The Kuechly Penalty and the Inevitable Future Rule

[Matthias]

First of all I want to say, Kuechly is developing into the best player on the team right now.  I'm certain he would have had 200+ tackles last year had we done the right thing and start him at MLB right off the bat.  With all that said, because he was penalized for that hit, saying he hit a defenseless player and so on, I believe a new rule is coming that will effectively turn football into a two hand touch type game.  So far, the rule changes Goodell and his crew have made haven't messed the game up for fans.  Yet with all this defenseless player talk, I can't help but think a new rule is coming where a defender has to allow the receiver 1 or 2 seconds of freedom when the ball touches his hand, before they can hit or tackle him.  Basically allowing him to catch the ball and set his feet before the defender can do anything to him.

 

 

Do any of you remember that rule where it was ruled a catch by the receiver, if he caught the ball while in the air but a defender pushed him out of bounds before he could touch his feet on the ground?  Saying if it weren't for the defender pushing him out of bounds, the receiver's feet would have come down in bounds, thus ruling it a catch. (Again basically if it weren't for the defender doing his job, the receiver would have caught the ball)  The NFL smartly got rid of this rule, and recently got rid of the Tuck Rule.  However I believe a new rule is coming, let's call it the Two Second Rule or the Kuechly Act, that will have defenders looking like idiots, allowing the receiver to catch the ball and run after the catch.  The good news is if such a rule does take place, this will be the one rule that causes fans to boycott games, but the good news is it won't last long.

 

 

What are some opinions you guys have on that?

[Darth Biscuit]

idk if they'll go that far, I doubt it... but that call last night was BS.  That was a clean football hit.

 

I can see it if the D player spears the WR, or it's helmet-to-helmet, but you can't play football and not have hits like what Keek did last night.

[Kurb]

Looked like a preseason "warning" penalty to me.

 

I seriously doubt they would have done that in a regular season game.

[Jase]

upon closer examination it was just a shove to the upper chest.

 

don't make luke angry.  you won't like him when he's angry.

[Zod]

Looked like a preseason "warning" penalty to me.

 

I seriously doubt they would have done that in a regular season game.

 

I think they will. Preseason is when the officials let the league know what the tone will be this season so they have fair warning come week 1.

 

Looks like they are very weary of preventing head injuries due to all the bad press as of late.

[Matthias]

Looking at the hit in real time, I was like 'That's what I'm talking about!!!'.  Yet you saw the expression on Kuechly's face when he got up immediately looking for a flag.  Again in real time, it's a tough call to make in all honesty.  I wouldn't have thrown the flag myself, and I don't think I'm being biased because I'm a panther fan.  I think the NFL would serve itself better in trying to find a more perfect way to diagnose these things on the field.  Look for the different cues of helmet to helmet, a launching defender, and a fair hit.  Kuechly was looking to swat the ball, but most people just saw the collision.

[Chaos]

Luke will never do anything wrong or outside the confines of the NFL rules, so therefore it wasn't a penalty.

[dksmith17]

The question is whether or not Luke gets fined.

 

Unfortunately it was the correct call with the new rule. I hate it also.

[h0llywood]

You better believe that Roger Goodell will have the refs ass on the line if a penalty isn't called even if its not clear.

The ref that came back and raised his hand to the white hat and said "helmet to helmet" had performance bonus In his mind.

[Rules&Regulations]

Everyone likes to blame Goodell but his hand was forced by these former players trying to sue the NFL claiming they didn't know the sport was dangerous.

[FuaMeOnce]

Looked like a preseason "warning" penalty to me.

 

I seriously doubt they would have done that in a regular season game.

 

I would like to think that's true, but i can't tell anymore.  ITS FOOTBALL... let the guys play.  

[Jangler]

upon closer examination it was just a shove to the upper chest.

 

don't make luke angry.  you won't like him when he's angry.

 

The Ravens found that out a few plays later.

[natty]

Looking at the hit in real time, I was like 'That's what I'm talking about!!!'.  Yet you saw the expression on Kuechly's face when he got up immediately looking for a flag.  Again in real time, it's a tough call to make in all honesty.  I wouldn't have thrown the flag myself, and I don't think I'm being biased because I'm a panther fan.  I think the NFL would serve itself better in trying to find a more perfect way to diagnose these things on the field.  Look for the different cues of helmet to helmet, a launching defender, and a fair hit.  Kuechly was looking to swat the ball, but most people just saw the collision.

 

He got up and was looking for the ball.  

 

It looked like Luke was playing the ball as much as the other player.  It was a weird tackle.

[Udogg]

He had was up around the helmet which is a no no.  In real time it looked like it was illegal.  On slow mo it wasn't.  However depending on the referee crew they are going to call anything close to the head.  We gonna have to live with it, I think.   NFL just limiting the damage on the big class action lawsuit they are going to have to pay the lawyers...I mean player.