The Burfict hit: Malicious intent, or just hard football?

[SunsetBengal]

Just as the title implies. Do you think Vontaze Burfict intentionally tried to harm Antonio Brown, or was it just an unfortunate result of playing hard football?

[drgonzo]

I'd like to say no, but with that dude there's no telling.

[SunsetBengal]

Personally, I don't feel like it was malicious intent. I've watched the video, over and over, from all angles, in slo-mo, and in real time speed. In slow motion, from one angle, one could make a case that it looks like he was head hunting. However, at real speed, and seeing the different angles, it is easy to see that contact of any kind was simply unavoidable. I make a case that it looks like Vontaze tucks his shoulder, as if to avoid hitting Brown altogether.

[GreenCornBengal]

I have seen Vontaze be dirty and have malicious intent before and I don't think this was the case. As someone put it in another thread, if Burfict wanted to he could have crippled Antonio Brown. I think he tried to pull up, but was too late. Never will know.

[StLucieBengal]

He just plays a physical brand of football. If he wanted to knockout brown he could have .... But he did let up.

[SunsetBengal]

(01-10-2016, 07:51 PM)GreenCornBengal Wrote: I have seen Vontaze be dirty and have malicious intent before and I don't think this was the case. As someone put it in another thread, if Burfict wanted to he could have crippled Antonio Brown. I think he tried to pull up, but was too late. Never will know.

I'd like to read his version of the event.

[*TheLeonardLeap*]

Was a penalty, but if Burfict wanted to really hurt Brown there, he wouldn't have pulled in his arm. He could have probably paralyzed the dude if he was actually being malicious. Pulled in his arm, avoided head-to-head.

Still a penalty in the NFL though. Or at least I think so. Not sure anymore if Shazier's crown of the helmet to Gio's face is legal and Shawn William's shoulder-to-chest is illegal. If Burfict gets a 1 game suspension, Shazier needs at least a 2 game suspension. So does Porter and Munchak. Coaches have no business messing with players.

[SunsetBengal]

(01-10-2016, 07:54 PM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: Was a penalty, but if Burfict wanted to really hurt Brown there, he wouldn't have pulled in his arm. He could have probably paralyzed the dude if he was actually being malicious. Pulled in his arm, avoided head-to-head.

Still a penalty in the NFL though. Or at least I think so. Not sure anymore if Shazier's crown of the helmet to Gio's face is legal and Shawn William's shoulder-to-chest is illegal. If Burfict gets a 1 game suspension, Shazier needs at least a 2 game suspension. So does Porter and Munchak. Coaches have no business messing with players.

From what I understand, Shazier is only facing a possible fine, as he has no "priors".

[*TheLeonardLeap*]

(01-10-2016, 07:57 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: From what I understand, Shazier is only facing a possible fine, as he has no "priors".

His priors are being on the Steelers. A little dirty DB factory, because he sure didn't do that stuff at Ohio State.

[jfkbengals]

I think there was intent.

I know there are some saying if he really intended it, it would have been worse.

He clearly intended to tap the Packer in the hang downs, but he could have punched him solidly there.

In other words, I honestly think he thought he could sell it as incidental.

[jfkbengals]

(01-10-2016, 07:54 PM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: Was a penalty, but if Burfict wanted to really hurt Brown there, he wouldn't have pulled in his arm. He could have probably paralyzed the dude if he was actually being malicious. Pulled in his arm, avoided head-to-head.

Still a penalty in the NFL though. Or at least I think so. Not sure anymore if Shazier's crown of the helmet to Gio's face is legal and Shawn William's shoulder-to-chest is illegal. If Burfict gets a 1 game suspension, Shazier needs at least a 2 game suspension. So does Porter and Munchak. Coaches have no business messing with players.

Shoulder to face mask.  But it shouldn't have been a penalty, as Wheaton had taken three steps already, thus was a runner.  Wasn't with the crown of the helmet, so it was legal.

[WeezyBengal]

It was late. That was the problem.

[SunsetBengal]

(01-10-2016, 08:05 PM)jfkbengals Wrote: Shoulder to face mask.  But it shouldn't have been a penalty, as Wheaton had taken three steps already, thus was a runner.  Wasn't with the crown of the helmet, so it was legal.

Are you sure about that?  It looked to me like Williams' shoulder contacted the chest, and the head incidentally made contact from the whipping effect of the force of the blow.

Anyway, looked like a clean, hard football play, to me.

[SunsetBengal]

(01-10-2016, 08:06 PM)WeezyBengal Wrote: It was late. That was the problem.

Late?  It looks late, only in slow motion.  At real time speed, it is a bang-bang play.

[jfkbengals]

(01-10-2016, 08:09 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: Are you sure about that?  It looked to me like Williams' shoulder contacted the chest, and the head incidentally made contact from the whipping effect of the force of the blow.

Anyway, looked like a clean, hard football play, to me.

It hit both (basically in between them)

(01-10-2016, 08:11 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: Late?  It looks late, only in slow motion.  At real time speed, it is a bang-bang play.

Burfict?  Looked late to me in real time.

[BFritz21]

(01-10-2016, 07:36 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: Just as the title implies.  Do you think Vontaze Burfict intentionally tried to harm Antonio Brown, or was it just an unfortunate result of playing hard football?

If you watch, Brown turns his head at the last second.

Even Deion Sanders was saying that it should't have been flagged, especially that late.

[reuben.ahmed]

As expected, you're going to get a few crazy people that think Burfict should be off the team. Then, there's the rest of us. You most certainly don't want Burfict on another team playing against us - lol.

[HarleyDog]

Even Tomlin said he felt it was unintentional. Players play hard and everything happens so quickly. If Burfict wanted to hurt Brown, he could have crippled him for life.

[SunsetBengal]

(01-10-2016, 08:37 PM)HarleyDog Wrote: Even Tomlin said he felt it was unintentional. Players play hard and everything happens so quickly. If Burfict wanted to hurt Brown, he could have crippled him for life.

While the vast majority of poll voters tend to agree with you, there seems to also be a small contingent that believes that he was intentionally being malicious.

[Johnny Cupcakes]

Upon looking at it several times, I don't think it was a dirty hit. I do think that he tries to hurt players often though, so it would not surprise me if that was his intentions with that one.