Ahmad Brooks fined $15,750 by NFL for Drew Brees hit

[HawkFan72]

I don't have a problem with the flag. Especially in real time, it looked like a penalty and deserved a flag.

But I don't think Brooks deserves a fine, personally.

 

[-The Glove-]

The problem i have with the rule is if they are saying that when the initial contact is legal, but moves to the head/neck area, then that is a penalty. So, if a defender was to hit the QB in a picture perfect form tackle, meaning the shoulder pad is initially hitting the chest area, but as the two players hit the ground, the shoulder pad moves up and contacts the head/neck area, then that is a penalty?? Because if so, then most sacks should be penalties.

THe rule is the problem.

I think that is what everyone is saying. The rules protecting the QB are ridiculous but as it is written I agree with the call. Fines are almost always bs tho (unless it's a repeat offender) because you're charging a player for contact that's incidental. Do they fine offensive players when they duck their heads low causing a head blow? I've never seen it happen.

 

[kearly]

Did he even make contact with the neck area during the hit? Looked like it was all upper chest area to me. I think Brees going GO-GO-GADGET neck on impact would kind of hint at his neck being free from the brunt of the hit.

On the alternate angle it kind of looked like Brees was thrown down by his facemask a little, which I'm almost 100% sure is the reason the flag was thrown. He might not have been, but from this second angle (not far from where the ref was standing) it did look like a dirty hit in real time. Since the penalty on the field can't be challenged/reviewed, I don't blame the ref. But I do think it was a mistake to call it, and the fine is ridiculous IMO.

 

[C-Dub]

Clean hit. It was not head or neck at all, so textbook hit. It was shoulder and below.

And how is a QB in the pocket with the ball defenseless? They need to get rid of that word for players on the field. Defenseless players shouldn't be playing this game.

 

[lobohawk]

It was a clean hit. That being said, I could see how the Ref threw a flag since he couldn't tell in real-time the actual POC and it looked bad.

The fine is absurd.

It's like fining someone for hitting a player in the belly so hard, their head snapped down and the helmets banged together. Guess it's a fine, since the QB got hit in the head.

He didn't target the neck or head with the hit and didn't use either to perform the tackle. He just hit his chest so hard, Brees got whiplash. Video proves this cause the neck could never move/stretch the way it does if either the neck or head were hit. It's basic physics and anatomy.

 

[C-Dub]

It was a clean hit. That being said, I could see how the Ref threw a flag since he couldn't tell in real-time the actual POC and it looked bad.

The fine is absurd.

It's like fining someone for hitting a player in the belly so hard, their head snapped down and the helmets banged together. Guess it's a fine, since the QB got hit in the head.

He didn't target the neck or head with the hit and didn't use either to perform the tackle. He just hit his chest so hard, Brees got whiplash. Video proves this cause the neck could never move/stretch the way it does if either the neck or head were hit. It's basic physics and anatomy.

If they're going to throw flags (or in some instances not throw flags) they need to have a guy upstairs quickly review it to check if it's an illegal play.

Refs have too much power now and continue to alter the outcomes every week.

In my experience as a sofa ref, I'd say around 99% of the time the play can be quickly determined within 10 seconds of looking at a replay. Doesn't make sense to have a guy on the field continue to make the wrong calls the majority of the time.

 

[-The Glove-]

It was a clean hit. That being said, I could see how the Ref threw a flag since he couldn't tell in real-time the actual POC and it looked bad.

The fine is absurd.

It's like fining someone for hitting a player in the belly so hard, their head snapped down and the helmets banged together. Guess it's a fine, since the QB got hit in the head.

He didn't target the neck or head with the hit and didn't use either to perform the tackle. He just hit his chest so hard, Brees got whiplash. Video proves this cause the neck could never move/stretch the way it does if either the neck or head were hit. It's basic physics and anatomy.

If they're going to throw flags (or in some instances not throw flags) they need to have a guy upstairs quickly review it to check if it's an illegal play.

Refs have too much power now and continue to alter the outcomes every week.

In my experience as a sofa ref, I'd say around 99% of the time the play can be quickly determined within 10 seconds of looking at a replay. Doesn't make sense to have a guy on the field continue to make the wrong calls the majority of the time.

I was talking with my coworker about that. They already have an official upstairs. Shouldn't take long to review big penalties.

 

[lobohawk]

It was a clean hit. That being said, I could see how the Ref threw a flag since he couldn't tell in real-time the actual POC and it looked bad.

The fine is absurd.

It's like fining someone for hitting a player in the belly so hard, their head snapped down and the helmets banged together. Guess it's a fine, since the QB got hit in the head.

He didn't target the neck or head with the hit and didn't use either to perform the tackle. He just hit his chest so hard, Brees got whiplash. Video proves this cause the neck could never move/stretch the way it does if either the neck or head were hit. It's basic physics and anatomy.

If they're going to throw flags (or in some instances not throw flags) they need to have a guy upstairs quickly review it to check if it's an illegal play.

Refs have too much power now and continue to alter the outcomes every week.

In my experience as a sofa ref, I'd say around 99% of the time the play can be quickly determined within 10 seconds of looking at a replay. Doesn't make sense to have a guy on the field continue to make the wrong calls the majority of the time.

I was talking with my coworker about that. They already have an official upstairs. Shouldn't take long to review big penalties.

While technically feasible, it is not allowable for review. It's unfortunate, but it may be impossible to legislate for review every circumstance without further eroding the flow of the game. That's why I can accept the flag mistakenly being thrown.

The fine, is another matter. That's nonsensical.

 

[-The Glove-]

It was a clean hit. That being said, I could see how the Ref threw a flag since he couldn't tell in real-time the actual POC and it looked bad.

The fine is absurd.

It's like fining someone for hitting a player in the belly so hard, their head snapped down and the helmets banged together. Guess it's a fine, since the QB got hit in the head.

He didn't target the neck or head with the hit and didn't use either to perform the tackle. He just hit his chest so hard, Brees got whiplash. Video proves this cause the neck could never move/stretch the way it does if either the neck or head were hit. It's basic physics and anatomy.

If they're going to throw flags (or in some instances not throw flags) they need to have a guy upstairs quickly review it to check if it's an illegal play.

Refs have too much power now and continue to alter the outcomes every week.

In my experience as a sofa ref, I'd say around 99% of the time the play can be quickly determined within 10 seconds of looking at a replay. Doesn't make sense to have a guy on the field continue to make the wrong calls the majority of the time.

I was talking with my coworker about that. They already have an official upstairs. Shouldn't take long to review big penalties.

While technically feasible, it is not allowable for review. It's unfortunate, but it may be impossible to legislate every circumstance without further eroding the flow of the game. That's why I can accept the flag mistakenly being thrown.

The fine, is another matter. That's nonsensical.

I know currently its not allowed but all turnovers and TD's are reviewed. majority of the time it doesn't take but a few seconds. And I don't mean every penalty should be reviewed. But PI's, personal foul penalties, anything that draws a big penalty should be. Even going to a last X minutes, all penalties will be reviewed upstairs

 

[Polaris]

Clean hit. It was not head or neck at all, so textbook hit. It was shoulder and below.

And how is a QB in the pocket with the ball defenseless? They need to get rid of that word for players on the field. Defenseless players shouldn't be playing this game.

The arm slid up and clearly made contact with the neck area. That makes it an illegal hit. It is not a clean hit. There was no malicious intent, but the rule is the rule.

 

[jdblack]

Just saw the hit for the first time, and it looks bad to me. Brooks could've aimed a foot lower and been fine. He wasn't off balance or otherwise restricted in his targeting, and Brees didn't move much before impact. Brooks needs to retrain his instincts. I don't like the same call when the tackler is forced by circumstances into a particular angle, but in that case Brooks could've gotten exactly the same effect by targeting a safer area.

 

[kearly]

Clean hit. It was not head or neck at all, so textbook hit. It was shoulder and below.

And how is a QB in the pocket with the ball defenseless? They need to get rid of that word for players on the field. Defenseless players shouldn't be playing this game.

The arm slid up and clearly made contact with the neck area. That makes it an illegal hit. It is not a clean hit. There was no malicious intent, but the rule is the rule.

Looked to me that Brees neck (moving quickly from the whiplash effect) actually moved into Brooks' arm. Brooks is actually "hugging" Brees, which is what the NFL supposedly wants sacking players to do.

Administering this fine was a political miscalculation, IMO. It highlights the league's rulebook in a non-flattering manner, further propelling critics who say Goodell is ruining football. All downside, no upside. Should have let it be rather than stir up a hornets nest in the media.

 

[rideaducati]

So basically the call was correct? Refresh my memory...Did Kam get fined for hitting Davis last year?

Yep. He did.

NO he did not...

 

[SF49r]

Clean hit. It was not head or neck at all, so textbook hit. It was shoulder and below.

And how is a QB in the pocket with the ball defenseless? They need to get rid of that word for players on the field. Defenseless players shouldn't be playing this game.

The arm slid up and clearly made contact with the neck area. That makes it an illegal hit. It is not a clean hit. There was no malicious intent, but the rule is the rule.

Looked to me that Brees neck (moving quickly from the whiplash effect) actually moved into Brooks' arm. Brooks is actually "hugging" Brees, which is what the NFL supposedly wants sacking players to do.

Administering this fine was a political miscalculation, IMO. It highlights the league's rulebook in a non-flattering manner, further propelling critics who say Goodell is ruining football. All downside, no upside. Should have let it be rather than stir up a hornets nest in the media.

That's what I kind of saw from that, basically from what it looks like all QB's have to do, well if you are Brees, Manning or Brady, is to throw your head forward onto the defender when you get sacked then a flag will get thrown.

 

[pmedic920]

But, but....Drew will never be the same.