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Roundabout;2317361; said:
My question with the new rule will be is their a difference between lowering your shoulder and lowering your head?

If leading with the shoulder is also a penalty just give the guys flags and be down with the tackling.

If the two are different in the eyes of the law, I feel bad for the refs trying to make that judgement call in a split sec.

I do have to say though... the players/ex players need to decide together do they want safety or do they want to keep the old game. The league can't have lawsuits on one side saying the game is dangerous, and ignore the on field conditions on the other.

They have been penalizing hits with the shoulder for years as targeting, why would they stop now?
 
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Roundabout;2317361; said:
I feel bad for the refs trying to make that judgement call in a split sec.

I feel for every fan and player of the game. Giving the officials even more ways to alter a game seems ludicrous to me at this point. Before the NFL, or the NCAA for that matter, decide to give the officials even more power to influence the outcome of games they need to work on some form of consistency on any kind of call. The difference between what is called for pass interference from game to game alone last year is enough to drive a fan, player, or coach nuts. The difference between what will get a BIG defender ejected compared to a SEC defender next year is something worth keeping an eye on IMO.
 
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billmac91;2317339; said:
I can't even imagine being an NFL running-back not allowed to protect themselves. This is literally asking RB's to risk their health. They're essentially telling them not to go low when a 275lb middle linebacker is running downhill at them. Just keep your head-up? Laughable. Holy whiplash Batman.

The game just isn't even close to what it used to be and I'm 30. But you watch games from a decade ago on NFL Network, and the play was just so much better and purer. You can barely recognize it anymore.

The same commentators applauding great hits 10 years ago, are the same ones shouting for borderline helmet to helmet hits where a defender had no choice in how his head grazed a receiver.

It just sucks.

I heard Dustin Fox a bit yesterday on the radio and he is completely in favor. His point as a former defensive player is if the defenders cannot lower their heads why should RB's be allowed to.
 
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Roundabout;2317392; said:
Running backs are getting that called on them? I know I hardly watch the Pro game anymore but Wow.... thats just sad....

give them skirts and flags....

No, I meant the rampant and ridiculous extension of blatant targeting with the helmet to somehow include clean, head up blows with the shoulder by safeties.

As for running backs, if it is enforced that is dangerous bit a surprising turn in rule enforcement. RBs have been allowed to abuse necks and facemasks for years, while the slightest graze from a defender earns a flag.
 
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If the NFL is consistent, they will have to eventually eliminate stiff arms. They could cause far more head trauma than some of the head to head collisions...especially if you're on the receiving end of a marshawn lynch or beanie wells stiff arm.
 
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nfl-flag.jpg
 
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Chris Kluwe (I know, a punter) had some comments on Twitter that I agree with wholeheartedly.

Football is a violent sport. Players know exactly what they're getting into when they play, and at the pro level they are well-compensated to accept those risks. Participation in football at any level is not compulsory.

Instead of legislating the essential elements of the game out of football, why not just have players have sign waivers. After all, it's not as if these rule changes are really about player safety - they are about avoiding litigation.
 
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I dare somebody to actually care enough to respond to this.

Pro Bowl's AFC-NFC format scrapped, teams to be drafted - USA Today

Desperate to add some needed spice to its Pro Bowl pineapple, the NFL announced sweeping changes to the All-Star event's structure Wednesday.

Out is the AFC vs. NFC format that had existed for more than four decades. In its place will be a Pro Bowl draft with two team captains — leading vote-getters for the game — determining their rosters with help from two NFL.com fantasy football champions and alumni captains and Hall of Famers Jerry Rice and Deion Sanders. They will pick players from a pool still determined by votes of players, coaches and fans, though conference affiliation will no longer sway who becomes a Pro Bowler. (Now, there might be five quarterbacks from NFC teams with one from the AFC, whereas in the past there was an equal number of players at every position from each conference.)
 
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