Should the NFL expand instant replay to review helmet-to-helmet hits?

7 Comments

  • Michael Craig - 11 years ago

    Bernard Pollard has a history of hits so vicious that the NFL has changed the rules because of him to make the game safer. It was a "legal" hit on Brady that could have ended his career but only ended up taking him out for a whole season. The NFL changed the rules the next year to stop hits below the knees on QB's. Pollard has taken out Brady, Wilfork, Gronk, and probably just gave a concussion to Ridley today in AFC game which completely changed the outcome of the game. Refs made a bad call and called it a fumble when Ridley was already down and looked as if he had lost consciousness. The Ravens did not even give the downed player and trainers any room to check to see if Ridley was OK after taking a viscious helmet to helmet hit that completely spun him around and took him out of the game. Pollard is a dirty player and if the NFL keeps letting him get away with plays like this-then maybe someone will get brain damaged. Maybe then the NFL start looking at Pollards and others hits to the head more seriously. Tackling is one thing but trying to ruin someones health for life is completely different.

  • Jim - 11 years ago

    I know what, let's let them just watch the whole game and then change the outcome if need be and let us know Monday morning which team actually won.

  • Tom - 11 years ago

    While they're at it, they should allow to throw the red flag for penalties not called

    This is the stupidest idea of 2013

    Bernie pollard of all people....the cheap shot himself

  • Cee - 11 years ago

    Video reviews already take too long. If they can put communications in the helmets, why not an electronic sensor that can register a hit--sort of like in fencing? It could be set to a sensitivity level that indicates a harder hit versus incidental.

  • Neal - 11 years ago

    Pollard's hit was a good example where the defender did everything right (delivering a hit to the torso of the receiver to attempt to break up the pass) but the impact of the hit caused their helmets to collide after the initial contact. Unless you want receivers to be untouchable, there's really no way to legislate that out of the game. There's a big difference between Pollard's hit and one where the defender aims high and makes initial contact with the head or neck of the receiver... those hits are much more harmful, and should be the ones drawing penalties. The rule should be refined, and replay should be used to ensure the calls are correct. 15 yards and an automatic first down has a huge impact on any drive and any game.

  • Tony - 11 years ago

    Games are long enough as it is. Do we want to have a video delay after every play? Until the NFL is willing to let the guy in the booth make the calls, just teach the refs to call it properly.

  • Terry Cowan - 11 years ago

    The refs are calling helmet to helmet on hits that are big but legal. It seems that any time a hit looks particularly viscious, even if its legal, they throw a flag. Defenses need to be given a fair shot. I don't want to see players hurt by anything illegal, but the rules of the NFL are currently favoring offenses. Defenses need to be given some way to affect the offense and hard clean hits are one effective way. Intimidation does affect offensive players especially receivers. I also don't like the calls made in the name of the unprotected receiver rule. Once again if the hit is hard they call a penalty when it doesn't appear to be one.

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