(08-30-2017, 11:57 PM)Gamma Ray Tan Wrote: For decades hits like that were not even looked at, in fact, they were celebrated. What he hell happened! This Wussification of America needs to stop. Make Football Great Again.

Concussion research has revealed a lot. That's what has happened. The NFL is favoring player safety now more than ever.

On one hand, you can say, "Well, these players choose to play the game so that's the risk they take."
On the other hand, you could say, "Should the NFL really be like the WWE and knowingly put their employees at risk for long-term health, even if the players signed off on it being ok?"

Having Vinny Rey doesnt make me as nervous as I would be without Burfict. Rey has done a pretty admirable job stepping in as the WILL in Tez's absence. If i were Marvin I wouldnt even dress Vontaze today, just Vinny/Vigil/Minter have a game to get in synch.

any suspension for this hit is a complete and total joke.

No other team or player would get a suspension for this play.

Plays like this happen in every game multiple times.

I would advise Burfict to sign with the Pats next year. NFL and media can run a story about how BB has changed Burfict, he could continue playing the same way and all would be good.

(08-31-2017, 12:12 AM)Atomic Orange Wrote: They made sure to get him on the unnecessary roughness so they don't have to suspend  other players that make the same hit. Which means he is really suspended cause he hits hard.

Players are going to be flopping right and left when they get hit by Burfict.

(08-31-2017, 01:26 AM)Shake n Blake Wrote: Gives the appearance that the NFL is trying to work with him, but will probably go down as another check, so next infraction could cause an 8 game or season long suspension.

The NFL clearly has a vendetta and won't stop until he's out of the league. And btw...why reduce a suspension? Either he broke rules or he didn't. To me this is just the NFL admitting a goof while simultaneously setting Burfict up for steeper discipline later.

These two right here! The NFL, for how big it is, is so poorly ran it's pathetic. I mean it's rather surprising to see how shitty those guys are at discipline and leadership, but how genius they are at protecting "the shield" and making money. If they put as much effort as they do with marketing and making money into making sure the rules are clear, they would be so much more sustainable. 

(08-31-2017, 06:39 AM)Bengalboy Wrote: Since when was signing Joe Haden (one of the worst rated Corners in the league for the last 2 years) a sign of wanting to win? Its just a desperation move as they have nothing at CB. Its good for the Bengals. We know Haden well and routinely whoop his ass so its all good.

Bengals will get beat twice by them this year.  Haden owned AJ Green when they played the Browns.

(08-31-2017, 10:40 AM)bengalguy71 Wrote: Bengals will get beat twice by them this year.  Haden owned AJ Green when they played the Browns.

That was in Haden's glory years. He's not been the same CB the past couple years. We'll have to wait see if he can still do the same to Green now that he's a Steeler.
I'm sure though that he'll play extremely dirty now that he's wearing black and yellow (sorry dumb Steelers fans, it's yellow not gold).

(08-31-2017, 10:07 AM)ochocincos Wrote: Concussion research has revealed a lot. That's what has happened. The NFL is favoring player safety now more than ever.

On one hand, you can say, "Well, these players choose to play the game so that's the risk they take."
On the other hand, you could say, "Should the NFL really be like the WWE and knowingly put their employees at risk for long-term health, even if the players signed off on it being ok?"

Guess which sport has the highest concussion rate..........Women's Soccer. Just saying.

(08-31-2017, 10:51 AM)Gamma Ray Tan Wrote: Guess which sport has the highest concussion rate..........Women's Soccer. Just saying.

Soccer in general , but Girls soccer was the highest among high school sports.

(08-31-2017, 10:54 AM)Gamma Ray Tan Wrote: Soccer in general , but Girls soccer was the highest among high school sports.

Yes, there are multiple studies to support this, but should that change the NFL's approach to trying to make their game safer for their players?

For those curious to know where GRT got this info, here are a couple good links to read:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/recruiting-insider/wp/2017/03/27/girls-soccer-has-highest-concussion-rate-of-high-school-sports-study-finds/?utm_term=.34f5499544ef
http://www.webmd.com/brain/news/20170315/which-high-school-sport-has-the-most-concussions
https://www.medstarsportsmedicine.org/research/which-youth-sports-cause-the-most-concussions/#q={}

(08-31-2017, 10:44 AM)ochocincos Wrote: That was in Haden's glory years. He's not been the same CB the past couple years. We'll have to wait see if he can still do the same to Green now that he's a Steeler.
I'm sure though that he'll play extremely dirty now that he's wearing black and yellow (sorry dumb Steelers fans, it's yellow not gold).

Not to derail the thread, but Haden posted 48 tackles, 3 INTs and 11 passes deflected in 13 starts last year. He held Antonio Brown to 8-76-0 in their lone matchup last year. He hasn't faced AJ Green since 2014, but he's been doing well against other top WRs.

(08-31-2017, 11:19 AM)Shake n Blake Wrote: Not to derail the thread, but Haden posted 48 tackles, 3 INTs and 11 passes deflected in 13 starts last year. He held Antonio Brown to 8-76-0 in their lone matchup last year. He hasn't faced AJ Green since 2014, but he's been doing well against other top WRs.

Fair enough. Still not as dominant as 2010-2014, but you're right, it wasn't nearly as bad as I had read from other sources without looking at the stats.

PFF ratings since entering the league:
2010 - 87.5 (7th CB)
2011 - 82.1 (18th)
2012 - 84.0 (16th)
2013 - 83.9 (20th)
2014 - 79.3 (27th)
2015 - 31.8 (DNQ - only 291 snaps in 5 games)
2016 - 46.0 (88th)

(08-30-2017, 11:09 PM)TKUHL Wrote: Jon Runyan is a freakin hypocrite. Who's In charge of public relations, Romanowski? Maybe now we can listen to Rodney Harrison talk about how there's no place in football for a player as physical as Burfict. Unbelievable shit, the NFL is a joke and only getting worse.

You are correct! Shawn Merriman said Runyan was the dirtiest player he ever faced back in 2007-2008!  After reading what Runyan said, he didn't even look at the video and his mind was already made up. It's almost reverse from they way it should be, you are guilty until proven innocent. He based everything on Tez's past. I've had maybe 3 or 4 speeding tickets in my life and if I wreck my truck, I suppose I had it coming......

I said it would be reduced to 3 games. I think we still be alright coming out of the gate.

(08-31-2017, 11:28 AM)ochocincos Wrote: Fair enough. Still not as dominant as 2010-2014, but you're right, it wasn't nearly as bad as I had read from other sources without looking at the stats.

PFF ratings since entering the league:
2010 - 87.5 (7th CB)
2011 - 82.1 (18th)
2012 - 84.0 (16th)
2013 - 83.9 (20th)
2014 - 79.3 (27th)
2015 - 31.8 (DNQ - only 291 snaps in 5 games)
2016 - 46.0 (88th)

I've never been one to take PFF is gospel. It's worth looking at, but I have to wonder how he could post decent bulk stats and limit top receivers yet somehow drop a whopping 40 points from his best years. Makes no sense. I hate the Steelers, but they have a better FO than we do. Why would they make a rare splash in free agency by committing 3 years/27 million to a supposedly washed up walking injury?

I'd say the truth (as usual) is probably somewhere in the middle. He's had a couple injuries recently. It's a concern, but he's not permanently damaged goods or a walking body cast. Has he been as good over the last couple years? Probably not, but he's been dealing with those injuries. He's probably not been as bad as some are claiming, and there's probably a good chance he rebounds if he's 100%.

Last post on this, as I want to keep the thread on topic.

(08-30-2017, 09:43 PM)Shady Wrote: From Runyan's letter to Tez:

“This is not your first offense with respect to illegal hits to defenseless players; to the contrary, this incident is consistent with your pattern of egregious safety-related violations including your hit on a defenseless player (i.e., Steeler) during the 2015 Wild Card game and your hit against a Baltimore tight end away from the play on January 3, 2016,” Runyan wrote. “When players violate the rules intended to protect player safety on a repeated basis, and particularly when the violations carry with them a significant risk of injury to an opposing player…you must be held accountable for this continuing unacceptable conduct.”

It was a legal hit. The world has gone nuts.

Note on Runyan. Check this headline:

Next to Goodell, Runyan might have the most punchable face in the NFL...

(08-31-2017, 11:41 AM)Shake n Blake Wrote: I've never been one to take PFF is gospel. It's worth looking at, but I have to wonder how he could post decent bulk stats and limit top receivers yet somehow drop a whopping 40 points from his best years. Makes no sense. I hate the Steelers, but they have a better FO than we do. Why would they make a rare splash in free agency by committing 3 years/27 million to a supposedly washed up walking injury?

I'd say the truth (as usual) is probably somewhere in the middle. He's had a couple injuries recently. It's a concern, but he's not permanently damaged goods or a walking body cast. Has he been as good over the last couple years? Probably not, but he's been dealing with those injuries. He's probably not been as bad as some are claiming, and there's probably a good chance he rebounds if he's 100%.

Last post on this, as I want to keep the thread on topic.

I've always enjoyed reading what PFF has to say but I realize that football is a team sport and those numbers about Haden prove that. Those first years there Haden had a decent defense around him which allowed him to play things differently.

(08-31-2017, 11:38 AM)sandwedge Wrote: You are correct! Shawn Merriman said Runyan was the dirtiest player he ever faced back in 2007-2008!  After reading what Runyan said, he didn't even look at the video and his mind was already made up. It's almost reverse from they way it should be, you are guilty until proven innocent. He based everything on Tez's past. I've had maybe 3 or 4 speeding tickets in my life and if I wreck my truck, I suppose I had it coming......

From wiki...

Quote:In a Sports Illustrated magazine in October 2006, Runyan was ranked second on a list of the Dirtiest Players in the NFL.[12] Bills linebacker Shawne Merriman stated that Runyan "was one of the dirtiest players I've ever been against in my whole entire life. He was real good at being dirty".[13] Runyan did not deny the charges, criticizing the current game instead: "That's the way the game's supposed to be played. I think they’ve tried to change that over the years. It's turned into a basketball game out there."

This man is responisble for this quote:

Quote:"This is not your first offense with respect to illegal hits to defenseless players; to the contrary, this incident is consistent with your pattern of egregious safety-related violations including your hit on a defenseless player during the 2015 Wild Card game and your hit against a Baltimore tight end away from the play on January 3, 2016 ... When players violate the rules intended to protect player safety on a repeated basis, and particularly when the violations carry with them a significant risk of injury to an opposing player ... you must be held accountable for this continuing unacceptable conduct."

That's rich. I'm now waiting for James Harrison and Hines Ward (neither were ever suspended despite multiple dirty hits) to chime in.

(08-31-2017, 10:59 AM)ochocincos Wrote: Yes, there are multiple studies to support this, but should that change the NFL's approach to trying to make their game safer for their players?

For those curious to know where GRT got this info, here are a couple good links to read:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/recruiting-insider/wp/2017/03/27/girls-soccer-has-highest-concussion-rate-of-high-school-sports-study-finds/?utm_term=.34f5499544ef
http://www.webmd.com/brain/news/20170315/which-high-school-sport-has-the-most-concussions
https://www.medstarsportsmedicine.org/research/which-youth-sports-cause-the-most-concussions/#q={}

I'm all for safety, but unfortunately it seems that a shot to the head has now been expanded to just a "hard hit". Not all hits that lay a guy out are innately more dangerous. Burfict said that he helped the guy up, he said he was ok and it was legal. If it is a legal hit and within the rules, how hard a defender hits an opposing player should be irrelevant.

(08-31-2017, 11:42 AM)Bengalholic Wrote: Next to Goodell, Runyan might have the most punchable face in the NFL...

You guys are sitting here debating concussions like Vontaze deliberately went for the guys head.

Vontaze did NOTHING wrong here. He simply hit a guy doing a shallow route within 5 yards of the line of scrimmage. He did not launch himself, he did not go for the head, he did NOTHING.

This play happens EVERY SINGLE game.

I have seen Steelers fans in Facebook groups agree.

The NFL is truly picking on him, you don't have to believe it. But that is DEFINITELY the case here.