If the goal is to minimize concussions, it’s not working. Neither fans nor players are omniscient. We can’t know if a defender was trying to injure a receiver, and they can’t know when launching if a receiver will change position the nanosecond before they make contact. There must be a more effective way to address concussions. And instead of arguing among ourselves, we should be putting intense pressure on the league to FIX OFFICIATING ISSUES.

I truly believe Flacco would have gotten the same treatment as Roethlisberger. However we ALL know McAuley wouldn’t have told Brady “He was just trying to tackle you. So I just let it go at that.” It’s high time that nonsense stopped and the league started fining officials for their screwups. Either a play is illegal or it’s not–no matter who is under center. This inconsistency undermines the integrity of the league. If the NCAA can manage to have booth review on every play, surely the NFL can.

Its the same type of hit that Harrison’s been fined for all year. Get used to the AFC North bias, Goodell wants the league to be weak like the NFC West.. YAY! *gag*

Contrast this to the “Harrison is a thug and should be put in jail” crowd.

“McClain did not lead with the shoulder, forearm or the helmet,” Pereira said.

Really? Did you even watch the replay Pereira?????

We love the hate Florio, keep bringing it.

If ever the NFL was going to suspend a player for an illegal hit, this is the NFL’s opportunity.

Hard to say helmet-to-helmet, looked more like forearm to facemask.

I would put this one in the category of Harrison’s hit on Massaquoi, which was the only “illegal” one I’ve seen him fined for so far this year.

McClain clearly aimed for the head and hit it. Defenseless player hit to the head,. Perhaps Harbaugh needs to learn what the rules are.

And for the douche from the Ravens FO that sent the complaint in to PFT, maybe you ought to tell your coach not to sit there on national tv and lecture the Steelers on hits when he and his own team dont understand what is legal and illegal.

Harbaugh also coached his players to dive at James Harrison’s knees on an extra point attempt. He should be thrown out of the league!

No classcoach, no class city, no class organization, no class team with 2 murderers on the roster.

HE’S STILL DEAD, HE’S STILL DEAD chants next game in Pittsburgh right Lewis & Stallworth? Too bad Pittsburgh folks have class or our radio stations would drum up those chants!!!

Fire Goodell.

I’ll save a box of Kleenex for all the Stiller fans crying about their James “headhunter” Harrison.

BTW – Nice try on the back pedal, Florio. Your name isn’t Fonzerelli ( I was wwrrrr…..)

ccoolahan14
AFC North standings WITHOUT rigging: Ravens- 10-2; Steelers- 8-4. That’s NOT UP FOR DEBATE

Don’t look at me to try to debate you. My momma taught me to be wise enough to not argue with an obvious fool.

The video is inconclusive. You don’t see their helmets hit head-on, and you don’t see them miss. The first replay looks like the impact may have happened on the sides of their helmets. But again, it’s impossible to tell, if you ask me.

I’m a Steelers fan and I have no idea if McClain was trying to hurt Miller. As the Ravens are saying, Miller was falling and McClain was coming in full speed. He doesn’t overtly throw his elbows out as far as I can tell, and it’s not a head-on collision. He might crouch a bit before the collision, but I have no idea if he’s bracing for the hit or not. I don’t see anything definitive about his intent when watching that video. Maybe I’m missing something.

Which is why I’ve argued from the beginning that this whole thing is a mess. People can argue that the rules for illegal hits are clear-cut, but in looking at how they have (and haven’t) been applied over the past few weeks, I can honestly say it’s impossible to know based on the application of these supposedly clear-cut rules. In my eyes, it’s been wildly inconsistent at best.

There’s simply no way an NFL player running at full speed can predict and react quickly enough to ensure that they are always “legal”. No way.

Mike Pereira: For the same reason, Patrick, that a flag was not thrown for Harrison’s hit on Massaquoi that resulted in the $75,000 fine.

It’s obvious that the officials on the field DID NOT think it was a foul. McClain did not lead with his helmet, and the contact appeared to me to be on the shoulder, which still falls under the context of a foul.

from PFT:
“McClain did not lead with the shoulder, forearm or the helmet,” Pereira said. “I know the defenseless player rule doesn’t say anything about leading with the shoulder but when you watch this play in real time, it truly happened so fast that the contact was clearly unavoidable, and McClain did not lower his head, lift his forearm or lead with the shoulder.”

read the last two lines of both…which is it? he lead with his shoulder or he didn’t? did he get his head snapped backwards by McClains Stomach?

From just looking at it, McClain absolutely crushed Miller after he didn’t catch the ball, and was the perfect definition of defenseless receiver. I agree that these are split second situations, and it is tough to determine the real intentional nature of it all. It would have been better for McClain if as a finely tuned athelete he could have shown more of an attempt to get out of the way. It really didn’t look like he did that.

Therefore, if for example a Harrison or a Samual from the Eagles gets penalized and fined for their similar recent hits, then the officials should have penalized and fined McClain. They didn’t penalize McClain. They are not doing a very good job this year with this issue, among others.

Looking at the hit is sickening quite frankly. Amazing Miller got up from that.

GO STEELERS!!

This league & officials get more pathetic each year, all led by King Dunce Goodell.