Cassius Marsh fined for late hit on Ryan Fitzpatrick

[253hawk]

There's nothing he could have done. His head was leading out in front, towards Fitz's right shoulder. He obviously couldn't lower it or move it behind Fitz. But Fitz trips and puts his own head into the line of fire involuntarily and there's nothing that Marsh can do but to be safe and keep his head up.

The fine is outrageous, but even at the very worst the penalty was completely incidental. Stuff like that is part of the game and cannot always be avoided; it's like a DB getting his legs tangled up with a WR when they are both running down the field and looking back toward the ball.

 

[Attyla the Hawk]

I have no problem with it.

Marsh is way too high. And he doesn't even attempt to get his helmet to the side. Indeed it looks precisely like he altered his approach directly into his face. He needs to get lower and attack the midsection and position his helmet to the side.

It's definitely not how we coach tackling. The first contact in that his is the crown of his helmet into his chinstrap. And it's not as if he's engaged with the lineman either. He disengaged fully and still didn't target him low.

Seems to me to be pretty textbook. Not a case where Marsh made a legitimate attempt to avoid the H - H hit. Even though it's bang bag -- the gif looks pretty conclusive.

If that hit is on Russell, we're all screaming for a flag. Can't have it both ways. And can't legitimately argue that some are missed on Wilson so this should be excluded. If it's a flag worthy tackle, it should be called.

Result sucked. But I think it's the right call.

 

[RichNhansom]

I have no problem with it.

Marsh is way too high. And he doesn't even attempt to get his helmet to the side. Indeed it looks precisely like he altered his approach directly into his face. He needs to get lower and attack the midsection and position his helmet to the side.

It's definitely not how we coach tackling. The first contact in that his is the crown of his helmet into his chinstrap. And it's not as if he's engaged with the lineman either. He disengaged fully and still didn't target him low.

Seems to me to be pretty textbook. Not a case where Marsh made a legitimate attempt to avoid the H - H hit. Even though it's bang bag -- the gif looks pretty conclusive.

If that hit is on Russell, we're all screaming for a flag. Can't have it both ways. And can't legitimately argue that some are missed on Wilson so this should be excluded. If it's a flag worthy tackle, it should be called.

Result sucked. But I think it's the right call.

Agree with you on the call but the fine is unnecessary.

 

[Anonymous]

I have no problem with it.

Marsh is way too high. And he doesn't even attempt to get his helmet to the side. Indeed it looks precisely like he altered his approach directly into his face. He needs to get lower and attack the midsection and position his helmet to the side.

It's definitely not how we coach tackling. The first contact in that his is the crown of his helmet into his chinstrap. And it's not as if he's engaged with the lineman either. He disengaged fully and still didn't target him low.

Seems to me to be pretty textbook. Not a case where Marsh made a legitimate attempt to avoid the H - H hit. Even though it's bang bag -- the gif looks pretty conclusive.

If that hit is on Russell, we're all screaming for a flag. Can't have it both ways. And can't legitimately argue that some are missed on Wilson so this should be excluded. If it's a flag worthy tackle, it should be called.

Result sucked. But I think it's the right call.

Agree with you on the call but the fine is unnecessary.

Me too.

I get the call, but not the fine.

 

[253hawk]

The first contact in that his is the crown of his helmet into his chinstrap.

I don't think so, Tim.

Maybe I'm in the minority of NFL fans, but I have no problem with facemask-to-facemask (even if it is Wilson). It certainly doesn't apply to the other 21 positions on the field, so it's clearly not a safety issue for any of the other players. It's just QB favoritism because it's more business than sport now, and owners don't want their highest-priced investments banged up.

 

[Attyla the Hawk]

The first contact in that his is the crown of his helmet into his chinstrap.

I don't think so, Tim.

Maybe I'm in the minority of NFL fans, but I have no problem with facemask-to-facemask (even if it is Wilson). It certainly doesn't apply to the other 21 positions on the field, so it's clearly not a safety issue for any of the other players. It's just QB favoritism because it's more business than sport now, and owners don't want their highest-priced investments banged up.

You're basing your rebuttal on a still frame image? When you can see by the gif that image you are using is well after initial contact?

Ok man. I'll stand by what I see on video. That pic you are using is Marsh in mid process of driving the crown of his helmet through the length of Fitz's face.

 

[Hawkintent]

I think the fine isn't going away because it looks like Marsh can see ball being thrown and then uses his legs after contact to propel QB down unnecessarily. No problem with the face mask to face mask contact and no problem with contact after the ball thrown based on how that play developed.

I would hope that a standing in the pocket play and a scrambling play like that would be judged differently though.

 

[253hawk]

You're basing your rebuttal on a still frame image? When you can see by the gif that image you are using is well after initial contact?

Ok man. I'll stand by what I see on video. That pic you are using is Marsh in mid process of driving the crown of his helmet through the length of Fitz's face.

I don't think 'crown' means what you think it means.

 

[Year of The Hawk]

You're basing your rebuttal on a still frame image? When you can see by the gif that image you are using is well after initial contact?

Ok man. I'll stand by what I see on video. That pic you are using is Marsh in mid process of driving the crown of his helmet through the length of Fitz's face.

I don't think 'crown' means what you think it means.

You could have at least used a Seahawks helmet in the example