Video: NBC Sports:Cowboys may have found loophole in new helmet rule

[ShiningStar]

Guess it would depend on what color that is.

But I'd rather do Spine Awareness. We have a whole generation that has no backbone.

Mic Drop.

 

[Bohuntr97]

CTE!!!!!!!!

CTE can KMA. Its part of the sport. Make it as safe a possible, but there are still grown men playing..

 

[tunahelper]

With the new emphasis on tackling, I am thinking of starting a tackling consulting company. We will perfect the cartwheel tackle, which will become the new safe tackling technique for the NFL.

 

[CouchCoach]

The sport will have to lift some of these rules in the next 10 years or it will not be the cash cow it is. This helmet rule may be lifted before the season is up. There is already a speeding rule and hitting with the crown. Leave it be.

I think there's no going back on a rule installed for safety. I also don't think they would have done this if not for the lawsuit and public awareness about CTE. Plus they have the NCAA to contend with and public perception.

This is damage control by the NFL and while some of the players have spoken out about it, I've not seen the NFLPA take a stance on it yet. I am assuming they had no problems with this being enacted. I also think there are players that are in favor of it and just haven't spoken out about it.

The backlash from posters here and lamenting the passing of football as we know it, while understandable, is misplaced. If they were an owner and staring down the barrel of this, what would they do? Ignore it after the NCAA has enacted the rule? Good luck in court and the court of public opinion, which is not football fans.

And while I equate the risk going in to boxing and MMA, it really isn't. The general public couldn't name a boxer or MMA fighter but even non football fans know NFL players' names.

Don't blame the NFL, blame the coaching that taught these players to lead with their helmet. That never has been considered proper tackling technique but they failed to stop that so the NFL has to step in and be seen as the bad guy by some. There is absolutely nothing preventing every coaching staff in the NFL from getting back to the basics of tackling that NE has been using for several years. The bonus is they're the best YAC D in the NFL after doing this.

 

[cern]

head injuries vs knee injuries. knees can be fixed, ergo no change in the rule.

 

[glimmerman]

Sorry, but that one is exactly what this rule is meant to get rid of. The defender lowered the crown of his helmet and led with it. I don't think Bo was surprised at all by the call and looked to me like he was expecting it.

Its kool if we disagree. I think it was no biggie. Its common, they lower there head to protect the head from being flexed back. They should slide the head to one side or another and come in with the shoulder and wrap up. I didn’t see the problem with it and the commentator didn’t either. But if that’s what the rule is to eliminate then we are going to see a lot of flags and low hits. Knee injuries.

 

[glimmerman]

I think there's no going back on a rule installed for safety. I also don't think they would have done this if not for the lawsuit and public awareness about CTE. Plus they have the NCAA to contend with and public perception.

This is damage control by the NFL and while some of the players have spoken out about it, I've not seen the NFLPA take a stance on it yet. I am assuming they had no problems with this being enacted. I also think there are players that are in favor of it and just haven't spoken out about it.

The backlash from posters here and lamenting the passing of football as we know it, while understandable, is misplaced. If they were an owner and staring down the barrel of this, what would they do? Ignore it after the NCAA has enacted the rule? Good luck in court and the court of public opinion, which is not football fans.

And while I equate the risk going in to boxing and MMA, it really isn't. The general public couldn't name a boxer or MMA fighter but even non football fans know NFL players' names.

Don't blame the NFL, blame the coaching that taught these players to lead with their helmet. That never has been considered proper tackling technique but they failed to stop that so the NFL has to step in and be seen as the bad guy by some. There is absolutely nothing preventing every coaching staff in the NFL from getting back to the basics of tackling that NE has been using for several years. The bonus is they're the best YAC D in the NFL after doing this.

Who do you think you are coming in here talking and making sense? Get back in the kitchen and make us a drink. Lol. Of course certain coaches and positions are taught to lower the head. And taught from a young age. And of course there is a connection between people running at speed and ramming each other and head injury. I don’t know what they are gonna do. With the changing of rules every year and the never ending anthem stuff. It’s just not the same sport.

 

[gimmesix]

Its kool if we disagree. I think it was no biggie. Its common, they lower there head to protect the head from being flexed back. They should slide the head to one side or another and come in with the shoulder and wrap up. I didn’t see the problem with it and the commentator didn’t either. But if that’s what the rule is to eliminate then we are going to see a lot of flags and low hits. Knee injuries.

He didn't turn his head to one side or the other, though. He led with it and nailed Scarbrough in the back of the shoulder with it. If had got his head off to the side, then he could have hit Bo with his shoulder pad.

 

[glimmerman]

He didn't turn his head to one side or the other, though. He led with it and nailed Scarbrough in the back of the shoulder with it. If had got his head off to the side, then he could have hit Bo with his shoulder pad.

We are so use to seeing it every game. It’s second nature to them playing that way and commentators and fans watching it. There is gonna be a lot of flags for it this year.

 

[CouchCoach]

Who do you think you are coming in here talking and making sense? Get back in the kitchen and make us a drink. Lol. Of course certain coaches and positions are taught to lower the head. And taught from a young age. And of course there is a connection between people running at speed and ramming each other and head injury. I don’t know what they are gonna do. With the changing of rules every year and the never ending anthem stuff. It’s just not the same sport.

No, it is not. The game has changed and what goes on around it has as well.

For me, it started when they began discussing a player's salary during a game, thanks for reminding me it's a business when I came looking for a sport. Then the off field behavior became on the field chatter.

I hate that "back in the day" play but damn, it was better, it was exactly what it was intended to be, escape for 3 hours. A game that used to take < 3 hours now is 3:30 with no increase in anything football.

Tell ya what I would have done as an owner when this new rule was approved, I would have lobbied for dumping instant replay. If the refs want one, they can call for it but don't show it to the viewers. The second guessing BS has not helped the game and there are going to many, many times we are going to wonder 'why wasn't that a helmet hit"? Especially on our players.

Ya know, glimm, I keep finding more reasons to watch fewer games each season. They're not making it better but what does greed make better?

 

[glimmerman]

No, it is not. The game has changed and what goes on around it has as well.

For me, it started when they began discussing a player's salary during a game, thanks for reminding me it's a business when I came looking for a sport. Then the off field behavior became on the field chatter.

I hate that "back in the day" play but damn, it was better, it was exactly what it was intended to be, escape for 3 hours. A game that used to take < 3 hours now is 3:30 with no increase in anything football.

Tell ya what I would have done as an owner when this new rule was approved, I would have lobbied for dumping instant replay. If the refs want one, they can call for it but don't show it to the viewers. The second guessing BS has not helped the game and there are going to many, many times we are going to wonder 'why wasn't that a helmet hit"? Especially on our players.

Ya know, glimm, I keep finding more reasons to watch fewer games each season. They're not making it better but what does greed make better?

Yeah how about giving us fans a check for being loyal. See it’s making me greedy now.

The older days the media wasn’t so focused and prevalent (big word for me) in the sport for these stories. They may be mentioned but not harped over one player doing this. Ok someone got a DUI. But now everyone has a camera and pictures blasted everywhere and the social media has got a part in it. The media wants the stories that essentially tare these players down. Again it’s money for them, the more clicks on it then get the more money is made. They care a less the damage to someone else. But yet the media says everyone has a opinion and society should feel the need to make everyone happy.

 

[CouchCoach]

Yeah how about giving us fans a check for being loyal. See it’s making me greedy now.

The older days the media wasn’t so focused and prevalent (big word for me) in the sport for these stories. They may be mentioned but not harped over one player doing this. Ok someone got a DUI. But now everyone has a camera and pictures blasted everywhere and the social media has got a part in it. The media wants the stories that essentially tare these players down. Again it’s money for them, the more clicks on it then get the more money is made. They care a less the damage to someone else. But yet the media says everyone has a opinion and society should feel the need to make everyone happy.

The evolution of news and sports into around the clock coverage and competition levels have created a mess. Used to be they didn't have enough time to cover everything, now they have too much time and need more.

 

[erod]

They're drip feeding us this crap so we don't notice. Just go back and watch some games from the 90s or even the early part of this century and you'll notice immediately how much more physical they were playing. And they're supposed to be bigger and stronger today.

Go look at the hit that broke Witten's jaw.

Just a good play then. Now the guy would be serving 5 to 10 in Leavenworth.

 

[Toruk_Makto]

This game is getting ridiculous. Take the helmet and pads off and put two pink flags on. This is where Goodhell is taking the game anyway. I don't want to see anyone hurt but it's a physical game and it's going to happen no matter what is put in place as long as there is physical contact. I doubt I'll be watching in 10 years.

Every new rule change is going to "kill the NFL."

Almost a meme at this point.

Football was never taught to use the head as a weapon.

Wrapping up and seeing what you hit....basically flag football....or something. smh

 

[Cowboys22]

I didn’t think the new rule resulted in too many flags in week 1 but several that were thrown were dubious. I wouldn’t have a big problem with the rule if they made it automatically reviewable just like scoring plays and turnovers. It’s too subjective and too many times when you see the replay, it’s not the helmet that hits. It’s very difficult to call in real time and can have a massive impact on a game if you get it wrong, not to mention a starter is one play away from an ejection. This new penalty needs to be reviewable at the very least, and I don’t mean challengable. It needs to be automatically reviewed every time.

 

[mmohican29]

I love how a talking head bait clicks everybody into believing the Cowboys (specifically) have found a way around the tackling rules. Now everybody thinks our guys will play dirty and more flags will come our way.

If I'm Jones I'm on the phone with NBC right now to tell everyone this is unacceptable. Heath did nothing wrong.

Incredible daily bias against this team. Wow

 

[Bullflop]

Would you prefer the nfl get involved in spousal abuse awareness?

LOL -- I could have sworn they already have . . .

 

[Established1971]

yeah thats not what the word "loophole" means

 

[SoupcanSam]

This game is getting ridiculous. Take the helmet and pads off and put two pink flags on. This is where Goodhell is taking the game anyway. I don't want to see anyone hurt but it's a physical game and it's going to happen no matter what is put in place as long as there is physical contact. I doubt I'll be watching in 10 years.

You mean when its the National Mini Skirt League?

I need this to be the longest 10 years ever

 

[DCBoysfan]

People complaining but they stillllll watching