Football returned on Thursday night with the Hall of Fame Game between the Baltimore Ravens and Chicago Bears. It was also the debut of the new helmet rule, which is as confusing as the old catch rule but has a chance to affect every single play.
The new rule – approved by NFL owners in March – reads: "It is a foul if a player lowers his head to initiate and make contact with his helmet against an opponent. Contact does not have to be to an opponent's head or neck area – lowering the head and initiating contact to an opponent's torso, hips, and lower body, is also a foul. Violations of the rule will be easier to see and officiate when they occur in open space – as opposed to close line play – but this rule applies anywhere on the field at any time.
Penalties for lowering the head include a loss of 15 yards, an automatic first down (if foul is committed by the defense), and, under the following conditions, ejection:
- Player lowers his helmet to establish a linear body posture prior to initiating and making contact with the helmet.
- Unobstructed path to his opponent.
- Contact clearly avoidable and player delivering the blow had other options."
In other words, illegal use of the helmet has been greatly expanded to cover all but the facemask, and the hit zone on the opposing player has been expanded from just helmet-to-helmet to include the whole body.
On Wednesday, Redskins linebacker Zach Brown appeared on 106.7 The Fan's Grant and Danny Show to discuss the rule. Let's just say he was irate.
"It just seems like they don't want us to play defense no more because offensive guys are complaining about being hit. You know what you signed up for, so don't come out here if you're (going to) complain about being hit."
Watching the Hall of Fame Game, where the rule was enforced twice, Grant Paulsen agreed with Brown's take:
Zach Brown was 100% right on the show today. If tonight's game is any indication then this rule is going to be a disaster this year. These are bad calls. This rule is not going to work. Nightmare for the NFL if they dont do something.
— Grant Paulsen (@granthpaulsen) August 3, 2018This called penalty was just outrageous. And Collinsworth acted like it was a good call. Insanity. https://t.co/GM71DEHOKP
— Grant Paulsen (@granthpaulsen) August 3, 2018The rule is well-intentioned after the career of stalwart Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Ryan Shazier was cut short last year. In fairness, the NFL is lucky that things weren't much worse for Shazier, who regained his ability to walk after a very complicated spinal injury, suffered on a play where he lowered his head.
From the NFL's perspective, the game has to change.
The problem is that the rule may not adequately define the penalty. Multiple times during the broadcast, announcers Al Michaels and Chris Collinsworth were confused or at odds with the definition being offered by new NBC rules analyst and former NFL referee Terry McAulay.
If broadcasters can't articulate the rule change, there's no way that fans will understand what to look for. If NFL officials can't enforce the rules evenly across the league, players like Brown are justified in their anger.
As written, this rule could make physical safeties obselete:
Playing safety is effectively illegal in today's NFL. Penalty. pic.twitter.com/YmotYfLyzT
— Sam Monson (@PFF_Sam) August 3, 2018Good luck playing safety in the #NFL. Or getting paid a big contract to play safety in the #NFL.
— Charles Robinson (@CharlesRobinson) August 3, 2018After watching 3 1/2 quarters of this game, I have no idea how coaches are going to teach defensive players how to make a "legal" tackle in the @NFL. I'm looking at textbook wrap-up tackles drawing flags tonight. I just don't know how you can legislate contact out of the game
— Bucky Brooks (@BuckyBrooks) August 3, 2018Also consider that this rule applies to the offensive players as well. How will teams run a plunge play in short yardage situations without incurring a penalty for the running back? Will this eliminate blocking fullbacks? Receivers and tight ends who lower the helmet to pick up additional yardage now risk sending their teams backward.
Brown is skeptical that the NFL will even call this on the offense.
"The NFL's just making stuff up nowadays. Like, 'Oh, here you go. Linebackers can't lower their heads anymore when they hit.' Alright," he told Grant and Danny. "Y'all have yet to fine a running back that lowers their head when they come through the hole. They do it. I be sitting there so mad.
"What they're talking about is something that everybody does."
Welcome to the NFL in 2018.
Follow Brian Tinsman and 106.7 The Fan on Twitter.
