NFL Helmet rule passes

[CM Hooe]

Quoting Mestevo from the thread discussing the rule in the Pro Football forum:

Quote: Originally Posted by mestevo

Lowering your head isn't going to draw a penalty, hitting someone with it will. From PFT's writeup: "Initiating contact with the crown of the helmet is a foul if the runner or tackler delivers a forceable blow against his opponent when both players are outside the tackle box."

I don't think this will affect Madden's gameplay much if at all, outside of maybe the removal of one or two over-the-top trucking animations. I don't recall seeing many instances of Earl Campbell-style bowling over defenders by a RB in the open field in Madden, however, which might be affected by this rule change.

It'd be neat to see added an occasional penalty for low-AWR high-TRK RBs, but that will probably have to wait for Madden to expand the penalty system first, and even then the NFL tends to dislike the representation of personal fouls in Madden. To the end of penalties, properly implementing pass interference and defensive holding takes priority over this new rule anyway, IMO.

[WildFan22]

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com...than-believed/

"The new rule prohibits ball carriers and defensive players from initiating contact in the open field with the crown of the helmet. The crown, as explained by Rams coach Jeff Fisher, is the top of the helmet. The facemask and hairline of the helmet may still be used to initiate contact.

Fisher emphasized that ball carriers will be permitted to protect themselves, by dropping their pads and dipping their helmets. A foul arises only if the top of the helmet is used to ram the opponent."

[cuttingteeth]

In theory, every time a RB dives for extra yards when past the Oline, this penalty can be enforced. The issue with such a interpretive kind of penalty is going to be major inconsistency.

I just can't stand any of these helmet related, interpretive kinds of penalties. They kill me. 90% of the fined hits last year weren't intentional helmet-to-helmet hits. Even in the replays, which are where the people fining the players are making their decisions, it was clear. Until people start looking life giraffes where our heads are nowhere near our shoulders, helmets are going to bump.

[mestevo]

Quote: Originally Posted by cuttingteeth

In theory, every time a RB dives for extra yards when past the Oline, this penalty can be enforced. The issue with such a interpretive kind of penalty is going to be major inconsistency. I just can't stand any of these helmet related, interpretive kinds of penalties. They kill me. 90% of the fined hits last year weren't intentional helmet-to-helmet hits. Even in the replays, which are where the people fining the players are making their decisions, it was clear. Until people start looking life giraffes where our heads are nowhere near our shoulders, helmets are going to bump.

Rule doesn't apply in the area of the tackle box. Bumping helmets is fine, delivering a hit specifically with the crown of your helmet is what this is addressing.

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[BTownSlinger]

Goodell and the owners are not killing the sport, the past players who knew what they were doing and suffered concussions doing so, then suing, is killing the sport. Goodell and the owners have to cover their butts to keep from having lawsuit after lawsuit.

So fine, the players want to sue - these rules and more will be instated.

[cuttingteeth]

You have to wonder, too, is this why the owners wanted the bigger piece of the pie per the whole CBA stuff? They make more money, so they then control the lawsuits, spending and ultimately the game itself.

[hanzsomehanz]

Emitt was not fond of this rule but another legend (jim brown?) advocated that backs need to rely on leading with their shoulders more. I think AP runs with that leading the shoulder style the most efficiently.

As for virtual gameplay on Madden, I feel the game does a poor job of replicating how defenders anticpate and absorb ball carriers. There is a sense of self preservation among the span of most would be tacklers in the flesh. Tackle warping needs to be removed to lessen the impact and frequency of "sticking it to 'em." Its the safeties who most often hit stick w their shoulder but lbs are taught to put the helmet to the side, wrap and drive thru. In Madden there is too many instances that showcase a suicide bomber tackling style.

I hope to see less instances of stand up shoulder shivers from the defence. Limit it to hits on catch attempts. As for ball carrier trucking; the game as a total needs to empasize player safety which is the vision Goddell has: to make the game less barbaric. MMA started off very barbaric like the nfl did as some one alluded. The MMA is now more structured w rules that make the sport more technicallly sound. The sport is still booming so is football. The next generation will continue to adjust.

For the most part they are circling back to safety precautions they initiated in the first leg of the sport. Now its innovations in rules but still centered on player safety. The sport itselt is not diminissing the physicality rather they are enforcing rules that challenge a players physicality to be more technically sound. Madden could use some similar innovations in making their game more technically sound.

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[daniel77733]

Horrible rule change in reality. Mine as well just play flag football. I understand Goodell is trying to make the game safer but at the same time, football is a violent sport and that cant be changed. NFL has to be careful because if you keep watering down the product, eventually, you're going to lose a lot of fans. They wont care anymore.

As for Madden, this doesnt affect the game at all because well, penalties are rarely if ever called anyway.