Whilst the NFL is making an attempt to make its sport more secure via banning helmet-first hits to mitigate concussions, it kind of feels that the low hit via defenders is the brand new top hit.
The hit protection Kerby Joseph had towards Tyler Higbee all the way through the Detriot Lions-Los Angeles Rams Wild Card playoff sport over the weekend is an ideal instance.
No longer simplest did Higbee tear his ACL and MCL on account of the hit, however it’s just about just like previous this season when Joseph went low on Minnesota’s T.J. Hockenson, which additionally led to him tearing the ones ligaments.
“You grimy as f*ck although and also you comprehend it,”a mic-ed up Rams QB Matthew Stafford stated to Joseph after the play.
Joseph took to X to speak about the location from his point of view.
Lions head trainer Dan Campbell defended his participant, and the hit Wednesday, telling the media, “That’s how we play soccer right here. Simply stay your head up, see what you hit. That’ll all the time be what I inform Kerby.
“… He’s going for the thigh board and staying clear of the pinnacle. That’s how we play protection right here. It’s now not grimy. We hit.”
The NFL prohibited hitting any individual together with your helmet in 2018. Gamers don’t seem to be allowed to decrease their heads after they opt for the take on. If it occurs, it will result in a 15-yard penalty at a minimal, and a suspension on the maximum.
Former Denver Broncos protection Kareem Jackson was once suspended then lower “for repeated violations of enjoying regulations meant to give protection to the well being and protection of avid gamers.” He led along with his head when making the ones hits.
Within the hit towards Higbee, many idea that Joseph was once main along with his head, but it surely became out to be his again and shoulders that made touch first. When the guideline was once followed, some avid gamers felt that it might create extra accidents, relatively than save you them.
“There are going to be occasions when avid gamers take on with their shoulder, as they must, however the reality is your head comes sooner than your shoulder,” former Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman stated to The New York Instances in 2018. “If there was once some way anyone may pull their head again and simplest lead with their shoulder, I’m positive they’d — however your frame doesn’t paintings that approach.”
Imposing the arguable rule did paintings for what it was once got down to do– scale back concussions. There was once a 29 % lower in concussions all the way through the common NFL season in 2018 from the 2017 season. There isn’t as a lot analysis achieved via the NFL relating to ACL/knee accidents, however within the 2019 damage record, NFL Leader Clinical Officer Dr. Allen Sills stated they’re operating on it.
“As we have a look at damage burden, a few accidents actually bounce out – decrease extremity lines, knee ligament accidents, and ankle sprains,” Sills stated within the record. “So we’re placing workstreams towards each and every a type of particular accidents to check out to know who’s being injured, how they’re being injured, the standards riding damage, and the levers that we will be able to pull to doubtlessly impact the ones accidents.”
As for Joseph and the hit towards Higbee, there was once no name made. It was once dominated a blank hit, and Joseph has now not been fined or penalized.
