Comments on: Leavy explains decision to uphold key Pats fumble

By: trekker38

trekker38 — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 20:39:37 +0000

Ridley lowered his helmet to meet the Ravens helmet. Wasn’t the first time that happened. Ray Lewis was flagged on a play after NE did the same. This was mentioned on Sirius XM Radio this morning, and was plainly evident on the field. And by the way, it’s illegal for Brady to kick Ed Reed. Where was the flag for that all you Ravens haters?

By: CKL

CKL — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 20:32:24 +0000

Very tough call based on how close it was either way, but the right call.

Pats fan.

I’m more concerned about Ridley’s health anyway. That fumble wasn’t even close to being the biggest reason they lost.

By: itsfootballbaby

itsfootballbaby — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 20:26:01 +0000

Maybe hard hitting, physical safeties like Pollard are considered dirty in the creampuff AFC East, but in the AFC North, where real football is played, he’s a stud.

By: gomez2u

gomez2u — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 20:14:41 +0000

Leavy and his crew are as much a joke as the replacements. He made this call from the couch instead of being the impartial force on the field real time. Dude, you’re paid to make calls!

The Ravens are nothing if they don’t play rough and the League knows it and lets it go. Tackling by the helmet, always leading with the helmet to tackle and getting that one more hit in after the whistle are their trademarks that bums like Leavy are afraid of managing which only leads to injuries.

Football is a rough sport, but letting the Ravens play dirty and loose shows the refs, League and the players themselves aren’t committed to safety.

By: metitometin

metitometin — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 19:05:21 +0000

Another cheap shot by Pollard. It’s amazing the NFL lets him get away with it. He should be thrown out of the league.

By: Deb

Deb — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 18:06:31 +0000

This was a good call by letter of the rule. But it doesn't explain how Bill Leavy is still a ref in the NFL.

By: ordinaryday6

ordinaryday6 — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 17:53:42 +0000

The runner lowered his head. And he’s a runner. Shouldn’t apply. But shouldn’t have applied til the ray Lewis hit either. Bull that defensive players get penalized for offensive players actions, then the hit on pitta want called. They really tried to give the game to the pats, didn’t they? They just sucked too bad

By: jameslongstaffe

jameslongstaffe — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 17:32:15 +0000

A proper tackle does not include head down. Sometime in the future a player will become paralyzed on a hit like that, & it most likely will be the tackler. That will change the rules.

By: jameslongstaffe

jameslongstaffe — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 17:25:09 +0000

The explanation sounds reasonable in the context of the rules, but I don’t agree with the rules. “Defenseless posture” is open for interpretation, but I think a direct helmet to helmet hit should be a penalty. I am not sure how Ridley is supposed to defend himself from the crown of another helmet on a play like that, so what gives? Ridley was knocked out from the hit, & the ball hit his leg because he was unconscious & is not in control of his body or the ball.

By: patsfiend

patsfiend — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 16:18:11 +0000

As much as I would like to complain about this and a couple other things, the Ravens beat my Pats fair and square. They played tougher, Flacco was better than Brady, and Belichick got out-coached.

I was actually thinking of rooting (a little) for the Ravens before Suggs opened his big, stupid mouth. Then I remembered what a bunch of whiners and poor-winners they are. GO NINERS!

By: spartyfi

spartyfi — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 15:47:43 +0000

Rule needs to be changed to:”any player knocked out cannot fumble.” Protect the players. Clean hit, but the fumble should be disallowed.

By: hodaghunter

hodaghunter — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 15:30:23 +0000

If you are going to flag defensive players for hits to the head then you must adjust the rule and flag offensive players for lowering their helmets and using them as a weapon.
A certain Minnesota running back would never have another 1000 yard season because he wouldn’t be able to use his helmet as a weapon anymore.

By: damadgreek

damadgreek — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 14:56:47 +0000

Can we just make the NFL review process like college football? Have a full time official in the booth and have him decide—if i have to watch a game official walk over to the “hood” one more time im gonna freak.

By: gmsingh

gmsingh — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 14:48:04 +0000

As ketch20too says, Ridley initiated the helmet to helmet contact with Pollard. I thought he was down by contact when I saw the play, but the consensus seems to be that the ball was already coming out before the leg was down. Either way, it was one of may bonehead moves by the Patriots, starting off with the fake fake punt. Has Bellichick been tested for blows to the head?

By: bigbadbills

bigbadbills — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 14:34:22 +0000

All the comments from Patriots fans show why they hold the NFL record for consecutive blackouts at 17 games. If you’re going to be a loud mouth, fair-weather, bandwagon fan at least read a rule book; you can only helmet to a defenseless player. Also, Brady proved my point last night, that he is nothing more than a product of the NFL trying to put fans in the stands in Boston. The guys cant throw the ball more than 10 yards accurately.

By: edukator4

edukator4 — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 14:29:25 +0000

good luck tackling 5′ 8 rbs who lower their head without making contact with the helmet.

the defenseless receiver penalties are already ridiculous, as the receiver who crouches to absorb the hit puts the defender in a no win spot.

By: ziggy26

ziggy26 — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 14:17:08 +0000

Watch the replay, Pollard was clearly aiming for Ridley’s chest/where he was carrying the ball. Ridley dips his head almost a foot, which caused the helmet-to-helmit contact.

By: dusk2k3

dusk2k3 — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 14:16:08 +0000

The running back put his head down before contact. Are we going to call illegal helmet-to-helmet contact on ball carriers? Steven Ridley initiated the contact by putting his head down just before he hit the tackler. It was a good no-call of a penalty and the ball carrier knocked himself out by not following the first rule of running the ball. “Always see where you’re going.”

By: otto00

otto00 — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 14:08:03 +0000

The helmet to helmet and ‘defenseless receiver’ rules are just ridiculous and create a randomness to the enforcement which is maddening. There is no allowance made for intent, or lack thereof. I really hope the NFL doesn’t try to start enforcing H2H rulings to runners with the ball (like Ridley last night). Further neutering of NFL defenses is definitely not necessary.

It is impossible for defenders to adjust mid-air to avoid a descending offensive player. If you look at the call against Ray Lewis in I think the 2nd quarter yesterday – he tries to go lower but the receiver is descending faster than him so the helmets touch. Flag thrown. What was he supposed to do there?

The very next drive, Pitta gets destroyed over the middle on a clearly H2H hit (no matter what Phil Simms says about it being clean) – no flag.

By: rdrdrs58

rdrdrs58 — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 14:05:05 +0000

These rules suck. Mostly because of the inconsistency in which they are called… Pollard was flagged for a defenseless receiver hit he put on Hernandez early in the game yesterday… Then, in the 4th quarter, the Ravens TE Pitts was completely blown up on a hit that was much worse and no flag was thrown… why? In my opinion, both were great hits and neither one should draw a flag… but whatever way its going to be called, be consistent…

By: ketch20too

ketch20too — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 14:00:36 +0000

It was helmet to helmet because Ridley dropped his head and struck Pollard in the head with his helmet

By: ez4me55

ez4me55 — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 14:00:27 +0000

If you watch the play you will see that Ridley lowered his head and pads to drive into the tackler at the same time that the defender lowered his pads to tackle Ridley. Unfortunate circumstance but legal hit. Hopefully Ridley will fully recover… football is a violent sport… DUH!!!!

By: jetblackninja

jetblackninja — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 13:58:19 +0000

I have never seen someone stretch further to call something a fumble in my life, but it really doesn’t matter either way.

The Patriots were beat at that point.

By: gridironrat

gridironrat — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 13:52:16 +0000

Pats fan here – that was a fumble. Not sure why people are making a controversy out of it. It was close but they got the call right.

Having said that, leading with the crown of the helmet is cheap football. But cheap and Bernard Pollard have become synonymous.

By: belichickrulz

belichickrulz — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 13:48:39 +0000

It was definitely a fumble, the refs made the right call and the replay confirmed that.

But Pollard is the dirtiest player in the NFL these days, and this is just one more example. The NFL needs to change the rules to eliminate ALL helmet-to-helmet hits. We’ve had enough Junior Seau’s.

By: gochargersgo

gochargersgo — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 13:48:01 +0000

I love how all of these ravens fans and players are jumping around saying the patriots are arrogant and win with no class. Thus, being guilty of the very thing they accuse the patriots of.

By: lgbarn

lgbarn — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 13:45:54 +0000

I wonder if Pollard will get a fine for the hit. It looked to me that Ridley lowered his head to take on the contact but these things always seem to go the wrong way.

By: jrock3x8

jrock3x8 — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 13:44:19 +0000

I thought he was clearly down and I’m not really a fan of either team. I also think that and the fourth and four brady brain fart really changed the game in favor of the Ravens.

By: swampdawg80

swampdawg80 — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 13:41:13 +0000

It was a lot like like the hit to Pierre Thomas from Dante Whitner in the Saints-49er playoff game. Which the fumble call was also upheld.

By: adebessi

adebessi — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 13:38:28 +0000

How I seen it, Ridley lowered his head before contact, initiating the helmet to helmet hit.