit, I posted one. Post any video of tackling drills and you will see what I mean. Some helmet contact is inevitable. I even explained how. The NFL is overcompensating because they didn't take care of their retired players before so they're making unrealistic rules to cover their butts. Even more annoying, the new rule is getting MORE guys hurt with all these damn knee shots.

 

He's done dangerous hits since he decided to stop getting injured all of the time and actually play this season.  There's a lot of irony there now that I think about it.

 

The rules aren't unrealistic or nobody would be able to make a tackle.  I could see if you were saying that they couldn't hit at all, but when you're hitting someone up top, you avoid the head.  That's it.  Go out of your way to avoid the head, or don't play.  He's costing us 15 yards every time he pulls that ****, fair or not, and a player's job is to help the team win, not be a dumbass who can't play the game.

 

Again, in any other field, hell, any other aspect of the NFL, if you don't adapt to the job, then you don't have the job.  It's that simple.

[justice98]

Okay, so how is Merriweather getting them so much more often than every other player, including those who still make tackles?

 

Sorry, but he's a headhunter and a POS.  It's his fault completely, not the rules.  Somehow everyone else in the league is fine, but the rules are unfair when it comes to just 31?  Please.

 

I agree, this is on him.  He's your classic "hitter" rather than a "tackler".   The NFL is to blame, they made the game about hits and looked the other way on concussions and now are trying to put the toothpaste back in the tube.  

[IrepDC]

He's done dangerous hits since he decided to stop getting injured all of the time and actually play this season.  There's a lot of irony there now that I think about it.

 

The rules aren't unrealistic or nobody would be able to make a tackle.  I could see if you were saying that they couldn't hit at all, but when you're hitting someone up top, you avoid the head.  That's it.  Go out of your way to avoid the head, or don't play.  He's costing us 15 yards every time he pulls that ****, fair or not, and a player's job is to help the team win, not be a dumbass who can't play the game.

 

Again, in any other field, hell, any other aspect of the NFL, if you don't adapt to the job, then you don't have the job.  It's that simple.

You're not even listening to the points I'm making and just repeating Roger Goodell and the NFL's *new* company line with no real conversation. I'm done here.

[NewCliche21]

I said earlier BM has to adapt. Nothing has changed that stance. Also my comment about having football knowledge or having played the sport was not directed at you...I'm just playing the numbers here. Most people on this board are simply casual fans.

 

You're right, the rules are changing...but only in one direction. That new rule in which the offensive players can't lower their head and lead with it into a defender--yea how many times has that been called this year? Receivers are not supposed to be able to push off, but they can and still do. Not very often is that called. With the exception of stickem, everything you listed as a new penalty goes against the defense...not to mention the defenseless player and targeting rules that are new.

 

Fact is that the defense is the side of the ball being changed with absolutely no rebuttal allowed. Even the offense would rather be hit up high than down low but the NFL will never allow it because of post-nfl money issues. If you think Roger Goodell actually cares about player safety you're crazy. He just wants more points and fewer lawsuits. Refs are arbitrarily handing out penalties during games for hits that used to be legal. Some of these hits "pass the eye test" with the referees and don't get called--when in reality they should. Other hits are getting called when they most certainly should not. With so much on the line with these penalties they should review them every single time they are called.

 

Nice post, man.  I mean that.

 

The rule changes are the rule changes.  Kickers don't **** because they have to kick from a different spot now on kickoffs as compared to a decade ago.  And the offensive pass interference isn't a call against the defense, and those are rules that I thought of off of the top of my head, not an exhaustive list.

 

Nobody would rather be hit in the head, nobody.

 

As for the calls being random, that's the same with every play.  You can call holding on literally every non-kick off play, literally every single one.  Sometimes they call it, sometimes they don't.  They shouldn't review every play for that.

 

There are some stupid rules in the game, like a receiver being on the line of scrimmage, the tuck rule, the "giving yourself up, wait, no, not really" rule, etc.  However, they're part of the game, and if you don't play by them, then you get a flag or lose the challenge.  That's just how it is.

You're not even listening to the points I'm making and just repeating Roger Goodell and the NFL's *new* company line with no real conversation. I'm done here.

 

I'm listening to what you're saying, and you're just taking your ball and going home, which is fine.

 

I don't really care if it's the new company line; I've been hating concussions ever since Arrington ended Aikman's career.  That just looked awful, and NOW the evidence is coming to light.  Just because I'm making this post now doesn't mean I haven't thought this way for almost a decade and a half.

 

Meriweather is a dirty player who's costing us massive yardage and hurting people while he does it.  He needs to learn to play or he won't play.

[Mr. Sinister]

For the life of me, i don't understand why anyone cares about fines.

Your head would spin if you saw the fines each week and what they're for.

 

The only way to not get fined or flagged is to not play.

 

the ever changing attitudes are also amusing..  we just all got a nice warm fuzzy a couple years ago when Chris Hanburger went into the Hall of Fame.

Mr. Headhunter himself.

As someone else noted, Sean Taylor would be a "Thug" and facing weekly suspensions in this NFL.

 

It's F'd. The greatest players who made this game into what we all love... could not play this game today.

They'd be hated, thugs,"dirty"... all sorts of things. Ronny Lott, Dick Butkus, Deacon Jones, Hanburger, Jack Lambert.. none of these guys would be respected these days,, they'd be hated, fined every single week and probably run out of the league.

These guys who built the league.  these guys who are icons for us and the reason why many of us are fans.

N'Domakung Suh plays the game the way they did. People HATE him.

I love the guy! I could do without his penalties if i'm a lions fan, but you WANT people to be afraid that the big bad DT might actually EAT part of them on any given play.

 

No wonder the networks are banking on FINALLY being able to get soccer accepted in the states.

People seem ready for a bunch of pansies rolling on the ground like they're dying because someone's shoe touched them.

 

~Bang

 

I'd love more than anything for someone to bump  that "Knockout" thread that was started a few years ago, just to see the responses then, and compare them to now.

[SJValleySkinz]

Why not ? The defeatest attitude is so confusing.

 

The position that he plays and the energy he plays with... makes a huge difference in any game.

 

That and we could do with a couple more hits like the ones in question. Dirty or not it's necessary if  we're to have any hopes of containing them. 

[TD_washingtonredskins]

It's perfectly fine to dislike the rules. But this man's job is to understand the rules and play by them. Yes, he's been doing something the same way all his life. I get it.

 

If the speed limit on main road changed from 65 to 45 and you knew about it, it's still your fault when a cop catches you speeding. You can disagree with the rationale as to why they changed the speed limit. You can be pissed that the cop pulled you over instead of the other 3 cars that were keeping pace with you. But in the end, you have to be accountable for your actions.

[IrepDC]

 

I'm listening to what you're saying, and you're just taking your ball and going home, which is fine.

 

I don't really care if it's the new company line; I've been hating concussions ever since Arrington ended Aikman's career.  That just looked awful, and NOW the evidence is coming to light.  Just because I'm making this post now doesn't mean I haven't thought this way for almost a decade and a half.

 

Meriweather is a dirty player who's costing us massive yardage and hurting people while he does it.  He needs to learn to play or he won't play.

If you were listening, you would have realized I only defended Merriweather's hits yesterday(not him as a player), and I was making points about the new rule as a whole and how it directly contradicts what the NFL and Heads Up Football itself teaches. You haven't been able to respond to those points yet.

[TD_washingtonredskins]

To add to my previous point...I have no clue what's going through BM's mind when he's closing in on his target. He could be saying "Goodnight MFer" or he could be thinking to himself "Lower your target zone so you don't hurt this guy and your team"...

 

I'm not in his head. But the continued disregard for the rules makes it seem like he either doesn't care about his team, doesn't care about his fellow players/opponents, can't comprehend what he's doing wrong, or some combination of the three. He's either guilty of something or the unluckiest safety in the league.

[Skins Wingman]

 

I guess it's ok to not be able to walk, so long as you're not drooling.

 

i'm not saying going for knees is ok either. are you seriously saying knee damage and brain damage are equal? lets get randall cobb's family and junior seau's family together and ask them.

[TD_washingtonredskins]

 

 

i'm not saying going for knees is ok either. are you seriously saying knee damage and brain damage are equal? lets get randall cobb's family and junior seau's family together and ask them.

 

Seriously!

 

For decades guys have signed up to play sports knowing that their feet, legs, shoulders, etc. might be a mess. To a lesser extent, we all did it. I played basketball through high school and have nagging injuries from that. I would do it all again knowing that my hips and knees would hurt a little as a guy in his 30s. It was worth the fun and modest glory of playing.

 

It's only very recently that people have discovered that they might not make it to 50, could have serious brain damage, etc. when it comes to football. Maybe we all should have realized this, but it's being made very obvious now.

 

So, there is an ENORMOUS difference between having bad knees and having brain damage. You can live to be a happy grandfather with bad knees.

 

Bang, I'm pretty shocked that came from you man.

[Skins Wingman]

 

If you were listening, you would have realized I only defended Merriweather's hits yesterday(not him as a player), and I was making points about the new rule as a whole and how it directly contradicts what the NFL and Heads Up Football itself teaches. You haven't been able to respond to those points yet.

 

i know this isn't a reply to me but, see deangelo hall's hit on jason witten last week. you can still hit hard and be within the rules.

[Skinsrdatruth]

Hit on Jeffery looked shoulder to shoulder, no?

 

Yes! clean hit in my opinion

[gibbsfan2018]

hits look legal to me

[IrepDC]

 

 

i know this isn't a reply to me but, see deangelo hall's hit on jason witten last week. you can still hit hard and be within the rules.

If Witten turned slightly it would have been a flag. I see what you're saying, but even solid hits like Hall's can easily be penalties now by no fault of the defender. Hall just caught Witten with his chest up.

[Bang]

Yeah man, why do they wear helmets or pads at all?  Why are there penalties in general?  Just let them play.

Wow, that summed up exactly what i was saying.

 

The game has changed considerably, and IMO not for the better.

The people who played it and built it into what it is could not play the game anymore.

 

Why play the game period?

it's dangerous.

 

Why stop with concussions/ Lets look at all the crippled guys who can't walk right because of their time playing football.

Lets remove all hits because ALL of them can cause potential long term effects.

 

the very fact we're fans of it makes us bloodthirsty savages, and the idea that you can somehow make it any degree of safer with all these rules is too simply hide your head in the sand and pretend it's not a dangerous game.

And as fans, we make conscious or unconscious effort to ignore what happens after these guys when they retire.

You might SEE an older player and realize how frail they are.. how slow they move, how crippled a guy like Wilber Marshall or earl Campbell is. You may say "wow. that is the price they pay for my entertainment.".

But it lasts only til kickoff.

then it's there and you want to see it and holler for it and love it. And no matter how much anyone tries to justify the pain you see being inflicted.. it doesn't give you pause.

 

How many seasons ended yesterday?

How many of them could have been prevented by any sort of rule?

Big players, stars, out. Possible Hall of Famer Reggie Wayne may have ended his career.

Brian Cushing will almost certainly have long term effects from the destruction his leg suffered yesterday.

 

On any given play, you may see a man paralyzed from a fluke hit, you see slow-motion replays of devastating knee injuries every single week.

 

don't cry about the game.. you can't remove the toughness that makes it football. We all know that more careers or seasons are ended on clean hard shots than on anything dirty.

if it's too much to stomach, or if you can no longer accept your justification of being a fan of it in the first place, turn it off.

 

~Bang