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
Tommy Harris
October 20th, 2010
11:19 am
…it was a very vicious hit, I’m sorry, love contact football like the next guy, but the hit sent all of the necessary messaging it needed, you wince, and just know it’s over the line. Perhaps a half of dozen times during a game players have the option of taking advantage of an already hard hitting great sport.I’m quite surprised with the comments. Perhaps you have to have had a few concussions to think more clearly on this matter.;)
Golden Talons
October 20th, 2010
11:43 am
It’s a good thing Jack Tatum or Doug Plank aren’t playing these days. They would get fined $50,000.00 per week.
Word.
Tradub
October 20th, 2010
11:48 am
Clean hit by DR. Just knocked the s*@t outta DJ. I do admit that it looked bad; but its football people. Give Duntae his 50 large back…
skydog
October 20th, 2010
12:01 pm
Something has to give.
Bigger & faster hits, but the same strength bones & brains.
If we keep on this same course, we all will be watching the 2nd and 3rd stringers at the end of the year.
Hey, I`m just as Roman as the next guy but something has to give.
There has been a safer uniform designed and test for years, but no one has acted.
Outside padded helment attached to the shoulder pads. Make knee braces mandentory. If everyone is a fuzz slower then no one is slower.
Or like another poster said, Take the face mask off.
mars
October 20th, 2010
1:17 pm
ex-BCS & ex-NFL guy, thank you for an eloquent and well thought out response. Perhaps I misjudged you. Happens. Sorry.
Decatur Native
October 20th, 2010
2:31 pm
Yet his fine suggests the NFL is only serious about sanctioning players who cause injury, not ones who do so with vicious, reckless intent. If Jackson had popped up right after that hit, would Robinson still owe 50K today? I doubt it.
Decisions to fine and suspend can’t be made because of a hit’s end result. Goodell will insist that they’re not doing that, but the Robinson fine proves otherwise. This is a slippery slope for the league to pursue.
from yahoo sports
Frank Wilson
October 20th, 2010
4:06 pm
The comment above about Tommy Nobis and Jessie Tuggle and how the game has changed is ridiculous.
Nobis was equal to Butkus and either of them could play and dominate today………… ESPECIALLY today.
Jessie Tuggle was an all-Pro for one reason; He earned it.
To constantly say that the game has changed and is better and faster and all that guff is just crazy. A man can only run so fast or jump so high or work out so much.
Football is football and NOTHING in the fundamentals has changed.
I have been watching the NFL since the l958 Championship game. I don’t think there is a bigger fan but if the NFL continues to “amend” this game it will no longer be NFL footbell……… it’ll be girls soccer.
Political correctness is ruining football just as it is ruining our society in general.
Get a spine NFL big wigs; Don’t screw up the greatest game going.
Big Guy in Ga
October 20th, 2010
4:22 pm
I’m sorry once he lowered his head he was wrong as far as I’m concerned. He got himself and Jackson a concussion all because he decided to lower head to make the tackle and that preparing to use the head as weapon. I maybe in the minority. But, it should have been penality and I agree with the fine. I’m sorry but, I’ve been following football for over 40 years and that not techique I’d teach my kids and you can make a good clean tackle using the proper techique. That may look good to the fans. But, that is one dangerous move and fact you got two concussions out more than drives that home.
reality
October 20th, 2010
4:56 pm
chuck, you are a retard.you are getting all upset because your prancing partner jackson got flat laid out. Fantastic defensive play. and big guy in ga, you must be closing your eyes. He did not lower his head, hell, he was jumping up to contact the receiver in the chest, ie, where he had the football in his hands that was shortly disconnected from his punk little hands. and for your info, you need to learn to spell if you are teaching kids(technique) once again, great play dunta.
FITZ
October 20th, 2010
5:51 pm
AN APPEAL IS COMIN FROM DUNTA
THE HIT WAS HARD BUT LEGAL
PlanB
October 20th, 2010
7:19 pm
Big Guy in Ga ( Leading with head down). How do you keep your head straight up and make a tackle? How do you hit with your shoulder and not have your head in the vicinity of the tackle? The tackle was shoulder to shoulder with 2 guys going full speed towards each other. DR will probably lose the appeal but only because of the same reason a baseball umpire will not change a call. Once over, it will not be changed. Even if you can see it on replay. What a shame!!!
jim bear
October 20th, 2010
7:58 pm
What were some of you watching? Jackson did NOT drop his head and yes Dunta led with his helmet. the impact was at the top of the pads on the jaw. Look at Jacksons head turn hard to his right. Illegal hit…probably not. Unnecessary…of course. He could have hit him waist high and been just as effective. fine him…of course. The only reason that he is not suspended is that he was hurt also. RonATLfan takes a shot at philly…easy to do…but if the shoe was on the other foot, I wonder who would be hollering FOUL!!!!
Sports Review
October 20th, 2010
11:20 pm
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October 21st, 2010
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FITZ
October 21st, 2010
9:31 am
JIM BEAR GO 2 THE NFL NETWORK THEY HAVE A VIDEO OF THAT HIT BY DUNTA
WATCH THAT AND C IF THAT HIT WAS LEGAL OR ILLEGAL
Tony Menyhart
October 22nd, 2010
5:33 am
Rule 26 is clear. This is an illegal hit because the tackler did not try to grasp the receiver. This rule used to be enforced, and it is not difficult to interpret.discern if the tackler is making a shoulder charge or a tackle.
SECTION 26. Tackling
Tackling is grasping or encircling an opponent with a hand(s) or arm(s).
Sid
October 22nd, 2010
9:47 am
Damn good football hit DR………….!!!
FrontRow
October 22nd, 2010
11:38 am
Devastating football play: DeSean Jackson running free in the secondary. Dunta did what needed to be done.
Given Jackson’s angle and speed, an “arm tackle” may have resulted in a clothes like tackle…also “illegal”.
Ron
October 22nd, 2010
10:26 pm
We are becoming a bunch of pussies in this country women and pie asses run everything, hell you can’t even stand up for yourself anymore, if someone comes up and insults you or puts there hands on your wife, you better not knock the guy on his ass, if you do man your in serious trouble.
Football is tremendously successful and they should leave it alone period!