The new helmet rule...

[GRWatcher]

The calls need to be swift enough that they become part of the flow of the game. There will be missed calls, there will be calls in error but that happens. I think the refs tonight did a pretty good job with that. Then as the season goes on, there will be less helmet calls because the players will be - should be - working on it at every practice. It has to happen if for no other reason than to show young players how it's done and that it is important. If you don't think it can be done, watch Ronnie Lott's highlights. Here's one to start. 

 

[panthers55]

The rule is a good one given lowering the head puts the guy doing the tackling at significant risk.  You should have learned to keep your head up in Pop Warner football. If you have to be penalized to avoid endangering yourself, so be it. Hopefully any minor inconvenience to your viewing pleasure is offset by fewer neck and spine injuries to players.

[4Corners]

More rules that will directly influence the outcome of games put in the hands of incompetent officials. This is gonna be a train wreck and everyone with a brain sees this coming a mile away. 

I expect this rule to really assist the home team, teams with winning records, and the Patriots. I guess it doesn’t really matter that our secondary is garbage because every team is going to probably average 30 a game. 

[Moo Daeng]

Fortunately this game didn't matter and the preseason can hopefully be used to dial in way its called.

[EgoDogg]

They said during the game that refs were likely told to flag everything in preseason, and before regular season rolls around, they'll be reviewing all the helmet penalties to determine what's okay and what's not.

I'm all for the safety of the players, but they need to get the calls right. If it's just momentum and not putting a player's head / neck at risk, it shouldn't be flagged. Getting it right in that split second timing is going to be a major issue though. Make those be reviewable and have a medical ref in New York make the call on it, if reviewed.

[Joe the Show]

37 minutes ago, panthers55 said:

The rule is a good one given lowering the head puts the guy doing the tackling at significant risk.  You should have learned to keep your head up in Pop Warner football. If you have to be penalized to avoid endangering yourself, so be it. Hopefully any minor inconvenience to your viewing pleasure is offset by fewer neck and spine injuries to players.

If this prevents Luke from getting another concussion and retiring, then I'm all for it.  We'll just have to wait a season or two to see if the concussion and spinal injuries decrease in number.  If they can show that data, then this rule will be applauded.

[4Corners]

1 hour ago, EgoDogg said:

They said during the game that refs were likely told to flag everything in preseason, and before regular season rolls around, they'll be reviewing all the helmet penalties to determine what's okay and what's not.

I'm all for the safety of the players, but they need to get the calls right. If it's just momentum and not putting a player's head / neck at risk, it shouldn't be flagged. Getting it right in that split second timing is going to be a major issue though. Make those be reviewable and have a medical ref in New York make the call on it, if reviewed.

What is gonna drive people nuts is the discretion and subjectivity of when the flag is thrown. It will be thrown inconsistently and will influence the outcome of games. They won’t call it in the first quarter, they’ll call it on a critical third down in the fourth.

 

[Paa Langfart]

I think this is one more case of the NFL,  while trying to do the right thing to minimize injury is fundamentally changing the nature of the game.  It is also putting too much power into the calls of the officiating crews.  And  the game will slow down with even more reviews.  It is really putting a drag on the fun of watching these games.  

[4Corners]

7 minutes ago, Paa Langfart said:

I think this is one more case of the NFL,  while trying to do the right thing to minimize injury is fundamentally changing the nature of the game.  It is also putting too much power into the calls of the officiating crews.  And  the game will slow down with even more reviews.  It is really putting a drag on the fun of watching these games.  

Officiating is absolutely atrocious across the board in every sport. NFL officials are probably the worst. I mean look at the super bowl and NFL playoffs. Jacksonville/Pats game was influenced by officiating, and the SB play “philly special” was an illegal formation that wasn’t called. One day they will have robots and electronics officiating games hopefully. 

[mc52beast]

I’m hoping the NFL brass remembers how pissed people got over the stupid “is it a catch or isn’t it” last year. They have to realize that people will stop watching games if they turn into Flag-Fest

[Salisburysean98]

13 hours ago, mc52beast said:

I’m hoping the NFL brass remembers how pissed people got over the stupid “is it a catch or isn’t it” last year. They have to realize that people will stop watching games if they turn into Flag-Fest

I'm hoping 2 years from now ratings are the lowest they've ever been and the XFL kicks off with high ratings. That'll force them to either get rid of the commish or make changes to these dumb ass rules. 

[saX man]

The amount of stoppage between penalties, commercials, and reviews is killing the fun of watching.  It really is.  I love my panthers but my interest in actually watching NFL this year is kind of deflated.