Lowering The Head To Initiate Contact Is Now A Penalty

[Riverboat Ron]

Why not just change all the rules to: The $ NFL $ Office $ will $ decide $ who $ wins $ because $ big $ market $ teams $ make $ more $ money $$$$$$$$$!

[run-run-pass-punt]

17 hours ago, tiger7_88 said:

2. Lowering your head in preparation for contact is something both ball carriers and defenders do in anticipation of contact.  I'm afraid this rule is going to have a TREMENDOUS impact on the game and the vast majority of that impact is going to be negative.  And by that I mean its liable to make the game unwatchable.

 

Yes, long-term the NFL has a virtually unsolvable problem in regards to its game relative to the movements of culture/society. I love the game, but sooner or later it will not even resemble what we knew and loved. You could easily argue that (for those of us who are a little older) it's already reached that point.

I know the Panthers are about to be sold for an astronomical sum, but I wonder if this is a buy high/sell low situation in a couple decades.

[SmokinwithWilly]

Not a big deal to me. Defenders are given a certain zone they are allowed to hit. RBs lower their heads and shoulders to bowl over guys that can't adjust that fast. The result is a lot of unnecessary helmet to helmet defenders can't avoid because they are trying to tackle in the strike zone.  I can definitely see where the safety of defenders is a concern as it should be. 

[Mr. Scot]

Being reported that a couple of big-name defensive players are complaining about this rule.

One of them is Richard Sherman. The other, ironically enough, our old friend Josh Norman.

[Moo Daeng]

https://www.si.com/nfl/2018/03/28/nfl-new-helmet-hit-rule-joe-thomas

Some thoughts from a long time respected great who just retired.

 

Quote

My first reaction to the new rule passed by the NFL owners Tuesday on restricting some helmet hits was that I want to wait to see what the final language on the rule is. Because at its core, reducing the number of times you’re hit in the helmet as a football player is a very good thing.

Quote

As players—and I just retired after an 11-year career—we’re taught to not use the crown of the helmet to hit anything. We’re taught to see what we hit, and to avoid helmet hits as often as possible. But without knowing exactly what the rule is going to say, I can’t pass judgment on what kind of impact it’s going to have on the game. No one can

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If this rule, however it ends up being put on the books, can lessen the chance of concussions and catastrophic injury in the NFL, I’m all for it. I think we all looked at the play that Ryan Shazier got hurt on, when a great player used his helmet and suffered a spinal injury, and none of us ever want to see that happen again. If this rule helps that play become extinct, I think it’s a good thing.

 

[LinvilleGorge]

You can bet that the agents of guys like Nick Chubb and Royce Freeman are trying to get some clarification ASAP on this rule. It could drastically impact the draft value of power oriented RBs. If enforced strictly it's definitely going to alter the game. Football is going to become much more of a finesse sport.