Dunta’s hit on Jackson: Scary, but was it against the rules?
Dunta Robinson was fined $50,000 by the NFL today, and his hit on DeSean Jackson was indeed terrifying. Both men stayed down for a while; both had to be helped to their respective locker rooms; both have been diagnosed with concussions. But now the question:
When did “terrifying” become the same as “illegal”?
The NFL announced today it will start suspending players for “egregious and elevated hits.” (This from Ray Anderson, the league’s director of football operations who was once a Falcon exec.)
On Monday, Anderson told Chris Mortensen of ESPN: “We can’t and won’t tolerate what we saw Sunday … These devastating hits and head shots with a very necessary higher standard of accountability … What we saw Sunday was disturbing. We’re talking about avoiding life-altering impacts.”
Thing is, Robinson’s hit wasn’t helmet-to-helmet. It was shoulder-pad-to-helmet. (It appeared helmet-to-helmet to everyone in the stadium, but replays indicated otherwise.) Robinson was penalized for hitting a defenseless receiver, which Jackson might not have been. He’d gotten his hands on the ball and taken a step and a half before Robinson slammed into him.
Understand: Nobody wants to see a guy’s life or his livelihood imperiled. But what exactly is the definition of “devastating”? Something that just looks bad? That makes the fans in the stands go “Ooh”? In a sport where the idea is to hit the other guy hard, is it possible to be penalized/suspended for hitting cleanly but too hard?
The NFL’s intent is noble. Its methodology will be unworkable. It is, lest we forget, the N-F-L. It’s not the National Flag Football League.
The Eagles’ reaction was instructive: Nobody was heard to call Robinson a headhunter or a taker of cheap shots. If anything, the Eagles were concerned about their man but also about the man who’d hit him. Two guys were playing hard. Too hard, apparently.
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420 comments Add your comment
kenya
October 19th, 2010
4:26 pm
Desean is a tough player he is going to be just fine. He is going to get a new long term multi deal after the season. I been reading the Philly papers he is fine. D. Robinson got more seriously injure then DeSean thank God.
wxwax
October 19th, 2010
4:26 pm
Most decisions in life are shades of gray.
Not this one.
On one side, you believe that the NFL is self-destructing with reckless violent play and that players are taking injuries that will disable them mentally long after they’re done playing. On the other side, you believe that violent hits are part of the game and that nothing should be done.
If you agree that the game is just too violent, then something has to change. Equipment alone isn’t enough to protect the players. You have to eliminate the big hits to the head. You have to *gasp* teach players the fundamental wrap tackle, a thing so rare these days as to have been forgotten.
Sometimes the officials will get it wrong. Sometimes a Dunta Robinson will be unfairly penalized.
That’s OK. If the net result is that Robinson goes lower next time, and maybe focuses more on a wrap tackle than an explosion that sends both men out of the game, possibly for weeks, then good will have been achieved.
scott case
October 19th, 2010
4:27 pm
next, they will ban tackling and make the NFL 2-hand touch.
Decatur Native
October 19th, 2010
4:27 pm
Lee that was super wack for real I bet you think your clever for that
lee
October 19th, 2010
4:27 pm
Hey DeCatur Native show Jan the way to Rev Long church/ personal bedroom.
Decatur Native
October 19th, 2010
4:28 pm
@ wxwax
agreed 100%
Aaron
October 19th, 2010
4:29 pm
These comments are funny now, wack…It was a DIRTY play CASE CLOSE PER THE NFL.
jan
October 19th, 2010
4:29 pm
wxwax……what earth are you from??? lol
Decatur Native
October 19th, 2010
4:29 pm
@ lee did I tell you to start me a bangwagon,
jan
October 19th, 2010
4:32 pm
Lee I am talking FOOTBALL. You are talking church. Obviously!
Decatur Native
October 19th, 2010
4:33 pm
to restate what most of you missed I feel that Robinson hit was by accident not intended, once that happen I didn’t care what team who played for I was hoping both would be ok,the onlt problem is that the NFL is not drawing a clear line to this rule for players to follow
SilentCC
October 19th, 2010
4:37 pm
This issue is a real sticky problem that may not be easy to fix at all. But here’s some thoughts.
Often the difference in what happens on a hard hit is preparedness. And the advantage goes to the defender because he knows exactly when impact will take place, because he is the one in pursuit. The player with the ball never can be sure exactly when and from where he’ll get hit because he can’t account for multiple players coming from multiple directions, so he’ll very rarely be braced for impact or know how to move to avoid injury.Therefore, the player on defense has better control how the impact is going to play out. The problem is that some legal hits can be just as dangerous as illegal ones. That’s where the gray area lies, as we saw in the Robinson hit on Sunday.
Suppose a runner is coming at you with the ball and bends low to ram you, you have no choice but to engage him near his head and shoulders. That happens all the time. So I don’t see this part of football being very black and white enforceable.
HOWEVER, there is another area which is black and white, is absolutely enforceable, and can and should be avoided. And that is tackling by grabbing ANY part of the helmet. Yes, yes, it’s already a penalty, but they need to go further. It should result in a penalty AND the player being disqualified from the game, sent to the locker room and to shower and get dressed, and be fined a Sundays pay. Out of the game and loss of pay for that game. Why so severe? Because — the potential damage is of a broken neck or loss of life. And that infraction CAN always be avoided simply by the choice of the defender not to grab the helmet.
And why should the NFL crack down heavily? They are seeing real potential for some horrendous injuries to happen and they don’t want to be culpable. Here’s a real world example — It’s like the new four lane highway near where I live that had no stop lights at dangerous intersections for years. But they have lights in those places now. What made city/county officials finally decide to do the safe thing and install lights? MULTIPLE people died or were severely injured at those intersections that we all knew were potential death traps. And it all could have been avoided.
That’s what the NFL if trying to do. Avoid avoidable catastrophe. And good for them. Remember, the attacking defender has the choice as to how he’s going to make the tackle. You want to grab the helmet? Then adios for the day, go get your shower, get dressed, and leave your day’s pay on the table. And better luck next week.
Jay
October 19th, 2010
4:37 pm
The play was a legal play however glad that Mr.Jackson will be okay.
mark
October 19th, 2010
4:39 pm
Hey Kenya i know you love Desean Jackson he young, fine you say. But lets hope both players are doing well.
Dollarbill
October 19th, 2010
4:39 pm
Legit hit. They had to throw a penalty or the Philly fans would have caused a ruckus. Only men allowed in the middle. Hope everybody will be ok but that is the game.
bill curry chicken
October 19th, 2010
4:40 pm
it wasn’t dirty. it wasn’t a helmet to helmet hit. if he hits, and yes, he’s supposed to hit him, any lower, the guy’s having some kind of surgery right now on a hip, spline or knee or something. it was an ugly hit, but he’s not supposed to arm tackle him, is he? and a play thats going that fast, i thought he did a great job of not hitting head to head…
jan
October 19th, 2010
4:41 pm
DOLLAR BILL….Very well said!!
do-dah do-dah
October 19th, 2010
4:42 pm
Jan you certainly are entitled to your opinion about what NFL football should be like. I am most pleased, however, that it appears that the NFL is finally going to make some changes to what is acceptable regarding helmet hits.
jan
October 19th, 2010
4:43 pm
….This is why you rarely see MOSS go down the middle for a catch. If he see’s that Back’ coming for the hit, he will just let it go….lol………the middle is only for MEN!
jan
October 19th, 2010
4:45 pm
DO DAH….ONE MORE TIME AGAIN….lol….almost every hit involves a helmet!! As a earlier post mentioned, what happens when a rb comes down the middle getting ready to hit a db and and the rb lowers his head to take or give the hit? penalty/fine for the rb?
Mark Bradley's Editor
October 19th, 2010
4:46 pm
We apologize for Mark not recognizing that Dunta had his head down and slammed the crown of his head into the lower facemask (hey, it is part of the helmet) of DeSean Jackson. As you can tell, Mark didn’t play football and doesn’t know how violent of a collision that is.
Decatur Native
October 19th, 2010
4:46 pm
@ SilentCC
“The problem is that some legal hits can be just as dangerous as illegal ones. That’s where the gray area lies, as we saw in the Robinson hit on Sunday”
thats the point I’m making, it’s a contact sport
do-dah do-dah
October 19th, 2010
4:46 pm
One more time Jan- the NFL is going to come down hard on illegal hits. Deal with it.
Decatur Native
October 19th, 2010
4:49 pm
Robinson did what coaches tell him to do, tackle the ball which you can clearly see he was trying to do
jan
October 19th, 2010
4:49 pm
Hockey looks more exciting now…..lololol…….where the real MEN resides?? Just a thought, getting off the point there for a sec…lol
Eugene
October 19th, 2010
4:50 pm
The Falcon played liked they were wearing pink. The question that I want to know the answer to is why the NFL does not do for player whose careers are ended prematurely or who suffer from chronic conditions after the end of their professional careers. I guess football is about to go the way of American boxing.
Ackshun
October 19th, 2010
4:52 pm
Look I hate to say this but this is the game. That guy caught the ball and took a lick in return. THIS IS FOOTBALL it;’s fast hard and dangerous that’s why they make the big bucks. But to make a defensive player second guess themselves before laying the proverbial wood to someone basically neuters the whole game. Let those reactionary candy-asses at the league off have their way and pretty soon we will all be watching “flag-football” or worse yet… soccer.
do-dah do-dah
October 19th, 2010
4:52 pm
Try Australian Rules football maybe?
Jack Tatum
October 19th, 2010
4:53 pm
You come over the middle, I’ll put you in a wheel chair.
ATLcracker
October 19th, 2010
4:54 pm
Sorry to be late to the party but I looked at this video multiple times and there is nothing there. It was right shoulder pad to left shoulder pad. Their heads are nearby but that’s anatomy. Their heads came forward but that is just deceleration effect. Robinson did not lauch himself. He actually seemed to slow up slightly and brace himself. The receiver was relatively exposed but he made no effort to curl up before the hit and he had time. This was unavoidable no matter how you write the rules.
Decatur Native
October 19th, 2010
4:57 pm
@ Eugene
awsome point, they want to extend the season but don’t want to gurantee contracts so if a player has a career ending injury they will be covered, my question to ya’ll would you work a job with no worker comp to cover you from a work related injury?No you wouldn’t neither would I, this is PR moving to the fullest, you *think* they care about the players is all they wanted from this but if they really do they would cover an injured player
do-dah do-dah
October 19th, 2010
4:57 pm
Ackshun The players today already have to stop and think throughout the game- can I get there before he goes out of bounds- can I get there before the QB delivers the ball, blocking downfield, throwing outside the tackle box,timing the hit, turning to find the ball, etc, etc, etc. They are very seldom in a mode where they do not think but just react.The NFL will adjust just fine to the new rules I think.
wxwax
October 19th, 2010
4:58 pm
To all the paper tigers who say “This is football”…
It’s not. It’s not how the game was played when it was in black-and-white. The mega-hits are a modern addition.
It will still be football when players go back to a more traditional way of playing the game.
On a more personal note, it’s not clear to me how anyone can condone a style of play which is proven to cause brain damage and which leads to permanent disability later in life, a disability which includes the possibility of untreatable depression and suicide.
do-dah do-dah
October 19th, 2010
4:59 pm
wxwax hear, hear.
jerry
October 19th, 2010
4:59 pm
Why not just take the helmets away and let it be mano a mano.
jan
October 19th, 2010
4:59 pm
wxwax….you mean back to traditional hitting like the hits Butkus was making ….BACK THEN???? lol
jan
October 19th, 2010
5:01 pm
First time I ever met so many football “woooosies” in one room!
Decatur Native
October 19th, 2010
5:01 pm
DO-dah *2 good point you made but but only if this adjustment doesn’t take away from the game itself, but good point nonetheless, now like a fellow blogger said the other day “I’m bout to pull a Bobby Cox
tell it like it is
October 19th, 2010
5:01 pm
I thought it was a good hit,the only one made by the Falcons on sunday!
Najeh Davenpoop
October 19th, 2010
5:01 pm
Robinson got fined, not suspended.
I thought of all the hits that were being talked about, Robinson’s was the cleanest. It seemed worse because DeSean Jackson is so small.
Dan
October 19th, 2010
5:02 pm
Wxwax sure because the famous hit on frank gifford by bednarik was just a tap. The hits are a bit more frequent now mainly because of size and speed but they were always there and that my friend is the traditional way. So if you are going to make the argument that it should be toned down thats fine just don’t try and use a false history to make your point. There was nothing even a little bit dirty about robinsons hit. Others this weekend were but not that one
Tee
October 19th, 2010
5:03 pm
D.Robinson was just fine $50000 by the NFL
Shane Falco
October 19th, 2010
5:03 pm
That’s why girls don’t play the game coach.
tim
October 19th, 2010
5:05 pm
The guy should get a penalty for having a name like DUNTA. Is that a real name? Is it on the list of stupid names black parents name their kids??
Ted Striker
October 19th, 2010
5:07 pm
Ex-BCS/NFL person —
Maybe you had half a cup of coffee in the NFL, the CFL, the UFL, or the Napa Valley PTA before showing up on this blog. But one thing is for sure. You sure didn’t graduate from Stanford, MIT, or Harvard.
Todd - Dacula
October 19th, 2010
5:08 pm
The QB shoudl have taken the sack; by not doing so he put his receiver in danger. This is exactly why Reid is starting Vick. This guy Kolb will get someone killed…
All I'm Saying Is...
October 19th, 2010
5:13 pm
Dunta’s was a clean, legal football hit. Its a contact sport. If you want to protect the players then you have two options:
1) Play flag football or two-hand touch
or
2) Eliminate a helmet and pads—no hard hits and no head-to-head collisions anymore
Dan
October 19th, 2010
5:14 pm
Atl cracker you are correct, the irony here is the hit is actually more forceful if the feet are on the ground. When one is in the air the force can be distributed by movement as bodies recoil when the feet are on the ground and braced more of the energy is absorbed by the body. The “launching” rule sounds good but really serves no purpose
wxwax
October 19th, 2010
5:14 pm
Jan, I suggest you visit YouTube and play some Butkus videos.
You’ll be disappointed.
Don’t let a myth become your reality. Butkus may have been tough for his time.
But compared to what happens today, his violence was middle-of-the-road.
do-dah do-dah
October 19th, 2010
5:15 pm
Fox analyst Mike Pereira, the NFL’s vice president of officiating from 2004-’09, believes that Robinson was put in a tough spot.
“Robinson didn’t launch, but he did lower his head and made contact on what appeared to be on the [right] shoulder,” Pereira wrote on the website FoxSports.com. “Jackson is considered defenseless as the pass was incomplete and as a defender, Robinson is not allowed to lower his head and contact Jackson anywhere on his body.”