The Cheap Hit On Boller

[r8rh8rmike]

It was a vicious shot to the throat/helmet that nearly decapitated him, caused the interception in the end zone and knocked him out of the game, yet no call?

Oh wait, it wasn't Tom Brady or Brett Favre, never mind.

[RamsFan16]

Re: The Cheap Hit On Boller

I thought the same thing, Boller has a load of heart and competitiveness. I like him over Bulger personally. I'm glad Boller hung in there though.

[Nick]

Re: The Cheap Hit On Boller

Probably will result in a fine later in the week. That's how the system seems to work for the guys who aren't as high profile.

[Mooselini]

Re: The Cheap Hit On Boller

I heard about the cheap shot. Someone better be getting fined for it.

If it were a high profile QB, the refs would've swung at the Vikings.

[Lange]

Re: The Cheap Hit On Boller

I hate this biased Bullcrap with how the league judges personal fouls on QB's. In sunday nights game manning got 2 roughing the passer calls in his favor that weren't even that bad and the Titans player was pushed into him on the 2nd one. They call stupid little taps just because "it was below the knees" but a defender can come up and almost break Bollers neck and wheres the call there? Extremely unfair and it seems they worry more about higher profile QB protection rather than making it where it should be for ANY QB who plays in a game.

[Nick]

Re: The Cheap Hit On Boller

I hate this biased Bullcrap with how the league judges personal fouls on QB's. In sunday nights game manning got 2 roughing the passer calls in his favor that weren't even that bad and the Titans player was pushed into him on the 2nd one. They call stupid little taps just because "it was below the knees" but a defender can come up and almost break Bollers neck and wheres the call there? Extremely unfair and it seems they worry more about higher profile QB protection rather than making it where it should be for ANY QB who plays in a game.

Sure seems that way, doesn't it? Losing Manning to a rough hit means the NFL has lost a marquee player that some people tune in just to see. They need to protect him. Losing Boller to a clothesline effects basically no one outside of the team's fan base. I'd hope they don't focus more on looking for these kinds of penalties when it's the high profile guy in there, but I don't doubt that subconsciously it happens quite a lot.

[shower beers]

Re: The Cheap Hit On Boller

This is definitely becoming a real problem in the league. One can easily put together a highlight reel of double standards coming from roughing penalties so far this year. It's becoming a more prominent issue now too, with it being addressed on sports shows, in blogs, etc. No one seems to be thinking that what is happening is remotely fair. Will anything change? It doesn't seem like anything is looming on the horizon yet. The fact remains though, that each officiating crew is different, and interpreting situations like they do with the penalty now, is only going to lead to differences around the league, and more controversy. There really needs to be a more clear-cut answer, in terms of what is and isn't legal for this problem to be solved.

[Rush's Pharmacist]

Re: The Cheap Hit On Boller

Hits like the one Ray Edwards put on Kyle Boller used to be commonplace in the NFL. Boller had just released the ball (and I do mean just. Watch the replay if you disagree) and Edwards, while avoiding an attempted trip, went airborne and took Boller down with his right arm clothesline style wrapping his arm around Boller's chest not his head/neck. It was a hard hit to be sure but the only reason any of you are complaining about it is because Tom Brady (among others. Favre has gotten a couple questionable calls) gets phantom Roughing the Passer calls that he has no business getting. Edwards doesn't slam him into the ground with any more force than the hit itself caused, he just rides him to the ground as they both go down. Big hit to be sure but if that isn't legal why would we bother watching this game of football?

If you want to complain about a cheap hit look at the play where Kevin Williams pulls Boller down by his helmet opening as he's running by. Boller goes completely horizontal in the air as his head is whipped back with force. He didn't hit the ground as hard, obviously, as the Edwards hit but I have to imagine his neck isn't going to feel real good tomorrow morning.

[RamOfDenmark]

Re: The Cheap Hit On Boller

Hits like the one Ray Edwards put on Kyle Boller used to be commonplace in the NFL. Boller had just released the ball (and I do mean just. Watch the replay if you disagree) and Edwards, while avoiding an attempted trip, went airborne and took Boller down with his right arm clothesline style wrapping his arm around Boller's chest not his head/neck. It was a hard hit to be sure but the only reason any of you are complaining about it is because Tom Brady (among others. Favre has gotten a couple questionable calls) gets phantom Roughing the Passer calls that he has no business getting. Edwards doesn't slam him into the ground with any more force than the hit itself caused, he just rides him to the ground as they both go down. Big hit to be sure but if that isn't legal why would we bother watching this game of football?

I agree with this. The league has gone a little too far in protecting the QB. The QB is part of the game too, he shouldn't be protected by the rules from all contact - that's not football. You really cannot touch Tom Brady anymore at all (Manning as well) it's instant roughing the passer no matter if you physically cannot avoid the hit because of your momentum or if it's just a light brush of the helmet/knees that has no danger of injury and no effect on the play. And there is a definite double-standard between the Brady/Manning type players and someone like Boller - it's *very* clear when you watch the game the rules are not enforced equally for every QB.

I think the league needs to ease up the rules a bit and allow defenders more contact with the QB's - but failing that they should at least start to enforce the rules equally.

[Truth]

Re: The Cheap Hit On Boller

Make the call or don't make the call. I don't care. Just as long as there is consistency throughout the league.

[MoonJoe]

Re: The Cheap Hit On Boller

Make the call or don't make the call. I don't care. Just as long as there is consistency throughout the league.

Howie Long did a good segment on this and showed the two hits, one to Brady and the other to Flaco from the previous week. He also stated "show consistency" that's all we ask, and I totally agree.

I also realize that it is football, but there are some safety concerns in talking about a 300 lb man hitting a 220 lb man, blindsided. It doesn't take much to alter a persons life (Utley) with just the wrong angle or leverage and weight ratio. Logic should prevail in this type of call.

However, until we get consistency, I propose for Brady and Manning we utilize a "touching" the quarterback rule for them. We can make the call based on replay and wheher or not their makeup was smuged...

[UtterBlitz]

Re: The Cheap Hit On Boller

Howie Long did a good segment on this and showed the two hits, one to Brady and the other to Flaco from the previous week. He also stated "show consistency" that's all we ask, and I totally agree.

Good for Howie.....the announcers can call this out and bring it to someone's attention.

[Trevor]

Re: The Cheap Hit On Boller

Tom Brady called that roughing the passer penalty not the ref...... Pathetic how they protect QB's and I agree with above poster... Are we going towards a 2 hand touch rule for the QB in the future? If thats the case, there's going to be a lot of sacks!

[Nick]

Re: The Cheap Hit On Boller

I watched the replay of the hit, and while they don't show a great angle at the time, the back endzone cam shows that the initial hit was straight to the chest, and it was only as Boller and the defender were going down to the turf that the arm slid up towards the helmet, which is probably understandable if the guy is falling backwards. Having reviewed it, I'm not sure it'll get fined, nor am I sure it deserves it. It was a tough hit, but I'm not sure it was cheap after reviewing it again.

It was a hard hit to be sure but the only reason any of you are complaining about it is because Tom Brady (among others. Favre has gotten a couple questionable calls) gets phantom Roughing the Passer calls that he has no business getting.

Agreed. I wouldn't care if QBs were less protected, but the point is that everyone should be equally protected or unprotected. No one player or set of players should get different treatment under the same rules, and it's pretty evident that happens.

[r8rh8rmike]

Re: The Cheap Hit On Boller

I watched the replay of the hit, and while they don't show a great angle at the time, the back endzone cam shows that the initial hit was straight to the chest, and it was only as Boller and the defender were going down to the turf that the arm slid up towards the helmet, which is probably understandable if the guy is falling backwards. Having reviewed it, I'm not sure it'll get fined, nor am I sure it deserves it. It was a tough hit, but I'm not sure it was cheap after reviewing it again.

I'll agree it's somewhat difficult to see exactly what happened, but it still looked to me like the defender went after Boller with a deliberate clothesline, making no attempt to wrap him up. The arm was extended and it looked like there was clear contact to Boller's chin, which is a no-no and would have most likely been called if it was on Tom Brady. Maybe not worthy of a fine, but still a cheap shot IMO.