Any fine for the helmet-to-helmet on Bradford?

[sdiver68]

Seems the NFL should want to protect a franchise QB...

[Nick]

One may be handed down in the next few days.

[Trevor]

I hope so.

[Keenum]

His name isn't Peyton Manning or Tom Brady, so the NFL may not fine that hit.

[fliptalianstallion]

Though it was a dirty hit, it was us with the last laugh in the end.

[C-Mob 71]

Watched the hit again, and Kevin Burnett should absolutely be fined, and maybe suspended under the new rules. The only difference between that hit and Harrison's hits was Sam didn't get a concussion.

Sam did lower his head to protect the ball, but that doesn't excuse Burnett for lowering his head and launching his body at Sam, using his helmet as a weapon.

I hear people complaining about the NFL taking away big hits, well thats not what they are doing, they are taking away illegal hits.

Burnett did not do what he has been taught since pee wee. No coach will tell you sound tackling is launching your helmet at the opposing player. They will tell you to keep your head outside, hit the opponent's chest with your shoulder pad, wrap up with your arms, and drive the player down.

You can still hit someone hard without lowering your head and using your helmet. Trust me, I understand that you want to keep football football, but how they are playing now is not the way it is meant to be played. Stop leading with your head, problem solved.

[tomahawk247]

As far as i understand, since Bradford had possession of the ball already, and left the pocket, he then becomes considered as a runner. A runner, by rule, cannot be considered defenceless or unprotected.

If this had happened in the pocket, there would be a fine. Since it didn't, no fine.

[RealRam]

As far as I understand, since Bradford had possession of the ball already, and left the pocket, he then becomes considered as a runner. A runner, by rule, cannot be considered defenceless or unprotected.

If this had happened in the pocket, there would be a fine. Since it didn't, no fine.

Very interesting, good point T247. And if such is the case, I agree.

[Judaxi]

As far as i understand, since Bradford had possession of the ball already, and left the pocket, he then becomes considered as a runner. A runner, by rule, cannot be considered defenceless or unprotected.

If this had happened in the pocket, there would be a fine. Since it didn't, no fine.

You are 100 percent correct, thank you for clearing that up for me. I remember hearing that rule before but I completely forgot about it.

[shower beers]

As far as i understand, since Bradford had possession of the ball already, and left the pocket, he then becomes considered as a runner. A runner, by rule, cannot be considered defenceless or unprotected.

If this had happened in the pocket, there would be a fine. Since it didn't, no fine.

That was also the case with Cribbs, and Harrison drew the fine from his his on Massiquoi(?), if memory serves me correctly.

[tomahawk247]

If anything the play was a rookie error by Bradford. Although the hit was helmet to helmet, Sam should have either got rid of the ball or he should have gone to ground to avoid the hit.
While the NFL is trying to protect QBs with some of their rules, the QBs need to protect themselves aswell!!

[Nick]

Update from Brian Stull...

No fine for Burnett for his hit on Bradford last week, but Barnes $5000 for his rgh the passer penalty

Ruled that Barnes unecessarily struck Bradford in head/neck area--penalty and now the fine

The Barnes penalty looked to be a make-up call; I'm surprised he was fined for that.

[tomahawk247]

It's surprising how much of a massive difference it makes when the QB is in the pocket and when he isn't!!

The rules on protecting QBs appear to be to protect strict pocket passers such as Peyton Manning, but offer no protections for guys who throw on roll outs etc

[Nick]

It's surprising how much of a massive difference it makes when the QB is in the pocket and when he isn't!!

The rules on protecting QBs appear to be to protect strict pocket passers such as Peyton Manning, but offer no protections for guys who throw on roll outs etc

The league apparently does not consider quarterbacks rolling out of the pocket as defenseless, since they're a threat to pull the ball down, take off, and run.

Yet couldn't you make the argument that, while in the pocket, the quarterback has at least five blockers protecting him, and thus isn't really defenseless either?

It's going to be interesting to see how the league tries to handle these unnecessary roughness penalties. Stuff like Meriweather's hit against Heap might get reigned in, but I don't see it making a huge difference to be honest.

[tomahawk247]

Well the Meriweather hit was completely unnecessary, and I think that's the kind of hit you wanna take out if the game. It was sort of after the play and he went to hit Heap in the head.

Now Dunta Robinson's hit on Desean Jackson, I think that should be allowed, provided he didn't lead with his head/helmet. If he hit Jackson in his chest with his chest, I think it should be allowed. You can't allow the receiver to catch a pass. It ruins the game of football of that's what they do. If you don't want the receiver to get hurt you can't have the QB throwing to the receiver like that!