The-Hogs.net - Washington Football Discussion, Redskins to Commanders Era

The persecution of our team by the league office reaches new heights daily.

Today we receive news that our starting strong safety is suspended for weeks 1-2

Where's Phillip Thomas? He's joining Chris Thompson on the just not durable enough for football table

Rambo & Breeland look like viable options

I saw on FB D Hall said he told himnto keep hitting and hed pay the fine.. it was worder more appropriate as to not hurting peiple butbi dont fully recall. This is a big blow and truly obnoxious punishment. If you watch the replay he lowered his target just as the wr lowered his body. Whats ge supposed to do? Pull a matrix move out of his u know what?

Thomas is side lined w and injury. Luckily Rambo has been playing well. Breeland miggt be an option as well.. unless he is facing a suspension as well :/

Merriweather is a knucklehead that should be suspended and longer than a couple of weeks before hurts someone permanently like Jack Tatum.

So the fact that it was a legal hit in reality means nothing to you?

FLWSkin wrote:So the fact that it was a legal hit in reality means nothing to you?

I haven't heard the discussion, but the replay was clearly helmet to helmet, how is that legal? Honestly, I think he should be tossed from the league. I hate to say that, we need him, but he puts people's careers in jeopardy and at this point it appears he either won't or can't change.

Because if you watch it again you will see that Merriweather was aiming for the spot between the shoulders and hips like they are supposed to and the receiver ducked his head in to that area and the Merriweather actually made contact with the receivers shoulder first. Watch it again, it was a legal hit.

As far as the rule, I believe it was made to protect both offensive and defensive players from head injuries, predominately concussions. I don't have a problem with that. I get when a player spears another players helmet directly, it makes a barbaric sport look barbaric in the media and that is not the image they want to portray. However, if you initiate contact with your shoulder and your helmet unintentionally hits the opponent, it shouldn't even be called a penalty let alone a 2 game suspension by rule right? Whats the exact rule?


On concussions in general:
The sudden whiplash is what really causes concussions. You can cause that with pushing, helmet to helmet, shoulder to pads, virtually any contact that has impact. You can get a concussion defenseless or in defense.

I wouldn't like it but I would be more satisfied if they just call "whiplashing" for any major hits. Because at the end of the day they are pretty much saying getting a concussion when your only defenseless is bad. Yet if Torrey Smith ran 5 more yards and was popped hard and got a concussion it would be fine? Cause this happens as well.

FLWSkin wrote:So the fact that it was a legal hit in reality means nothing to you?

you really have not being paying much attention - Meriweather has had an OBVIOUS issue with the way he tackles and the only thing that matters, at this time, is if the hit is deemed 'legal' by the NFL - there is VERY obviously some helmet to helmet contact and Meriweather CERTAINLY is not going to get the benefit of the doubt when that happens because of his past history - this is understandable - wake up people - this kid has to make a major change and if he cannot he's hurting the team

NO player should be playing if his actions end up hurting the team - NONE

You see it a lot when a defender makes a tackle and the follow through makes contact with the head, but sometimes you just can't avoid it. That's what happened here. The league has it out for him and that's just a fact.

SkinsJock wrote:

FLWSkin wrote:So the fact that it was a legal hit in reality means nothing to you?

you really have not being paying much attention - Meriweather has had an OBVIOUS issue with the way he tackles and the only thing that matters, at this time, is if the hit is deemed 'legal' by the NFL - there is VERY obviously some helmet to helmet contact and Meriweather CERTAINLY is not going to get the benefit of the doubt when that happens because of his past history - this is understandable - wake up people - this kid has to make a major change and if he cannot he's hurting the team

NO player should be playing if his actions end up hurting the team - NONE

I've been paying attention just fine, thanks. That was a legal hit, that's all I need to know. I know his past, and that had nothing to do with this hit.

FLWSkin wrote:You see it a lot when a defender makes a tackle and the follow through makes contact with the head, but sometimes you just can't avoid it. That's what happened here. The league has it out for him and that's just a fact.

That's ridiculous. Whether or not this particular hit was legal, he has so many blatant helmet to helmet hits he drew the attention from the league. They should be protecting receivers. Merriweather needs to care, he doesn't seem to. If you are endangering people's health and their careers by your actions, you need to take changing seriously. I can't believe he can't learn to tackle without driving his helmet into the helmet of defenseless receivers, I just don't.

The receiver ducked his head in to the path of the tackle, of course you are going to hit his head, there is no way you can't. But what is the defender supposed to do?

KazooSkinsFan wrote:

FLWSkin wrote:So the fact that it was a legal hit in reality means nothing to you?

I haven't heard the discussion, but the replay was clearly helmet to helmet, how is that legal? Honestly, I think he should be tossed from the league. I hate to say that, we need him, but he puts people's careers in jeopardy and at this point it appears he either won't or can't change.

Your career is on the line anytime you play football and get hit, it is an impact sport. Guys don't only get paralyzed or have concussions or career threatening injuries by helmet to helmet hits. You know how many of your favorite defensive players have blindsided guys or how many of your favorite olineman have tore up a defensive players knee? This is football! Now you suddenly want to ban Meriweather cause the league have brainwashed you into thinking that he is evil when half of the NFL is built off of the illegal hits that they now ban. There are hall of famers with busts in canton for doing exactly what Brandon Meriweather was actually taught to do. He's been tackling like this since peewee. Give the guy a break! Sean Taylor use to make these exact type of hits. Now have other guys conformed to the new rules? Yes but it is probably not easy for a vet. It appears he have improved on it and now going with the shoulder, that is all you can ask.

FLWSkin wrote:The receiver ducked his head in to the path of the tackle, of course you are going to hit his head, there is no way you can't. But what is the defender supposed to do?

I addressed the point the league is gunning for him, you responded on the narrow point of this particular play. I can't argue legal, not legal on that specific play because I only saw it once from an angle I could see the helmet to helmet, but clearly he was leading with his head. Driving 30 though a neighborhood and a kid in a bike goes in front of you, you can say he went in front of me, What was I supposed to do? Well, start by not driving 30 through neighborhoods. Particularly if you've hit other kids on bikes repeatedly already.

mastdark81 wrote:

KazooSkinsFan wrote:

FLWSkin wrote:So the fact that it was a legal hit in reality means nothing to you?

I haven't heard the discussion, but the replay was clearly helmet to helmet, how is that legal? Honestly, I think he should be tossed from the league. I hate to say that, we need him, but he puts people's careers in jeopardy and at this point it appears he either won't or can't change.

Your career is on the line anytime you play football and get hit, it is an impact sport

Gotcha, great point. I'm good now with eliminating rules on clean and unclean hits. Great argument.

He has a prior history, no shock that he got suspended. And it was an illegal hit, clearly on the replay.

I'm 50/50 on whether there should have been a flag on the play. From what I've been able to see, there is helmet to helmet contact, but that clearly was not Merriweather's intent and the receiver ducks into what would otherwise have been a legal hit.

OK, so maybe throw a flag on the play, and maybe — maybe — if you want to make a point, fine him because he's had so many of these hits. This occasion did not warrant it, but perhaps you're feeling high and mighty and decide to send a message. OK.

A suspension, however, is total BS. I could see it if there was a clear helmet-to-helmet hit or any sign of vicious intent, but that just isn't the case.

Perhaps a fine or a one game suspension. 2 games is the same that the wife beater got on the Rat Birds.

Irn-Bru wrote:I'm 50/50 on whether there should have been a flag on the play. From what I've been able to see, there is helmet to helmet contact, but that clearly was not Merriweather's intent and the receiver ducks into what would otherwise have been a legal hit.

OK, so maybe throw a flag on the play, and maybe — maybe — if you want to make a point, fine him because he's had so many of these hits. This occasion did not warrant it, but perhaps you're feeling high and mighty and decide to send a message. OK.

A suspension, however, is total BS. I could see it if there was a clear helmet-to-helmet hit or any sign of vicious intent, but that just isn't the case.

+1 There are a lot of people not thinking logically Irn. He is suspended and I sometimes think there are motives by others in the league to hinder the Redskins any chance they get. He is a very good safety now that he is playing his position.

That is a good way to hurt the Skins take out the one guy that has no real back up.

FLWSkin wrote: ... That was a legal hit, that's all I need to know. I know his past, and that had nothing to do with this hit.

are you kidding me - he would not have been suspended if not for his past history ...

when you get to be the commissioner, you can do whatever you want - this player has been put on notice and the team and his own players have tried to help him - he FULLY understands that he cannot get a break because of his past history

Meriweather made a hit that the NFL felt was worth a 2 game suspension - it does not matter that everybody else thinks it was a 'legal' tackle OR that the penalty is too harsh - the ONLY thing that matters is what the NFL thinks and does - if Meriweather is going to continue to tackle people with his and your version of a 'legal' hit, he's not going to be playing much

I like players that play and hit hard - this guy has to make a huge effort to change or he's hurting the team

So just because he has a history, a hit that is legal for everyone else is illegal for him?

FLWSkin wrote:So just because he has a history, a hit that is legal for everyone else is illegal for him?

NO! - his hits will be more closely scrutinized - the NFL has notified Meriweather and he knows and the Redskins know and the other defensive players and coaches know that his hits will warrant closer scrutiny because the way he tackles can be dangerous - Meriweather FULLY understands that he has to change the way he leads with his helmet because the NFL will suspend him and fine him for any helmet to helmet contact

it does not matter what you or anyone thinks is a legal hit - if the NFL determines a hit is not legal that is all that matters, especially when the player has been warned about it on numerous occasions

So he needs to retire because the NFL won't allow him to do what everyone else can do. I've seen so many hits worse than what he did the other night not even draw a flag. I remember the Denver game last year where RG got drilled in the facemask three times by the crown of a defenders helmet with no flag. I wish people could just admit that the NFL makes it up as they go along. This is just silly. There is no 'scrutiny", there is just 'every time Meriweather makes a tackle we are going to fine him". The hypocrisy is blatant and obvious, and I'm sorry people can't see it.

I don't agree that he should retire - Meriweather should learn to make tackles in a way that will not result in a fine ...

because, if he cannot do that, he might not have a job

Ok. You just don't get it. That's fine.