NFL big hits, Golden Tate on Sean Lee..

***Bing69*** · -09-20-2012

Can someone clarify this for me, did Tate get fined because he led with his helmet or because Lee was blindsided?

To me it looks like a perfectly good hit, what does the league expect Tate to do, just let Lee run past him incase he gets hurt?!

***Tez2010*** · -09-21-2012

Hawks fan here, so that story is big up here:

The league ruled that it was a fine because Lee was a defenseless player since he was "blindsided".

We think it's BS because Lee was only blindsided because he wasn't paying attention and was so focused on getting in a shot at our QB once he was flushed out of the pocket.

So, the league is now basically saying it's not fair to hit players who aren't paying attention. Supposedly Tate should have turned and seen that Lee couldn't see him and then...let him go or something.

They didn't fine him for leading with his helmet, because he didn't. I think that Tate is so much smaller than Lee, once he committed his whole body just got absorbed into the hit.

I don't get it - if Lee had been paying attention he probably would have blown Tate up, which Im sure is what Tate was expecting and preparing for.

With the NFC West defenses making news, RG3's complaints on the Rams, and the Tate play, it looks like our division is now the black and blue. Unfortunately, I'm half expecting a lot of flags for our teams this weekend.

**r8rh8rmike** · -09-21-2012

I just watched the video and all I can say is WOW!

So now, in addition to everything else a football player has to process during a play, the NFL has added making a split second determination on whether a player, ANY player, is "defenseless"??

Looks like you're absolutely right Tez2010, you have to make sure you're opponent is paying attention before doing your job and making a legal hit. UNBELIEVABLE! They used to call that "having your head on a swivel". Guess that term doesn't apply anymore. This is CRAZY, and begs the question: Is a QB blindside hit now illegal? If any player is "defenseless", it's a QB who has no idea a 265 pound DE is about to slam into him with critical velocity.

Here is the video -

***Bing69*** · -09-24-2012

At least some people agree with me. If the nfl are going to start doing this then they need to call for a blindside hit on the qb are they not?!

In seems in some situations hits like that are ok, like a running back getting blindsided running through a pile, but not in open field...it doesnt make sense. Why not just play flag football...jeez