Was that fuller hit a penalty?

[IBleedBearsBlood]

Again, Fuller did not in any way, shape, or form “launch”.

And the receiver was lowering his own head down to prepare for a hit. Is that not an attempt at protecting himself?

Unfortunately even if Fuller just stood there and made himself a wall, the nfl will still consider it unnecessary roughness. As a defender, you just have to use your arms there or let the receiver catch the ball. Then have him completely face you or at least completely turned, then go for the tackle. It’s sucks but that’s why they want and what the rules are.

 

[IBleedBearsBlood]

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I think that the WR was already giving himself up had something to do with how he ultimately got hit and the refs making the call. There is only so much you can anticipate as a player and the current rules don't leave a margin for error. That Fuller is sideways here and not clearly 'trying' to spear the guy lets you know he wasn't intentionally head hunting but there's no question he wanted to rock the guy as hard as could within the rules. Just so happens he hit him higher than intended. Shit happens. If he didn't hit his head here, it would have kicked to the right on impact but instead it stayed very stable, indicating the head was hit simultaneously with the body.

Even if he didn’t make contact to the helmet, it will still be a penalty. Unnecessary roughness because it’s a big impact. That’s what they want to eliminate and what the rules enforce. Sucks but it is what it is.

 

[Starion]

This isn't that complicated. The refs got it wrong. Shit happens. This hit was similar to the one last week where the WR's head snapped back so hard that it looked like he was hit in the head. Against the Bucs the refs picked up the flag and called it a fumble. Here they didn't.

The one thing I didn't see was how many steps the WR took. Against the Bucs, he took the 3rd step which made it a catch, he was no longer defenseless, and thus a fumble. Here if he got hit after only the 2nd step then he hasn't been deemed to make a football move yet and thus may still be considered defenseless.

Agreed. Problem is, it takes 2 steps to become a completed catch, so are DBs supposed to allow this only to THEN risk allowing the catch to lay the big hit in hopes of a fumble? nah. Play happens too fast for DBs to time this out as such. Also too fast for calls in real time with the violent hits.

As such, I also don't mind the initial flag throwing TBH. Like Tampa, the need to review it and pick it up when it's actually NOT a penalty. NFL wants drama & suspense. Throw the flag & debate it forever just like the years of "completed catch" bs. Whatever it takes - get it right!!

How many LEGIT pick-6s need to keep getting robbed from this team?? Same with PIs. Contact while going for the ball has been the exact same as what was previously considered SUPER BOWL WINNING INTs for SEA vs. Brady and his darling Pats. It doesn't add up.

 

[Chris Sojka]

It wasn’t a penalty to me

jj pi wasn’t a penalty to me

And the roughing the passer on foles wasn’t roughing the passer either

these refs are getting worse or the details we get watching on tv is just getting that much better

The PI on Foles gets called for Brady, mahommes and Rogers, so everyone should get that call.

 

[Bearly]

Even if he didn’t make contact to the helmet, it will still be a penalty. Unnecessary roughness because it’s a big impact. That’s what they want to eliminate and what the rules enforce. Sucks but it is what it is.

Maybe but hitting high compounds it.

 

[remydat]

Agreed. Problem is, it takes 2 steps to become a completed catch, so are DBs supposed to allow this only to THEN risk allowing the catch to lay the big hit in hopes of a fumble? nah. Play happens too fast for DBs to time this out as such. Also too fast for calls in real time with the violent hits.

As such, I also don't mind the initial flag throwing TBH. Like Tampa, the need to review it and pick it up when it's actually NOT a penalty. NFL wants drama & suspense. Throw the flag & debate it forever just like the years of "completed catch" bs. Whatever it takes - get it right!!

How many LEGIT pick-6s need to keep getting robbed from this team?? Same with PIs. Contact while going for the ball has been the exact same as what was previously considered SUPER BOWL WINNING INTs for SEA vs. Brady and his darling Pats. It doesn't add up.

If he hasnt completed 3 steps then you have to try and knock the ball out without laying a big hit. If he has made a football move ie third step then lay his ass out. Fuller was just a bit early here compared to last week.

I think both TDs returns being called back was right call. It sucks but those are penalties. The problem is the refs didnt call it consistently as when Carolina did same thing to ARob earlier in game it was not flagged.

 

[modo]

Is fuller getting fined for it?

 

[Visionman]

Unfortunately even Fuller just stood there and made himself a wall, the nfl will still consider it unnecessary roughness. As a defender, you just have to use your arms there or let the receiver catch the ball. Then have him completely face you or at least completely turned, then go for the tackle. It’s sucks but that’s why they want and what the rules are.

But thats not true, because Fuller did the exact same thing the week before, and they picked up the flag for it.

 

[IBleedBearsBlood]

Maybe but hitting high compounds it.

Oh for sure.

 

[IBleedBearsBlood]

But thats not true, because Fuller did the exact same thing the week before, and they picked up the flag for it.

You have to understand that not all the refs are going to call it the same. Even the same ref will not call it the same in another game at times. It is what it is. It’s how they see it at that particular time in that particular game. They are not robots. Wish they were to get consistent calls but it’s just not gonna happen. That’s reality. Thing is fans don’t want to see that because it’s against there team. But they are only humans. Even the best at their job fail at times.

 

[Montucky]

I dont see any reason these penalties cannot be called from the booth in real time. It seems like such a difficult judgment for a referee on the field to make, the line between good fundamental hit and penatly.

The other option is roll back these protections to circa. 2010 and let them play ball, but culturally I dont think that's realisitc.

 

[Visionman]

You have to understand that not all the refs are going to call it the same. Even the same ref will not call it the same in another game at times. It is what it is. It’s how they see it at that particular time in that particular game. They are not robots. Wish they were to get consistent calls but it’s just not gonna happen. That’s reality. Thing is fans don’t want to see that because it’s against there team. But they are only humans. Even the best at their job fail at times.

And that’s true. But we are looking at if the call was correct or not, by the definition of the rule. It was not. Just because it LOOKS like a dangerous hit does not make it an ILLEGAL hit.

First game, they talked about it and picked up the flag. That was the right call. The 2nd was not.

 

[Outlaw Josey Cutler]

Shouldn't be a penalty.

I hope Fuller hits like that every week - flag or no flag, fuck this new crackdown on defense. Make the refs work. Call their bluff. They will NOT call penalties every down.

Get physical, D and stay physical. Make it a story how tough the Bears D is by all the talking heads everywhere until refs start accepting the greatness like they do Rodgers, Brady, SEA D back in the day. Let's go.

 

[IBleedBearsBlood]

And that’s true. But we are looking at if the call was correct or not, by the definition of the rule. It was not. Just because it LOOKS like a dangerous hit does not make it an ILLEGAL hit.

First game, they talked about it and picked up the flag. That was the right call. The 2nd was not.

“LOOKED” (since capitalizing is a thing now) like unnecessary roughness. Call was made. Agree to disagree.

 

[Tjodalv]

New reality, guys: any time a player's head snaps back violently - regardless of where the contact was made - they are throwing a flag. The rules don't matter. This is the NFL protecting themselves against further lawsuits by players/NFLPA. Id est: "if they threw a flag on that play and an injury occurred - regardless of the play not actually being against stated rules - we have protected the players!"

The days of cleanly laying someone out are over. This is becoming the rugby version of tackling. Go watch hockey if you still want to see guys laying on heavy hits without it being against the rules/policy?