Keanu Neal. This was so intentional that the only recourse should have been immediate ejection.
This is why I don't let any of my kids play football. I let my son play freshman football a few years ago and he got ear-holed in a game with a similar hit. The other team's entire sideline was euphoric celebrating the hit. It was a despicable act. Leading me to conclude that these sort of tactics are undoubtedly taught by the neanderthals who still "coach" and "teach" the game.
I know this is old ground, but barbaric acts need to be called out and the punishment needs to be severe.
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Sad reality is he should probably consider retiring.
Sad reality is he should probably consider retiring.
I agree. He needs to think about what the rest of his life will be like.
Sad reality is he should probably consider retiring.
Yeah, he's been lit up a few times. Either last year or the prior year, and Cowboy safety absolutely destroyed him with a head shot.
In our area in northern Virginia, the participation rate in football continues to trend down year after year. Parents just want no part of the sport and the downside.
And it was a preseason game to boot...
God I hated that segment and still do.
God I hated that segment and still do.
I hated that Tom Jackson stooped to that level.
Whatever. Keep thinking these type of hits are just incidental.
The object of the game is to actually tackle. There was no intent to tackle. The intent was to lay Reed out. And, alas, Neal did.
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Yes is was a brutal hit, but nothing dirty about it. Reed catches the ball and runs for 5 yards before the hit occurs. Neal comes in leading with his shoulder and Reed ducks his head. Its actually the front of Reeds helmet that makes contact with the side of Neals helmet. Reed sees Neal coming. If you don't believe me, watch the clip in slow motion and you will see it. I concede that all of this happens at such high speed, the obvious call is unnecessary roughness on Neal. Unfortunately this is just the reality and risks of football.
Whatever. Keep thinking these type of hits are just incidental.
The object of the game is to actually tackle. There was no intent to tackle. The intent was to lay Reed out. And, alas, Neal did.
"There was no intent to tackle" THAT....is the salient point in all of this. Very good observation and it should be pointed out to the league.
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Yes is was a brutal hit, but nothing dirty about it. Reed catches the ball and runs for 5 yards before the hit occurs. Neal comes in leading with his shoulder and Reed ducks his head. Its actually the front of Reeds helmet that makes contact with the side of Neals helmet. Reed sees Neal coming. If you don't believe me, watch the clip in slow motion and you will see it. I concede that all of this happens at such high speed, the obvious call is unnecessary roughness on Neal. Unfortunately this is just the reality and risks of football.
Whatever. Keep thinking these type of hits are just incidental.
The object of the game is to actually tackle. There was no intent to tackle. The intent was to lay Reed out. And, alas, Neal did.
Yep. This is the type of hit that was intended when the rules were revised. There's no attempt to tackle - it is a launching into the carrier by leading with the head. It's going to be tough to eliminate this type of action - even moreso because some players are still going for knockout blows.
That is a dirty, illegal hit that has no place in any game, let alone a preseason one.
Until the league begins to do that they are not taking this type of hit seriously enough.
With that said
The goal is to crush the will of the team. The hit is illegal now, so it shouldn't be done....but that safety was doing what he needed to do...stop the forward momentum of that player
Think about other sports/situations. If you make a dirty tackle in soccer, you can be kicked out immediately. There are legitimate methods of tackling, but if you intentionally try to gouge a leg or run full force with a body-block, you'll get a red card.
If you are playing flag football, if you hammer a player to the ground and then rip off the flag, it is against the rules. The way the NFL officiates - they've actually allowed hits like this to continue. With all of the subjective interpretation they've put in about lowering the head, why not remove those shit rules and say if there isn't an attempt to make a tackle (not a body blow), then it is a penalty. Still plenty subjective, but it basically makes launching into a player illegally and it is damn easy to interpret.
No effort to wrap a player up or grab at the legs, it is illegal.
Too much bulk this day and age of players makes it even more deadly.
Suspensions and immediate ejections only thing at this moment to do. Unless limit to "touch football" like eventually. Players more syronger and bigger nowadays
The goal is to crush the will of the team. The hit is illegal now, so it shouldn't be done....but that safety was doing what he needed to do...stop the forward momentum of that player
And because of such a great act of bravery and manhood by Neal, Reed will likely forget what he had for breakfast, lunch, and dinner the next few weeks...
Mission accomplished - right?
The goal is to tackle the ball carrier, period. This isn't a no-holds barred event. You can't trip a runner. You can't punch him. This isn't Rollerball or something where everything goes.
It's like saying loading up boxing gloves is fine since the goal is to knockout the opponent. It is illegal, so it shouldn't be done, but you are doing what you need to - hit the boxer with as much force as possible!
I do not wish any harm on Reed, but he knows what he signed up for....also if the safety came a little lower and Reed ran him over on his way to a TD. Barkley leave several in his wake.....
Football is an impact sport.
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The goal is to crush the will of the team. The hit is illegal now, so it shouldn't be done....but that safety was doing what he needed to do...stop the forward momentum of that player
And because of such a great act of bravery and manhood by Neal, Reed will likely forget what he had for breakfast, lunch, and dinner the next few weeks...
Mission accomplished - right?
Oh please he was trying to lay a hit on the guy.
Oh please he was trying to lay a hit on the guy.
I agree. Neal was trying to hit Reed with a helmet to helmet hit. And he "succeeded".
Not saying rugby did not have impacts but its more a grab and control...ball posession...the injuries are different.
I do not wish any harm on Reed, but he knows what he signed up for....also if the safety came a little lower and Reed ran him over on his way to a TD. Barkley leave several in his wake.....
Football is an impact sport.
Reed did not sign up to - nor does anybody anymore - absorb an intentional helmet to helmet hit.
The basic rules of the game are to block and tackle. If that's what you mean by "impact" then we agree.
When I started coaching rugby at my high school, I was amazed at the difference. Our players get fewer concussions while missing fewer tackles and limiting yards after contact by simply getting their head to the side and wrapping up. Our DC was skeptical because of how it looked, but was fully on board after his players came back better tacklers the next season.
The only debate is the location of hit...he was spearing with his head down..otherwise, he did nothing wrong. He should have had a head up...to see where he was hitting.
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Oh please he was trying to lay a hit on the guy.
I agree. Neal was trying to hit Reed with a helmet to helmet hit. And he "succeeded".
Except he didn't. Nobody is looking to do that. Nobody. Defenders get concussions from those hits too.
When I started coaching rugby at my high school, I was amazed at the difference. Our players get fewer concussions while missing fewer tackles and limiting yards after contact by simply getting their head to the side and wrapping up. Our DC was skeptical because of how it looked, but was fully on board after his players came back better tacklers the next season.
Pete Carroll has been teaching this very thing in Seattle for a few years now. I'm not sure of the stats, but when I watch them play they seem like one of the better tackling teams in the NFL.
And the defending are trying to stop the runner anyway they can.
Force vs Force.
And no offense to the NFL.....but I rarely see "tackles". No one wraps up.....mostly just hits
They've moved away from celebrating big-time hits, and that's positive. But people still celebrate that on the sidelines, on social media, and it still changes the way offensive players act so to them it may be worth the flag and maybe a small fine.
Neal was taking on a significantly larger player with a full head of steam, while Neal himself had a maybe 4 or 5 steps to plant and change directions from what looked like standstill. And Reed twisted and changed his position at the last moment - he was facing Neal squared up until he turned his head. Neither was Reed defenseless per the accepted definition.
This looks like football to me. I guess people want Neal to pull up and try to arm tackle him somehow, and likely give up additional yardage.
This wasn't some BS spearing type of move like Dawkins launching his helmet into people's backs.
And the defending are trying to stop the runner anyway they can.
Force vs Force.
And no offense to the NFL.....but I rarely see "tackles". No one wraps up.....mostly just hits
What the safety is trying to do their is remove man from ball. You do that be laying a hit directly into the ball/chest area. Do say this was on purpose is so off base. Should it be a penalty? Absolutely, and like I said I'd like to see the NFL go to a yellow card accumulation model that results in suspensions.
- take out the legs/knee while engaged by another defender. Players don't generally try to end another guy's career.
- tackle his ass knowing that not only will you not make a tackle but you might shed you own defender off of the ballcarrier.
- aim for the shoulder knowing that you're likely going to make contact with part of the helmet
Because Reed is low/leaning forward, there are no other target areas.
I do not believe that the goal was helmet to helmet.
You're kidding, right?
Neal is ten yards away when Reed makes the catch and exhibits NO effort to tackle with his arms. The LB is trying to tackle Reed from behind, and Neal is going for the kill.
If you are comfortable defending these acts of football terrorism, than you and I have a different understanding how the game should be played.
And the defending are trying to stop the runner anyway they can.
Force vs Force.
And no offense to the NFL.....but I rarely see "tackles". No one wraps up.....mostly just hits
No, the defender shouldn't be trying to stop the runner anyway they can. There are techniques in place for them to follow to bring down a runner. These are also known as rules of the game.
And the defending are trying to stop the runner anyway they can.
Force vs Force.
And no offense to the NFL.....but I rarely see "tackles". No one wraps up.....mostly just hits
And, no, I didn't play organized football. My dad chose wrestling as my contact sport at 6. I wrestled into high school until I got hurt.
I ended up becoming a very good tennis player. Received a D1 scholarship. And, yes, I know that is an odd path to take... ;)
But "football terrorism".....seriuosly?
If Reed stayed up, it would have been a fair and legal hit....only because Reed fell, it became head to head.
I will give bad technique, as he should be seeing what he is hitting and the helmet to helmet cause the penalty....
gets his name in lights and the thug type coaches reward
players for hurting other players . The missile launch
is reckless and dangerous . Reed needs to take a long hard
look at where he will be five years from now . Neal needs to be punished for the hit and everyone else that does the same
the basic form tackle has gone by way of the dinosaur
because it takes more work to be good at it much easier to
just try to knock them out of the frame instead of a pure tackle . Even in last nights game I mentioned Goodson who is more of the old school player that is a solid tackler and packs a punch as opposed to these shoulder tackles that players bounce off of and continue to gain yards where a proper tackle will stop the player from doing so .
Guys like Andre Watters Brian Dawkins both took some cheap shots Wes Hopkins not so but Dawkins was damn good though .
it goes back to fundamental football form tackling ect