I will be the first to admit that more than half the reason I enjoy watching football is because of those "OHHHH!" moments when someone gets laid out on a hard hit. I can't help it. It's the same reason so many people watch NASCAR (for the wrecks). No one wants to see someone seriously hurt by them though.
This weekend has spurred the NFL to seriously review the rules regarding some of these egregious hits. While watching the games it seemed like between my Twitter timeline and in-game scrolls every other game had a player listed as "return questionable" "out" due to head injury. The biggest hit seen and heard around the world was to Eagles wide receiver DeSean Jackson by Falcons' Dunta Robinson. The hit left both players sidelined the rest of the game with concussions. If you haven't seen this video, click here to view.
There is a new rule effective immediately that says that these types of flagrant hits to a player's head will result in the suspension of the offender, without pay. For how many games? I don't know I suppose it would depend on the nature of the hit. This rule may have some fearing mass suspensions and player union disputes, but I do not foresee this being anything like that of the NBA's new enforcement of technical foul rules. Football is a tough, aggressive, and dangerous sport. I do not think that the league will be using this new rule in abundance. Thankfully, we do not see these types of hits every game. The fact that at least three of these type of hits were made this weekend is a bit of an anomaly. Hard hits are going to happen, and more often than not they are good, clean hits. Players who do not purposely intend to hit a guy so hard that it sends his head popping off his shoulders like a game of Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots should be okay here.
The NFL has made a lot of changes lately to rules to protect players. I am not against seeing the league suspend players for excessive force if you will. These type of hits can very easily become career-enders as a "best-worse case" scenario, but it can also cause a player to lose their life. When the safety of your players is being threatened beyond the scope of the game, it becomes an issue. These type of hits are unnecessary and although there is no way to tell how bad these hits will be when you are heading full speed at a guy, the intent to "rock him" and create a big play and momentum, there has to be a better way. As you can see from the Robinson hit on Jackson, no one benefited from that hit; both teams lost their players for at least the remainder of the game, the Eagles will more than likely be without Jackson next week, as it would be a real stretch for him to come back and play, sure Jackson dropped the ball and the Falcons eliminated the gain, but it cost them 15 yards. It was later given back only 2 plays later when the Eagles' Dunlap was flagged for a personal foul 15 yards. The scoring drive ended with a missed Eagles field goal.
How do you think this new rule will change the game? It has been suggested that instead of the rule that all players wear mouth guards as this is an equipment problem as much as it is a sportsmanship issue. It has also been suggested that the NFL widen their field to match the Canadian Football League field dimensions.
I completely disagree with the widening of the field suggestion! That would change the whole game and not for the better!
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