Is It A Question Of Can Or Will With The NFL’s Control Over Big Hits?

Players on the defensive side of football live for one instinct after the ball is hiked; hit the person with the ball as hard as you can.

That impulse isn’t new to the sport; the big hit is not only what players look for, but what fans tune in to watch for. That’s been the foundation of football and what the league is built upon.

Granted, these days the NFL has cut down on the bone-jarring hits that laid the groundwork the sport grew upon. No longer can players clothesline, horse-collar tackle, or throw their forearms to an opponent’s head like the old NFL Films showcase on ESPN.

The belief is that today the NFL is safer and more protective of its players today by categorizing what a legal tackle is. Although the league is better suited in protecting its players today than in the past, there is still a high level of concern in regards to big hits on the field.

With the alterations made in the rule book on legalizing tackles, two big questions remain on both sides regarding the issue of regulating hits: can the NFL find a way to control big hits on players and will the NFL want to control big hits on players?

Over the past few years, the NFL has changed the rules on hitting on the field in hopes of saving their players from season (and sometimes career ending) injuries and long-term health issues. The concern regarding players and concussions is one of the biggest reasons why the sport began policing hits over the last decade.

Until recently, the problem with concussions was merely a subject football officials danced around and players understood little about. According to a New York Times article, players who show any significant signs of concussion must now be cleared by brain-injury experts unaffiliated with the team and cannot return to a game or practice after such an injury occurs.

Along with concerns over concussions, the NFL has worked hard to make players safer on the field and changed its rules on hitting after the 2009 season.

The NFL decided to change the rules so that defenders can no longer deliver their shoulder or forearms to their opponent’s helmet when that offensive player is in the act of catching the ball, a report in the Washington Post clarifies. The report also goes on to explain that players on offense also may not deliver a helmet, shoulder or forearm as a blindside block to a defender’s head.

Despite the changes, the NFL appears to have more work cut out for them given how the league has just finished the first six weeks of the season.

Along with a long list of notable injuries players have sustained, the biggest notable injury of the season appears to be Atlanta Falcons CB Dunta Robinson letting himself loose head-on into Philadelphia Eagles WR DeSean Jackson’s helmet area in the second quarter. Both players were diagnosed with concussions, with Jackson suffering memory loss with no recollection of the hit.

While it appears unclear if the changes for tackling in the NFL can improve safety precautions in the league, the answer may tilt more in the vicinity of will for the league’s officials.

Will, as in, will the NFL look to ensure that tackling is cleaned up to allow players to remain safe in the league?

Big hits are a big draw to the NFL like car crashes are for NASCAR; fans tune in or attend the races in hopes to see a huge, smoldering wreckage between cars. It’s the same for NFL fans who want to see the destruction of bodies slamming hard into one another.

Seeing players nearly decapitate one another or flip players upside down in the air like a WWE wrestling move brings out “oohs” and “aahs” through fan’s lips. The appeal not only raises interest in the fans, but money the fans will throw to purchase tickets and advertisers pay to continue to produce the game on television.

The league understands that big hits are the biggest draw to the league; if they wanted players to be absolutely safe, they would force them to play with flags around their waist or rule that touching the players with two hands is enough for a tackle.

Although there is nothing constituting that the league is in favor of more big hits in the league, the recent changes on tackling and problems with injuries make it clear that the league needs continue to improve regulating tackles. The safety and lives of the players will always be in the hands of the league.

Only time will tell if the league can find a way to regulate tackling while keeping the body-rocking hits that keep the fans coming back to the NFL wanting more.

Randy Moss Trade Could Transform The Entire 2010 NFL Season

What can Randy Moss do for you?

Apparently, nothing for Bill Belichick. In a bizarre twist of events, Moss became a former New England Patriot after week four in the 2010 NFL season to the team that made him the twenty-first selection in the 1998 NFL Draft, the Minnesota Vikings.

A possibly reason for the trade is Moss entering the final years of his contract with the Patriots.

Maybe the justification for the trade is the press he brought upon himself concerning New England’s unwillingness to negotiate a new contract agreement.

Perhaps they did it because it’s just their way, letting key players go at any time (look at Richard Seymour getting traded to Oakland prior to the start of the 2009 season)?

Nothing could validate the craziness of trading your number one passing threat. This is, of course, the same player who escaped Revis Island to make an eye-popping, one-handed catch for a touchdown.



Aside from his ability, this trade will be the biggest move of the season and change the direction the NFL was headed.

There are some key benefits to this trade that impacts a variety of players and teams.

1) Christmas comes early for Brett Favre

Brett Favre should send Belichick a nice Christmas present because the coach just gave him what he’s always wanted not only now in Minnesota, but throughout his whole career.

Favre has been spectacular without a superstar wideout on his side. All great quarterbacks have had great complementing receivers; Joe Montana and Steve Young had Jerry Rice, Troy Aikman had Michael Irvin, and Peyton Manning had Marvin Harrison (currently he has Reggie Wayne).

Despite having one of the best in Sterling Sharpe, the receiver was only around for six years and left as Favre was becoming the legend.

Moss gives Favre an option he never had before; a player with the ability to stretch the field and throw it deep with faith that the six foot four inch receiver can nab it.

2) Vikings will reap big benefits with Moss trade

Minnesota should call this the Moss effect because his trade ripples throughout the team. The team as a whole now becomes the legitimate Super Bowl contenders they were thought to be as the season commenced and will be deadly if they make the playoffs.

Adrian Peterson is currently averaging around 130 yards per game and over five yards per carry. Defenses will now have to play deeper with the big play possibility of Moss and that means less men in the box to stop Peterson.

Along with more open lanes for Peterson will mean more one-on-one coverage for other receivers.

Percy Harvin can now be the new Wes Welker with the ability to make players miss and great underneath route running. If Sidney Rice can make a return, he will find himself more open than ever before. Visanthe Shiancoe will also find the middle clear of defenders to make easy grabs.

3) AFC playoff hopefuls have a easier chance to leap frog New England

Before the trade, the outlook of New England’s team for the 2010 resembled a song by Rapper Kanye West in comparison to past Patriots teams: Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger.

With a record of 3-1 after week four, they are sixth in the AFC and sit in the driver’s seat of a car steered towards another playoff run.

They may lose some gas now though with the loss of Moss. At this point, Miami, Indianapolis, Cincinnati, Tennessee, Jacksonville, Denver and San Diego are all 2-2 and one game behind the Patriots.

Indianapolis will be stronger as the season progresses and Cincinnati remains dangerous as their weapons are on the verge of exploding into something special. San Diego always puts on a late run while the other four teams are continuing to improve.

New England’s loss could be a boost for any, if not all, of these teams looking to bump the Patriots out of the playoff picture.

Now that all those benefiting from the trade were discussed, here are those who will lose out thanks to Moss getting dealt.

1) The last twelve games could be difficult for New England

While the beginning of this season could be summed up by the West track, the rest of the year could be reminiscent of another West track: Welcome To Heartbreak.

The Patriots offense benefited greatly from Moss, even when he doesn’t touch the ball.

Defenses are geared towards containing one of the tallest and fastest players in the league with the jumping ability equivalent to a NBA player with serious hops. Usually a safety will have to work over the top of the wide out with a cornerback glued to him.

How else does a former receiver with no seasons of seventy catches or 1,000 yards come to New England and grab at least a hundred catches and 1,000-plus yards receiving each year in Wes Welker? The only way possible, be teamed up with Moss.

Now Welker will be the focus of all the attention and quarterback Tom Brady will probably see more pressure with safeties playing closer to the line, unafraid of a deep threat because of Moss’s departure.

Good luck stretching the field Patriots.

2) NFC playoff hopefuls may see trade as a dagger that slits their playoff hopes

While other AFC potential playoff teams see the trade as a benefit for them, other NFC teams are probably sounding the alarms on their playoff hopes.

The Vikings are currently 1-2 and on the outside looking in at the playoff picture. The new acquisition of Moss could bring long-term dividends for getting back into the playoff picture, especially if Moss can quickly be asserted into the offense.

For teams in the playoff mix, they can only hope that Moss implodes the team’s chances rather than explode the team towards the post season.

Teams, such as Tampa Bay and everyone in the NFC East and West (except San Francisco at this point) now can add the Vikings as a threat to their playoff hopes. Many of those teams are currently 2-2 and will need to remain winners to stay in the post season discussion.

Their division will also now have to place Minnesota back on their radar as a possible missile that could sink their hopes of winning the NFC North.

Green Bay and Chicago are both 3-1 at this point, but both have yet to play the Vikings with Moss on the squad. Both teams will also face Minnesota later in the season (week seven for Green Bay and week ten for Chicago), which will allow Moss to get acclimated with the team when they face their division rivals.

While Belichick and New England believe that Moss is insignificant enough to trade (they only received a future third round pick in the trade), the receiver’s tank is still plenty full of greatness. Favre and the Vikings should be glad to line up Moss on the outside of their offense.

This trade makes one thing clear, another team’s trash is another team’s treasure.

The Eagle Has Landed: Michael Vick Has Returned Vic-“Torious”

Standby folks, this Eagles’ flight has finally steadied after going through some rough turbulence.

After taking off with the Atlanta Falcons as the number one pick in the 2001 NFL Draft, the Michael Vick flight was on a smooth ride for six great seasons.

Three Pro Bowl Seasons.


A big playoff win over Brett Favre’s Green Bay Packers in Lambeau Field.


The richest contract for an NFL player at the end of 2004.

Despite the great take off and cruising at a nice altitude, the seat belt sign flashes on as a heavy amount of turbulence was ahead for him.

Then came the onslaught:

Shocking revelations of irreprehensible treatment to dogs.

Illegal activity with the money earned from that “richest player in the NFL” contract.

Federal investigations and trials.

To say that the former Virginia Tech quarterback was in a swirling mass of controversy is an understatement. The superstar completely fell off the face of the earth as he went from being one of the most loved athletes to being one of the most loathed criminals.

Everyone believed that the former Falcons quarterback would be done from football with no ability to stay in gridiron shape with a 23-month prison sentence slapped upon him. With such negative press, mental anguish and bankruptcy issues weighing heavily upon him, there was no way Vick would make it back to the NFL, let alone become a starting quarterback again.

Three years later, Vick has come full circle and emerged as the starting quarterback of the Philadelphia Eagles in his second year with the team.

First off, the down-on-his-luck quarterback should be praised and commended for working hard to get back to where he has gotten to. No matter what the future may hold for this guy, he has successfully gotten his flight pattern back on track.

To go through what Vick has since everything came out and end up back on top is unprecedented. Most human beings would have crashed and burned immediately once the storm started brewing, including most athletes.

Flight number seven has kept his wings up high and continued to push through all the turbulence since rejoining the NFL.

He humbly accepted being the third string quarterback on a team with one of the greatest quarterbacks even in Donovan McNabb and a young apprentice in Kevin Kolb anxiously awaiting his turn at the Eagles helm.

His play early on was some of the worst quarterbacking the public has ever seen from Vick. He appeared no longer to be the nearly invincible running machine he once was loaded with one of the strongest arms at his disposal.

Despite the dreadful performances, Vick vehemently worked hard to improve as a quarterback. He patiently studied his playbook as much as possible and honed his ability to become a better quarterback, especially in his passing accuracy.

He also worked to reduce the off-the-field problems that were a part of his life before his jail time. Although there was a nightclub shooting incident he was supposedly involved in (but later relieved from the investigation), his life outside of football appears to have matured.

In one crazy flight that has spanned three years, Vick has gone through a variety of conditions to now the possibility of becoming better than ever. Only time will tell if he can remain the starter in Philadelphia or if his career will continue to ascend higher than its current position.

No matter what though, Michael Vick can say he has landed victoriously after a turbulent trip.

Opening Week In The NFL: Historical Playoff Implication Trends And Over Use Of The Pass

Week One in the NFL typically is known as, well, week one.

Most teams are not defined by the opening game regardless of how they do. Players and coaches will usually stand in front of the press and digress that this is only the beginning with more football left to be played.

But is week one really just week one?

Surely for other sports, opening day doesn’t define the rest of the season.

If this year’s Miami Heat lost their opening game, the humiliation would be magnified throughout the public. Yet, that microscope focusing on the loss would be removed quickly with 81 other possible victories ahead of them.

The 2010 New York Yankees came out the gates with a loss to their nemesis, the Boston Red Sox. 88 wins and 58 losses later, the squad appears to be headed to the postseason.

Despite other sports having little emphasis on opening day, football is on a separate island when it comes to the importance of the first week.

With only a sixteen game season and one game played a week, the inability to win a game becomes a huge setback for a team. The only thing worse than losing a game during the football season is losing the very first game of the season.

This is especially true when looking at the trend for playoff teams from the seasons before.

In the past two seasons, at least four playoff teams from the season before have lost in the first week. Of those first week losers, more than half of the teams were unable to reach the playoffs.

During the 2008 opening week, playoff teams from the previous season (Indianapolis, San Diego, Jacksonville, Seattle, Tampa Bay and Washington) all suffered losses. Only Indianapolis and San Diego were able to bounce back and make the playoffs again that season while the other four teams became spectators.

In 2009, the opening week showcased losses for previous playoff teams (Tennessee, Miami, Carolina and Arizona). Of the teams who lost, only one rebounded and returned to play in the postseason (Arizona).

This season, seven of last year’s playoff teams lost their opening games (Minnesota, Indianapolis, Cincinnati, Philadelphia, Dallas, New York Jets and San Diego). If history is doomed to repeat itself, at least four of these teams will not be playing in January for a chance at the Super Bowl.

While some playoff teams from last year are off to a bad start, another trend was going on in most of the games: teams who couldn’t resist throwing the ball a lot.

Many teams tried to win the game by putting mileage on their quarterback’s arm. The only problem for most of those teams was that throwing the ball over and over most likely cost them the game.

Within all the games from the first week, fifteen of those teams aired the ball out at least 35 times in their games. Of those teams, only five were able to come away with victories.

While Baltimore, New Orleans, New England and Chicago were able to win by throwing at least 35 times, San Diego, Oakland, Cleveland and Carolina were not so lucky despite having the same number of throws.

What is even more interesting are the other seven teams who threw 40 or more passes. Only Arizona beat out their opponents while throwing over 40 times. Dallas, San Francisco and Atlanta all lost with 40 or more attempts. Indianapolis, St. Louis and Cincinnati threw at least 50 attempts and they all lost as well.

The first week of football is usually only that; just the beginning of a long, hard-hitting season that lasts through the winter and culminates at the grandest game of them all, the Super Bowl. Evaluating the team in the first week is usually difficult to envision.

Although a team can’t judged by the first week, it can definitely be a visual for things to come.