<![CDATA[Rules Rant #1: Bring Back Spearing]]>I'm really tired of all this "helmet-to-helmet" BS. Especially when half of it, or better, is either really face mask rather than helmet contact or is caused by an offensive player ducking into a defender...

I think I have a solution...

Once upon a time there was a penalty called spearing. It was for hitting a defenseless player already on the ground with the crown of the helmet, i.e., diving in with head lowered. Bring this rule back and apply it to contact with all body parts in all situations all over the field and on both sides of the ball.

Lead with a lowered the head and get flagged... whether you are tackling or being tackled... blocking or being blocked...

Lead with your head up and hit what you want... as hard as you want.

Injuries go down and tackling improves to boot... as my HS coaches always said, "See what you hit".

In the league's most infamous hit, Darryl Stingley ducked his head and the crown of his helmet was hit by Jack Tatum's right shoulder pad. No one can be sure, but the odds are that had he kept his head up, he'd have walked off the field.

In the "old days" players, who couldn't help but duck, would resort to wearing a strap snapped to the upper back of their helmets and their shoulder pads to restrict how far they could lower their head.

Next I'll be working on this "between-the-thighs-and-shoulders-of-the-QB" BS. Now that they're flagging DL's crawling on the ground because they've been knocked there, something has to be done... but that's for another time and another rant...

]]>https://brownsboard.com/topic/21344/rules-rant-1-bring-back-spearingRSS for NodeThu, 01 Oct 2026 16:33:20 GMTSat, 31 Dec 2011 23:10:55 GMT60<![CDATA[Reply to Rules Rant #1: Bring Back Spearing on Sun, 01 Jan 2012 19:24:29 GMT]]>It would all be a moot point if the NFL took a zero tolerance policy toward Human Growth Hormone and Performance Enhancing Drugs. When you have 270 pound linebackers who are as strong as a 340 lineman and as quick as a 185 pound receiver...........you are going to have injuries.

Get rid of Roger Goodell and his ego!

]]>https://brownsboard.com/post/263393https://brownsboard.com/post/263393Sun, 01 Jan 2012 19:24:29 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Rules Rant #1: Bring Back Spearing on Sun, 01 Jan 2012 18:52:07 GMT]]>

@roach said:

i have a solution too. Take the facemasks off the helmets. That will clean up the tackles.

... or NOT... this just happened...

A member of the Texans' kick-off team lost his helmet, chased down the Titans' return man and tackled him head to helmet... 😁

Actually... the return man did duck his helmeted head a little... 😉

]]>https://brownsboard.com/post/263387https://brownsboard.com/post/263387Sun, 01 Jan 2012 18:52:07 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Rules Rant #1: Bring Back Spearing on Sun, 01 Jan 2012 16:13:53 GMT]]>

@roach said:

i have a solution too. Take the facemasks off the helmets. That will clean up the tackles.

There you go. Helmets and face masks have become so big they ate just used as weapons.

Watch a rugby match. Noones leading with the head there.

]]>https://brownsboard.com/post/263372https://brownsboard.com/post/263372Sun, 01 Jan 2012 16:13:53 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Rules Rant #1: Bring Back Spearing on Sun, 01 Jan 2012 06:27:48 GMT]]>

@tour2ma said:

I'm really tired of all this "helmet-to-helmet" BS. Especially when half of it, or better, is either really face mask rather than helmet contact or is caused by an offensive player ducking into a defender...

I think I have a solution...

Once upon a time there was a penalty called spearing. It was for hitting a defenseless player already on the ground with the crown of the helmet, i.e., diving in with head lowered. Bring this rule back and apply it to contact with all body parts in all situations all over the field and on both sides of the ball.

i have a solution too. Take the facemasks off the helmets. That will clean up the tackles.

]]>https://brownsboard.com/post/263355https://brownsboard.com/post/263355Sun, 01 Jan 2012 06:27:48 GMT