NFL provides more protection for receivers

what is dangerous about a kickoff return wedge? why limit it to 2 people?

Any coincedence that the two examples mention by Gasper in this piece are centered around Pittsburgh Steeler's dirty hits ? I think not.

They have always played dirty (Lee Flowers rolling up on Brady's ankle in 2001 AFC Championship game) and never / rarely seem to get penalized for it.

Go Pats

It's about time they address Crack-Back blocks!

It's about time they address Crack-Back blocks!

I would like to see a rule to stop receivers from taunting a c.b.by posturing with first down in your face after a pass completion.It is getting to where a d-back has to think of every possible penalty before he makes a play on the ball or receiver before the ball arrives.Just one wrong move could make you the goat of the game.Cornerbacks mental part of the game is the toughest of any position now.Not quarterbacks anymore!!!

All good changes. Football is violent enough and the NFL does not need more injuries.

I don't think they have gone far enough to protect the receivers. How often do we see a receiver get leveled when they did not even have a play on the ball? Very rarely do they jump up unhurt even if only for a play. These type of hits are clearly made with the intent to hurt the player, & you see at least one of them in every single game. Kudos to Welker to have the toughness to return the next game, especially for his size, but many receivers have been injured to the point where they miss at least one game or more. another example of these hits with intent to injure are when the receiver is well up in the air, & is literally flipped before ever having a chance to touch the ground. the defender should be required to "GRASP" the receiver & tackle him, & not be allowed to run through the receiver while he is "Airborne". It is a play in which there will end up being a broken neck in the future if rules are not put in place to do the best to prevent it. Why do we have to wait for such an injury before the NFL institutes the proper rule to prevent this type of injury? Is it the same mentality as the Traffic management, where they research the number of fatal accidents before deciding whether or not a roadway should have traffic lights or lower speed limits?

This is crazy. Why don't they just make the NFL and two-hand touch game. Each player know the dangers of the sport and choose to participate. If you don't want to get hit, don't play!!

I think they should go back to leather helmets- that would reduce the chance of injury. Maybe lose the pads altogether and play like real men (i.e. rugby players)

I suggest that in every game the Patsies play, the other team can use only 9 players. And at least 3 of those have to be pubescent girls.

How are cheap players like Hines Ward and Ryan Clark going to intimidate people now? Oh gee, they both play for the Steelers. Interesting...

Chris,
If you don't like the rule changes than go watch another sport or shut up. You go out there and play big boy and see how long you will last. Tyipcal moron fan

I dub it the Wes Welker/Robert Kraft Tissue rule for the sissification of football.

NOW BOY`S ITS TIME TO PUT ON THE HOSE AND SKIRT, IT KICKOFF TIME

The problem with the wedge is that it forces the kicking team to have at least one player hurl his body full force at the wedge to break it up and almost every game you see a player limp off the field (or worse) because of this play. Hard hits are one thing, but the NFL is doing the right thing by eliminating playcalls that force the opposing teams to sacrifice a player on each kickoff. If someone could explain to me the problem with the bunch formation on kickoffs, it would be appreciated. I don't see how it could possibly cause any injuries.

So when are they going to introduce the flags? Oh im sorry thats too rought, two hands touch ladies. Pathetic, and it just so happens to be against the Steelers (like always, the media hates the Steelers) Pats should be embarrased....GO STEELERS!!!

great changes... but what really should be taking place is meetings to discuss how to improve protection... PADS... HELMETS... etc

i bet if they increased the helmets 20% in size or so, and increased the cushions inside that would lower injuries... and so on

maybe if football equipment got better and better every year the nfl wouldnt have to change these rules so often

To paraphrase Jack Lambert (who commented on being fined for a hit on Brian Sipe):...I think they should make the Patriots and the Ravens wear dresses....

Football is a man's game, so little girls like Ryan go watch baseball. The ammount of rules that are being added to the NFL is getting ridiculous, just let them play.

oh my god, don't be suck cry babies getting hit in football is part of the game, and the steelers don't play dirty they were legal hits, blocks alright. Hope brady goes out for another season lol

Does anyone remember Carson Palmer's knee from few of years back and Rodney Harrison's knee a year later. Then there was a playoff game at the end of last year vesus the Ravens when Willis MaGahee was knocked unconscious, add Wes Welker and Keith Rivers and does anyone see a pattern here. These are just the high profile incidents.

The NFL needs to examine this team or they really do not care about their players and this rule change is just a pretty smoke screen. Pittsburgh Plays Dirty!

I love watching big hits in football. The hits make it great. Its bad enough that the QB is protected like a little sissy, now the receiver too? I'm sorry but this is just a way for owners to protect their $$ they have invested in two of the highest paid positions in football. I love bone crunching hits, I love seeing a player writhe on the ground in pain. In 06 when Seau broke his arm, you could hear it through the TV when it snapped, that was awesome. I love the violence of the sport, its the main appeal, soliders at war, men breaking other men. If I wanted to watch a bunch of girls run around in an arena protected by rules and contact I would watch basketball.

Why even bother having the games if no one is going to be hurt?

I think too many rules will restrict the game to nothing more than a sissy sport. Do you have statistics that shows the number of players injured in these types of hits? How did so many good players from the past survive such hit? I remember steve largent of Seattle when he got nailed on one play, came right back and gave the same player a good licking on the next play. I say, its the coaches and player that needs to teach techniques ways to safely play the game. Leave the rules OUT.

maybe the guys should play with skirts on

The things they' ve banned is the reason i watch football. If i want to watch a non-contact sport I would watch golf if they keep makeing all these rules were gonna be watching WWE on Sundays.

I bet Rodney Harrison disagrees with this new rule. I am a Pat's fan and I am embarrassed by the whining of our owner and fans.

What makes someone a bigger sissy, beating someone at the sport on equal footing, or trying to hurt a stronger player so you don't have to face them again? Big hits are awesome, but injuries are not. If you want to watch men pulverize each other, watch MMA. If you want to watch football, appreciate the skill and time these men invest, and realize that injuries only decrease the level of play.

Thank god for Rob March and his posting. We Steelers fans were beginning to believe the Pats were followed by nothing but a bunch of scrotum-less sissies (I won't say"Fags," because I wouldn't want to insult the gay community. I'm sure there's more balls there than at the Pats home field.)
Bye-the-way, want to say "cheaters?" -- NO ONE has ever accused the Steelers of "cheating," a la spy cameras. That 's REAL cheating. The Steelers play football the good old-fashioned way; smashmouth. That's why they are the most loved team in America -- Dallas Cryboys be damned, too.

So WR's get more breaks now? first DB's get flagged for any type of contact and now they have to analyze everything before they make a play? At least Moss will get more receptions\TD's.
The crackback rule is a joke. The hit on Welker wasn't cheap but it wasn't necessary. At least Clark didn't lead with helmet. But to say Ward's one was cheap is a joke. there's not a team in the league that doesn't want Ward on their offense.

Lots of steeler fans here I see. IMO, the most obnoxious fans in all of sports. I guarantee there would lots of whiny steeler fans if a player took a shot at Big Ben's knee or knocked Hines Ward unconscious on a clearly uncatchable ball. The NFL is simply trying to protect its players, so stop WHINING and accept it.

Lots of steeler fans here I see. IMO, the most obnoxious fans in all of sports. I guarantee there would lots of whiny steeler fans if a player took a shot at Big Ben's knee or knocked Hines Ward unconscious on a clearly uncatchable ball. The NFL is simply trying to protect its players, so stop WHINING and accept it.

I see comments about "Big Hits" and "Skirts". How about big hits where you drop your shoulder, hit someone in the gut, and drive them back with your legs......that ladies is how the sport was meant to be played. Hitting someone that is not looking, in the head/neck area is a problem that the league needs to curtail. If you want to see men beaten watch the UFC, plus you couch potato losers will get to watch men in shorts, Short-shorts! No one sings up to get hurt, any person who comments like that probably only watches the "Top ten hits" on sunday and has a terrible marriage, girlfriend, or job where they are beaten like a dog every day. I could go on......but why?

What ever will the steelers do now. Thats the only way they can win by trying to intimidate with late hits. The Pats have owned the steelers arses. How many times have we whipped their buts in the championship game, 4 or is it 5. I lost track.

Footbal has evolved into a profession - not a game - of atheletic primodonas. They are all init for their own glory - unless they are prompted to read the script for the press - and have no concept for team play - again, unless they fail to make agrandstand play and them they blame it on the lack of team support. PATHETIC!
I'll spend my time watching and playing - at 62 years of age - Rugby. A real gentleman's sport. take off the pads & Nylons boys and come join the men!

So spittsburgh, who is going to be the QB for you in about three years? That "smashmouth" football you talk about is going to make your beloved Ben a retiree at about 31-32 at best. That will be after he gets cut by the Squeelers and bounces to at least one other team. Recognize one thing.......not you.

There's a reason why rugby is actually less dangerous than football. Think about it. The less that American football resembles what it was around when it was invented through technological advances in body protection, the more defenders are going to have the false assumption that players are safer. Eventually you get a level of violence that passes a tipping point, then Kraft (this year) and other owners of affected teams (in other years) campaign for rule changes. Then technology again advances, new problems arise, and new rules are made. Yada yada. I love the Pats, but if the game keeps going in this ridiculous direction, at some point we gotta support a more organic version of the game (rugby). Hell, everyone's going organic anyway, no?

Head Protection for Sportsmen? Why? In their Head is nothing wotrh to be protected :-P

Wow!! NO FUN LEAGUE! Hopefully the nfl eventually shoots itself in the foot with all these rediculus rule saftey changes........ take away the few fundamental things that makes football so appealing to all peaple... peaple pay to watch these guys be violent if they cant handle it (the players) then they need to find new careers.. this is all BS!!!!!!

WAH.Too many rules in the NFL.You can barely touch a quarterback now.Know why everyone's griping about the hits the Steelers deliver.Because they play good old black and blue football.The way it was meant to be played.Can't believe people are complaining about Heinz Ward.He's a receiver for god's sake.If you can't take a hit from a receiver your'e in the wrong game.Pat's need a crying towel.

Might as well make it flag football

If Tom Brady goes out after getting hit after throwing a ball (I'm not talking about a late hit), will the NFL change the rule to where the Defender can not make an attempt to sack the QB if he's in " throwing motion". We got the tuck rule, can't hit a QB if you're on the ground... why not this.

Pittsburgh doesn't play dirty.. Pittsburgh plays FOOTBALL !! Maybe the Pats should take up another sport, how about synchronized swimming?

Pittsburgh doesn't play dirty.. Pittsburgh plays FOOTBALL !! Maybe the Pats should take up another sport, how about synchronized swimming?

"I suggest that in every game the Patsies play, the other team can use only 9 players. And at least 3 of those have to be pubescent girls."

Posted by Mike from the Burgh March 24, 09 03:46 PM

Hey Mike, I think you meant "PRE"-pubescent, haha

The next best thing to watching those amazing Steelers out-tough em all and become the greatest in all of football, is listening to all these East Coast elites moaning and groaning about how "unfair" it is that their Patsys (and Ravens et al)got it handed to them.
It's comical, and the best honor of all, that AFTER the Steelers win, new rules for the less tough are suddenly required.
It's awesome knowing that those guys ruled when toughness, determination and sacrifice meant something.

Every year there are new rules being made because of the Steelers. The NFL has been trying to do away with Steelers-Football for 5-10 years now. But don't be fooled, this has nothing to do with injuries, it has to do with money. To the outside observer, watching Peyton and Wayne or Brady and Moss light the lamp is far more exciting than watching the Steelers grind out a game. Opening up the offense attracts more fans, and that's what this is all about. Creating hundreds of rules for defensive linemen and backs (not to mention the fines), can cause just the slightest hesitation, and in a game like football, that split second can be the difference between a tackle made or a tackle broken. The NFL hopes it causes the latter, because watching a sound tackle isn't nearly as exciting as watching T.O. break loose and run for an extra 60 yards. But anyone that is a true fan of the NFL has to appreciate Steeler-Football. They win in the trenches, where it really counts. So try to make Steeler-Football illegal, it's nothing unfamiliar to them, but they'll find a way to keep winning, because, as Mike Tomlin said, "Winning is Steeler-Football.

If the steeler fans think they are "Americas" team they are full of s---. The so-called win over the Seahawks in Super Bowl Xl was a gift from the refs. Pittsburg needs the Steelers to have something they can worship. There certainly isn't anything else that Pittsburg can be proud of.

I was wondering if the NFL receivers expect to accept lower contracts now that they are performing a lower risk job. Somehow I doubt it. If we consider the compensation these players make should we not expect them to put their lives on the line?

Kevin Boston, MA of #34, its called a Superbowl dumbass, and the number is 6. The Steelers have won 6. The Pats have won 3? If you would like to play the Steelers in the AFC championship, try that new thing they just came out with... no, not spy-cams, it's called "not sucking". Eat shit.

what is up with these pansy pat fans talkin smack bout the steelers all of a sudden? what did bill belicheat cry to mr. kraft about poor lil brady and wes whiner? how bout cracking down on spying on other teams first commish goodell? oh but u pat fans had no problem laughin at chad pennington when u used to whip on him and all the punishment he took with a bum shoulder. now it happens to you and you crying like punx, you ham and eggers!!!!!!!!! go steelers....and jets!!!!!!!! LONG LIVE SMASH MOUTH FOOTBALL!!!!

If there's anybody who ought to be wearing a skirt, its the shrill ladies of Pittsburgh, who never miss an opportunity to drag their knuckles across the Internet in relentless pursuit of the lowest common denominator.

Welker was the first one to say the hit was legal and that's part of football. He may be small, but he's a bigger man than alot of men commenting here!

The Patsies need as much protection as they can possibly get when it's time to play the Steelers. The Clark hit on Welker was an outstanding football play! As far as Marsha Brady is concerned, please give all of us a break: Pollard was supposed to end his pursuit just because he was on the ground? The Patsies obviously lack the physical qualities which are required to play a naturally violent game without advocating for special protective rules custom designed to accommodate their soft & gentle constitution. The Patsies & their effeminate fans are an absolute disgrace!