Helmet to Helmet or Clean Hit on Smith?

[HardcoreDefense]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Urb8KxggmSc

2010 OFFICIAL PLAYING RULES OF THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE

Rule 12, Section 2,, Article 8

(g) using any part of a player’s helmet (including the top/crown and forehead/“hairline” parts) or facemask to butt, spear, or ram an opponent violently or unnecessarily; although such violent or unnecessary use of the helmet and facemask is impermissible against any op- ponent, game officials will give special attention in administering this rule to protecting those players who are in virtually defenseless postures (e.g., a player in the act of or just after throwing a pass, a receiver catching or attempting to catch a pass, a runner already in the grasp of a tackler, a kickoff or punt returner attempting to field a kick in the air, or a player on the ground at the end of a play). All players in virtually defenseless postures are protected by the same prohibitions against use of the helmet and facemask that are described in the roughing-the-passer rules (see Article 11, subsection 3 below of this Rule 12, Section

I'm a bit confused about this rule. Does this rule only apply to player who are defenseless? Even though Smitty has received hits like this through out his career, these new refs missed a lot of calls last night. Thanks for clarifying.

[panthers04100]

It was definately helmet to helmet but we got a touchdown on the next play and smitty was fine so who cares

[megadeth078]

they both lowered their helmets. I don't know how you can call that on one player.

[Vertigo Jones]

We'll see one way or the other when the NFL hands out its weekly fines, but...

I don't think it was a penalty by current NFL rules. Your helmet can hit your opponent's helmet in the act of making a tackle if the player isn't defenseless. Defenseless is described as:

(a) Players in a defenseless posture are:

(1) A player in the act of or just after throwing a pass;

(2) A receiver attempting to catch a pass; or who has completed a catch and has not had time to protect himself or has not clearly become a runner. If the receiver/runner is capable of avoiding or warding off the impending contact of an opponent, he is no longer a defenseless player;

(3) A runner already in the grasp of a tackler and whose forward progress has been stopped;

(4) A kickoff or punt returner attempting to field a kick in the air;

(5) A player on the ground at the end of a play;

(6) A kicker/punter during the kick or during the return;

(7) A quarterback at any time after a change of possession, and

(8) A player who receives a “blindside” block when the blocker is moving toward his own endline and approaches the opponent from behind or from the side.

(B) Prohibited contact against a player who is in a defenseless posture is:

(1) Forcibly hitting the defenseless player’s head or neck area with the helmet, facemask, forearm, or shoulder, regardless of whether the defensive player also uses his arms to tackle the defenseless player by encircling or grasping him; and

(2) Lowering the head and making forcible contact with the top/crown or forehead/”hairline” parts of the helmet against any part of the defenseless player’s body.

Note: The provisions of (2) do not prohibit incidental contact by the mask or helmet in the course of a conventional tackle on an opponent.

[Jackofalltrades]

One of the announcers mentioned it was a nice play, but he should probably expect a fine.

[Guest Bwood]

Definitely helmet to helmet. Hence Smitty waving his finger at Barron's rookie ways.

[HardcoreDefense]

It was definately helmet to helmet but we got a touchdown on the next play and smitty was fine so who cares

I would be mad if I was a player who got charged $50,000 for and helmet to helmet hit. If it's going to be a rule for the safety of the players then it needs to be enforced. Every Panther fan would've been devastated and pissed if Smitty got injured from a helmet to helmet hit that wasn't flagged or fined

[MasterAwesome]

It looked clean to me...it didn't even look like Barron put a lot into that hit. He didn't lead with the helmet or anything, the helmet contact was incidental. I think the shot Steve took on that tackle came more from his own momentum making contact with a bigger defender. I was worried Steve was giving himself a concussion test with that finger-wagging after though lol...but he's a beast. Without a doubt one of the toughest players in the NFL.

[ladypanther89]

I'm not going to read that whole rule but by my understanding helmet to helmet only applies for a defenseless receiver or QB...shouldn't apply to a RB or WR who's running after catch.

Thoughts?

[PhillyB]

Thoughts?

2010 OFFICIAL PLAYING RULES OF THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE

Rule 12, Section 2,, Article 8

(g) using any part of a player’s helmet (including the top/crown and forehead/“hairline” parts) or facemask to butt, spear, or ram an opponent violently or unnecessarily; although such violent or unnecessary use of the helmet and facemask is impermissible against any op- ponent, game officials will give special attention in administering this rule to protecting those players who are in virtually defenseless postures (e.g., a player in the act of or just after throwing a pass, a receiver catching or attempting to catch a pass, a runner already in the grasp of a tackler, a kickoff or punt returner attempting to field a kick in the air, or a player on the ground at the end of a play). All players in virtually defenseless postures are protected by the same prohibitions against use of the helmet and facemask that are described in the roughing-the-passer rules (see Article 11, subsection 3 below of this Rule 12, Section

[Mr. Scot]

Clear helmet to helmet.

[chknwing]

smith lowered his head, once he does that all bets are off. if anything it should have been a penalty since smith was clearly out of bounds

[csx]

I don't see anything wrong with it.

[DC Amp]

Just good tackling in my book. Looks like he was using more of his shoulder and the helmet just came along for the ride.