Should a RB, including Zeke on Sunday, be called for lowering their head to initiate contact?

[Captain43Crash]

Of course not!!! A RB naturally lowers his head just before contact. A RB will lower his head to protect himself( his knees, etc.) and to get lower than the defender. Low man wins in football. What is a RB suppose to do just before contact, stay high so the defender can get lower and drive him backwards. Also, on the Zek play both players lowered their heads. Zek did not initiate contact anymore than the defender.
Zek was penalized because he ran the other guy over because of his momentum and power. Terrible call!!

 

[cern]

Seek was pushed in the back. He was just going down.

 

[dcstar]

No!

Half the running plays in the league end up just like the one Mr Elliott got called for. Ridiculous.

Go Cowboys!

 

[MarcusRock]

Of course not!!! A RB naturally lowers his head just before contact. A RB will lower his head to protect himself( his knees, etc.) and to get lower than the defender. Low man wins in football. What is a RB suppose to do just before contact, stay high so the defender can get lower and drive him backwards. Also, on the Zek play both players lowered their heads. Zek did not initiate contact anymore than the defender.
Zek was penalized because he ran the other guy over because of his momentum and power. Terrible call!!

You can argue the point about whether it should have been called since it hasn't been enforced in general but if you actually look at the video, Zeke pretty much targeted that DB to run him over by turning back towards him instead of running straight like he had been or just running out of bounds with the first down. He got himself hurt on the play too so he simply needs to stop doing it. He probably got flagged because it was unnecessary.

 

[adamknite]

You can argue the point about whether it should have been called since it hasn't been enforced in general but if you actually look at the video, Zeke pretty much targeted that DB to run him over by turning back towards him instead of running straight like he had been or just running out of bounds with the first down. He got himself hurt on the play too so he simply needs to stop doing it. He probably got flagged because it was unnecessary.

I think he was trying to stay in bounds not turning to hit the tackler... But maybe I just see it differently...

 

[ESisback]

You can argue the point about whether it should have been called since it hasn't been enforced in general but if you actually look at the video, Zeke pretty much targeted that DB to run him over by turning back towards him instead of running straight like he had been or just running out of bounds with the first down. He got himself hurt on the play too so he simply needs to stop doing it. He probably got flagged because it was unnecessary.

I agree! Zeke turned into the guy to blast him, and SHOULD have been flagged. Had he lowered his head and just gone straight—THEN a flag was not the right call. Plus, he’s dumb to endanger himself, IMO. He had the first down. Just fall forward or go out of bounds!

 

[Xelda]

The angle during the game looked like he was pushed into the other guy. This was not intentional regardless of angle. I'm not being biased this time.

 

[Tabascocat]

The new rule stated that it would be called, Zeke's was a penalty according to that rule. It was called correctly but the problem is that it is not called fairly across the board. Either call them all or let it slide but picking and choosing the "when" is just another mark on the bad officiating.

 

[ConstantReboot]

Its a dumb penalty. It should not have been called. Of course Zeke had to lower his head because he was going to get hit. He wasn't aiming at the defender. In fact, the defender was the one that looked like he was lower his head more.

I wish Dallas would make a big deal at of these bad calls. They were so biased that its worthy of point out in the media.

 

[Cattle_Rancher]

It’s supposed to be. Why is it fair for offensive players to use their helmets but defense barely touches with helmet out comes flags. I’m sick of offense allowed to do stuff. I seen a RB initiate the head to head contact and the defensive guy got flagged total bs.

 

[Aviano90]

Sure wish he would run that out of bounds and save his body unnecessary wear and tear.

 

[DogFace]

The defender ducks and gets lower. I guess I don’t understand the rule because he was also targeting. He didn’t even come close to trying to perform a wrap up tackle.

 

[Brax]

The new rule stated that it would be called, Zeke's was a penalty according to that rule. It was called correctly but the problem is that it is not called fairly across the board. Either call them all or let it slide but picking and choosing the "when" is just another mark on the bad officiating.

you called it correctly the problem like most of these rules is how they are called across the board, is it or is it not a penalty, same as QB rules, defenseless receiver, don't see it changing as the NFL doesn't really care , they can say the rule is there to protect player safety.

 

[Virginia-Dave]

What I see in that video is a RB who recognizes 2 defenders coming at him from from different angles, and he puts his head down, and brings his arms in tight around the ball to protect it when he gets hit. Every RB in the league does the exact same thing. Not sure what else he was supposed to do as a ball carrier in that situation. It was a b.s. call.

 

[superonyx]

You can argue the point about whether it should have been called since it hasn't been enforced in general but if you actually look at the video, Zeke pretty much targeted that DB to run him over by turning back towards him instead of running straight like he had been or just running out of bounds with the first down. He got himself hurt on the play too so he simply needs to stop doing it. He probably got flagged because it was unnecessary.

Hey Troll has their ever been a call the refs got wrong against us?
Please give us some examples of plays where we got hurt by the refs blowing the call..

 

[noshame]

If ever there was a time to start a rival league, now a the time. The RFL "real football league".

Otherwise we go the way of NASCAR everybody's safe now,but there's little racing going on. Ratings and stands show it.
Football is next.

 

[HungryLion]

You can argue the point about whether it should have been called since it hasn't been enforced in general but if you actually look at the video, Zeke pretty much targeted that DB to run him over by turning back towards him instead of running straight like he had been or just running out of bounds with the first down. He got himself hurt on the play too so he simply needs to stop doing it. He probably got flagged because it was unnecessary.

It’s a terrible rule. Running backs grow up and it’s also natural for them to want to initiate contact in certain situations so they can 1. Get extra yardage and 2. Protect themselves.

On the play in question Zeke knew the defender was going to nail him. Sometimes the best way to counter act that is to get low and initiate contact.

It’s not an attempt to hurt anyone by the running back. But their only other choice is to leave themselves wide open and then take a full shot to their chest or ribs or wherever the defender wants to hit. Which also isn’t safe for the runner.

So, I think the rule is terrible. And it’s also BS that Zeke is the first player called for it. Because I see that stuff happen every game. Which is also another reason the rule is terrible because running backs just naturally do that as part of their running.

 

[Jake]

Of course not!!! A RB naturally lowers his head just before contact.

Only in the last few decades as they made the helmets "safer", have players lowered their heads to use as battering rams. When they were plastic with a bit of foam rubber, or worse, only an idiot would go head first that way. It's a false sense of security that leads to concussions.

My complaint is less about the rule and more about inconsistent application of it. I hadn't seen it called all season until Sunday.

 

[America's Cowboy]

First of all, this is supposed to be tackle football, not flag football.

Second of all, where is the flag against the iggles DB for intentionally going low towards Zeke's knees? Is anyone saying Zeke does not have the right to go as low and lower his head and shoulders to make contact with the knees-aiming DB in order for Zeke to be able to save his own knees from a potential career-ending injury???

Lastly, Zeke was still one step away from passing the 1st down marker, so he had no choice but to fight to stay in bounds while going low enough to protect himself from the knees-aiming iggles' DB.

 

[Southern0005]

No it was a terrible call and he wasn't really leading with the helmet, he was falling down. Third worst call of the game... right behind the Goedert PI and the fumble on the kick off.