Harrison roughing penalty

[Mike in Syracuse]

Make Harrison play the rest of the season without a helmet. I guarantee he won't get any more fines or penalties!

[Ramius]

Sadly, as usual, Goodell will prove (again) to be all talk this week and Harrison won't be suspended. Not when the Stillers are playing the Ravens.

[shrader]

It's not a judgement call. The crown of Harrison's helmet went right into the bottom of Fitz's facemask. Penalty. That simple.

 

It's not as if Fitz was a WR who just caught the ball and was falling down. He was totally upright and exposed. Harrison had a free shot on him and CHOSE to hit him that way. He should be suspended, and the Steelers's coach and organization should be fined.

 

 

 

 

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New post:

 

Here is a great, HD clip of the hit. Replay at about 30 seconds.

 

He runs straight into Fitz, helmet first, right in the chin. He had ample opportunity to go just a little lower, and he would have been fine. Only person to blame here is Harrison. Not the league.

 

Scumbag

 

I like how that clip shows the Cleveland hits too. The scenarios are different, but the hit looks nearly identical to the one against the Browns' WR (not going to attempt to spell that name). Both times he leads with the top of his head and launches high.

[BRH]

you would think all the backtalk coming out of that organization would be worthy a fine.

You would think that, except the organization is the sainted Pittsburgh Steelers, who rival Brett Favre in getting passes from the league office.

[Buffalo Barbarian]

James thinks he got screwed.

 

I have to agree. I know the officials are bending over backwards to protect QBs these days, but that looked like facemask to the chest to me. I don't think that is illegal, at least not yet. And the official was looking right at it from what looked to be a good angle and threw the flag without hesitation (almost reaching for it just before the hit). Tomlin looked like he was going to blow a gasket after looking at the replay. I think Harrisons reputation preceded him on that play.

 

Interesting to see the leagues response.

 

We got screwd when they took are turnover away so we got it worse.

[BRH]

Make Harrison play the rest of the season without a helmet. I guarantee he won't get any more fines or penalties!

This.

 

Want to reduce head injuries in the NFL? Make them play without helmets, or with those old-time leather jobs. The reason players were taught in the old days to lead their shoulder is because it hurt THEM to lead with their heads as much as it hurt their opponents.

[CodeMonkey]

Here is a great, HD clip of the hit. Replay at about 30 seconds.

 

He runs straight into Fitz, helmet first, right in the chin. He had ample opportunity to go just a little lower, and he would have been fine. Only person to blame here is Harrison. Not the league.

 

Scumbag

 

youtube.com/watch?v=lwS8Clfp2vM

Maybe I'm blind but at 31 seconds it looks to me like Fitz's head is still looking forward and Harrisons helmet is in Fitzs chest. Maybe it slid up into Fitz's chin after, I can't tell from that clip. But just after that, showing Fitz getting up he sure doesn't look like a guy who took that kind of shot to his chin.

 

Anyway I agree that to the chin or the chest, hits leading with the helmet are a bad thing and should be outlawed completely.

Edited November 29, 2010 by CodeMonkey

[BadDad]

The best way to hurt a player is not aim for his head, but for his chin. That's what Harrison did.

 

PTR

 

That's exactly what I saw. He lowered his head and caught Fitz in the chin, which is what he was aiming for all along. This guy is dangerous, not a "hard nosed football player".

 

What's worse is that young kids are watching this BS and thinking that it's the way to play football.

[CodeMonkey]

Make Harrison play the rest of the season without a helmet. I guarantee he won't get any more fines or penalties!

No helmets (or pads in general) is one reason why you see very few serious injuries in rugby.

But when's the last time 70 thousand people went to a rugby game.

[DrDawkinstein]

Maybe I'm blind but at 31 seconds it looks to me like Fitz's head is still looking forward and Harrisons helmet is in Fitzs chest. Maybe it slid up into Fitz's chin after, I can't tell from that clip. But just after that, showing Fitz getting up he sure doesn't look like a guy who took that kind of shot to his chin.

 

Anyway I agree that to the chin or the chest, hits leading with the helmet are a bad thing and should be outlawed completely.

 

well, youre the only one not seeing it.

 

youre right that at the very first point of contact, it's Harrison's facemask into his upperchest. but thats not the complete hit. what is important is where the helmet goes when Harrison drives through the hit.

 

between 30sec and 31sec in. check it again and you have to do a lot of quick playing/pausing of the video because it happens very quickly, but Harrison's facemask hits Fitz in the upperchest, leaving the crown and top of the helmet to drive into the very bottom of Fitz's facemask, or even WORSE under the facemask and directly into Fitz's chin.

 

unless Harrison is dumb enough to think that his nose is the highest point of his head, he knows that the top of his head (aka his helmet) has no where to go but into Fitz's face.

 

it's not a mistake. it's not poor tackling by a guy who was out of position. it was deliberate and dirty.

[CodeMonkey]

well, youre the only one not seeing it.

On this board anyway. Sneak a peak at a Steelers board

 

I hear what you are saying. But look a few seconds later on that clip when they show Fitz getting up. Does he look like a guy who just got hit in the jaw by the helmet of a unblocked NFL linebacker? He doesn't put his hand to his jaw even once, or shake his head or act the least bit dizzy. He is hurting to be sure, after all he just got run over by a freight train. But a head hit I would have thought would have been a lot more devastating.

[chasincars]

He'll never change, remember he said he would leave football if he couldnt play the way he wanted? As far as what people say here - those who think it was a clean hit youre out numbered here. He's a dirty player with a punk attitude! thats all that is to be said about him

[DrDawkinstein]

On this board anyway. Sneak a peak at a Steelers board

 

I hear what you are saying. But look a few seconds later on that clip when they show Fitz getting up. Does he look like a guy who just got hit in the jaw by the helmet of a unblocked NFL linebacker? He doesn't put his hand to his jaw even once, or shake his head or act the least bit dizzy. He is hurting to be sure, after all he just got run over by a freight train. But a head hit I would have thought would have been a lot more devastating.

 

 

It doesnt matter if there is an injury or not, the hit was dirty and we are all LUCKY that Fitz wasnt injured.

 

If a player winds back and kicks another player in the knee, does it matter if the guy is injured? No, it's a dirty move and a penalty.

 

"No harm, No foul" simply does not apply here. Harrison used a technique that causes injury and is outlawed from the game. Whether Fitz was fine or not doesn't matter (with regards to enforcing the rule. Of course it matters to us )

[Hapless Bills Fan]

Harrison is hard hitter and he plays a very physical brand of football which the NFL doesn't like. They want the Defense just to tackle not to punish the runner or QB like Harrison. He will be fined again for sure. Frankly I think it was a hard hit and there was nothing dirty about it.

 

1. The NFL loves that very physical brand of football. It sells. NFL puts out "100 hardest hits" DVDs and the like

2. Hits leading with the head lead to brain damage later in life. 'Nuff evidence has built up.

3. NFL is paying "lip service" to safety by such penalties and fines. If it meant business, it would be "guys - wrap and tackle. Lead with your head, you're out"

It would be uniformly enforced, offense and defense, not just D on WR and QB.

 

My $0.02

[shrader]

1. The NFL loves that very physical brand of football. It sells. NFL puts out "100 hardest hits" DVDs and the like

2. Hits leading with the head lead to brain damage later in life. 'Nuff evidence has built up.

3. NFL is paying "lip service" to safety by such penalties and fines. If it meant business, it would be "guys - wrap and tackle. Lead with your head, you're out"

It would be uniformly enforced, offense and defense, not just D on WR and QB.

 

My $0.02

 

Even if they wanted to, item 3 is not possible right now. The union would put up a huge fight. They need to start small like they are now. This should be another interesting thing to watch with the new CBA.

[CodeMonkey]

It doesnt matter if there is an injury or not, the hit was dirty and we are all LUCKY that Fitz wasnt injured.

 

If a player winds back and kicks another player in the knee, does it matter if the guy is injured? No, it's a dirty move and a penalty.

 

"No harm, No foul" simply does not apply here. Harrison used a technique that causes injury and is outlawed from the game. Whether Fitz was fine or not doesn't matter (with regards to enforcing the rule. Of course it matters to us )

I wasn't really going for the "no harm no foul" thing.

Just noticed that Fitz did not react like a guy who got hit in the head is all.

[Red]

James thinks he got screwed.

 

I have to agree. I know the officials are bending over backwards to protect QBs these days, but that looked like facemask to the chest to me. I don't think that is illegal, at least not yet. And the official was looking right at it from what looked to be a good angle and threw the flag without hesitation (almost reaching for it just before the hit). Tomlin looked like he was going to blow a gasket after looking at the replay. I think Harrisons reputation preceded him on that play.

 

Interesting to see the leagues response.

 

Codemonkey, usually we agree on our positions of things of the NFL...but on this one, I have to disagree.

 

Now, I am certainly not advocating for NFL QB's to be donning pink jerseys and be warned that they are not to be touched. It is the NFL, and they are players on the field, and should therefore be fair game.

 

What you need to keep in mind, is the effort in the NFL to eliminate players leading with their head, and launching themselves like a missile at a player...just like Harrison did to Fitz.

 

Harrison left his feet, and launched himself head first at Fitzpatrick. That is where I think the harm is. The timing of the hit was not bad. It was too close to call, and I would say a perfectly timed hit for a defender.

 

What is at issue is the WAY in which he went at Fitzpatrick, given his track record of launching himself head first like a missile.

 

His arms were not coming forward to hit AND wrap up the way we learn how to tackle in little league. He launched himself head first with the intention of clobbering Fitzy.

 

I have no problem with the call.

 

well, youre the only one not seeing it.

 

youre right that at the very first point of contact, it's Harrison's facemask into his upperchest. but thats not the complete hit. what is important is where the helmet goes when Harrison drives through the hit.

 

between 30sec and 31sec in. check it again and you have to do a lot of quick playing/pausing of the video because it happens very quickly, but Harrison's facemask hits Fitz in the upperchest, leaving the crown and top of the helmet to drive into the very bottom of Fitz's facemask, or even WORSE under the facemask and directly into Fitz's chin.

 

unless Harrison is dumb enough to think that his nose is the highest point of his head, he knows that the top of his head (aka his helmet) has no where to go but into Fitz's face.

 

it's not a mistake. it's not poor tackling by a guy who was out of position. it was deliberate and dirty.

 

Thank you.

 

This is what I saw, as well.

 

The other point that you don't mention is that Harrison launched himself like a missile at Fitz. Leading with his head, leaving his feet (another basic of tackling is keep your feet planted to drive through the player being tackled. Leaping and launching yourself sets yourself up to look like a big doofus when you miss), and launching himself.

 

That is not a clean play.

 

That's exactly what I saw. He lowered his head and caught Fitz in the chin, which is what he was aiming for all along. This guy is dangerous, not a "hard nosed football player".

 

What's worse is that young kids are watching this BS and thinking that it's the way to play football.

 

So true.

 

This guy needs a serious neck stinger. He needs to get caught really good, and get a good scare of paralysis for the way he launches himself head first at players.

 

He's asking to be in a wheelchair for the rest of his life.

 

Now, before the defenders get their panties in a bunch, NO, I am not advocating for him to get hurt. I would hate to see anyone paralyzed for playing a game (or any other way, quite honestly).

 

But he could use a good scare.

 

There is nothing 'hard nosed' about not knowing how to tackle.

[Simon]

On this board anyway. Sneak a peak at a Steelers board

 

You figure they'd be a little more aware of it since their own Rod Woodson was the master of the crown to the chin and was a primary reason it became outlawed in the first place.

[Blitzburgh]

Codemonkey, usually we agree on our positions of things of the NFL...but on this one, I have to disagree.

 

Now, I am certainly not advocating for NFL QB's to be donning pink jerseys and be warned that they are not to be touched. It is the NFL, and they are players on the field, and should therefore be fair game.

 

What you need to keep in mind, is the effort in the NFL to eliminate players leading with their head, and launching themselves like a missile at a player...just like Harrison did to Fitz.

 

Harrison left his feet, No he didn't

 

and launched himself head first at Fitzpatrick. No he didn't

 

That is where I think the harm is. The timing of the hit was not bad. It was too close to call, and I would say a perfectly timed hit for a defender.

 

What is at issue is the WAY in which he went at Fitzpatrick, given his track record of launching himself head first like a missile.

 

His arms were not coming forward Yes they were to hit AND wrap up the way we learn how to tackle in little league. He launched himself head first with the intention of clobbering Fitzy. No he didn't

 

 

I have no problem with the call.

 

 

 

Thank you.

 

This is what I saw, as well.

 

The other point that you don't mention is that Harrison launched himself No he didn't

like a missile at Fitz. Leading with his head, leaving his feet No he didn't

(another basic of tackling is keep your feet planted to drive through the player being tackled. Leaping and launching yourself sets yourself up to look like a big doofus when you miss), and launching himself.

 

That is not a clean play. Yes it was

 

Edited November 30, 2010 by Blitzburgh

[ColdBlueNorth]

I like Harrison's physical play, but he does need to learn how to avoid leading with his helmet. Harrison likes to leave his feet so he needs to learn that in those situations it is easy to turn a solid hit on a QB into a spearing situation.

 

You really do not need to aim for the head to take someone's head off. You aim high on the chest, lead with your helmet, and follow through to the ground. The helmet will come up and crack the guy under the chin strap every time.

 

If it was an occasional thing with Harrison it would be considered incidental, but he is now "known" for getting his helmet up there when hitting QB's and the league is trying to protect those guys a bit more than in the past from concussions. Look what happened when Adrian knocked the IQ's and skillz right out of Trent's head. I think that boy is still concussed.