Rule tweak could impact AD's running style

[dead_poet]

GREEN BAY – Adrian Peterson turned upfield and galloped on an angle between Green Bay Packers safety Morgan Burnett and the sideline Sunday afternoon at Lambeau Field. Rather than head out of bounds, the 6-foot, 1-inch, 217-pound Minnesota Vikings running back squared his shoulders and lowered his head to initiate contact with Burnett.

Burnett began to close in, and made a dive for the target area of Peterson's torso, head up – as NFL defenders have been taught.

"Even now, with all the helmet-to-helmet stuff, everyone from Day 1 they always tell you to lead with your face and hit what you see, or see what you hit," said fellow Packers safety M.D. Jennings.

Because Peterson lowered his head, he contacted Burnett on the left side of his helmet, in the jaw area. The blow knocked Burnett down, and Peterson gained a few extra yards.

As soon as the 2013 season, such a play could draw a flag on Peterson, or be reviewed postgame and result in a fine.

http://www.onmilwaukee.com/sports/artic ... elmet.html

[mansquatch]

This is going to be the death of football IMO. They are trying to take the contact out of the game, inch by inch. You can't have a contact sport with the best athletes in the world and not have risk of injury. They are paid 6 and 7 figure salaries, so they are compensated for the health risk. (are King Crab fisherman paid that much?)

The NFL never should have flirted with this concussion stuff when it started coming out 2-3 years ago. They didn't want to be perceived as uncompassionate or unconcerned with player safety. Now they are on a path to alter their brand. IMO a better approach would be for the league to spend money on better equipment and research. These rule changes are going to wreck the NFL game.

I know folks will dissagree, but that is the slipper slope they are on. The Commission just did a magazine cover and mentioned getting rid of kick offs. What is next? No more blitzing?

[mondry]

This is going to be the death of football IMO. They are trying to take the contact out of the game, inch by inch. You can't have a contact sport with the best athletes in the world and not have risk of injury. They are paid 6 and 7 figure salaries, so they are compensated for the health risk. (are King Crab fisherman paid that much?)

The NFL never should have flirted with this concussion stuff when it started coming out 2-3 years ago. They didn't want to be perceived as uncompassionate or unconcerned with player safety. Now they are on a path to alter their brand. IMO a better approach would be for the league to spend money on better equipment and research. These rule changes are going to wreck the NFL game.

I know folks will dissagree, but that is the slipper slope they are on. The Commission just did a magazine cover and mentioned getting rid of kick offs. What is next? No more blitzing?

I think they already did a good job of getting rid of kick offs heh.

[Mothman]

This is going to be the death of football IMO. They are trying to take the contact out of the game, inch by inch. You can't have a contact sport with the best athletes in the world and not have risk of injury. They are paid 6 and 7 figure salaries, so they are compensated for the health risk. (are King Crab fisherman paid that much?)

The NFL never should have flirted with this concussion stuff when it started coming out 2-3 years ago. They didn't want to be perceived as uncompassionate or unconcerned with player safety. Now they are on a path to alter their brand. IMO a better approach would be for the league to spend money on better equipment and research. These rule changes are going to wreck the NFL game.

I know folks will dissagree, but that is the slipper slope they are on. The Commission just did a magazine cover and mentioned getting rid of kick offs. What is next? No more blitzing?

Probably. Goodell needs to go. I don't think he's good for football.

You can't legislate injuries out of the game. Make sure the helmets are state of the art or (drastically) get rid of them altogether (that will strongly encourage players to be careful with their heads). Require players to wear their mouth guards.

Regarding that quote from the article: seeing who you're going to hit doesn't mean leading with your head and I question whether Jennings is correctly interpreting what his coaches tell him to do:

http://www.nflrush.com/story/usa-footba ... le-defense

[HardcoreVikesFan]

http://www.onmilwaukee.com/sports/artic ... elmet.html

Well, obviously, head down contact is something you need to watch out for to ensure the safety of the athletes. However, this is pathetic if this true. Peterson is a physical runner. He initiates downward contact correctly and physically.

You cannot take away the phyiscality of the game any more. It is already starting to become soft. I mean, aerial attacks in the NFL have become the new norm. Good luck trying to be physical on defense, you will be penalized.

[9man]

This could be the end. Next you'll tell me there can be no helmet to helmet contact on defenseless receiver or the kick offs will be on the 35 yard line or maybe even get rid of the kickoff all together. Wait a minute....maybe I could play for the NFL, sounds easy. Any fatty off the couch could do it

[VikingLord]

The big problem I'd have with a rule like that is what if it costs the runner a shot at the first down? AD didn't need the extra yards on that play, but I could easily envision situations where if the runner doesn't put his head down and meet the tackler with force he'll be denied a first down. It would be an extremely difficult and arbitrary rule to enforce.

I still can't believe the NFLPA didn't demand a disciplinary committee to replace Goodell's unilateral ability to be judge, jury, and executioner when it comes to levying fines and penalties. A rule like this would die on the vine if players had input.