Why Is Leading With The Helmet On Offense Never Called?

[Phil The Thrill]

I know that rule changes this year have led to a lot of penalties of defensive players for helmet-to-helmet hits.  But if I recall, werebt offensive players supposed to be penalized too for leading with their helmet. 

 

Case and point - watch Mike Devlin run and directly lead with his helmet.  You’ll see him concuss Tremaine Edmunds and Also hit Matt Milano in the head as well - which looked pretty bad watching it back.   You can see Devlin almost using his helmet as a weapon

 

Great to see the #NFL is still penalizing players on both sides of the ball for leading with the helmet...

 

 

I guess I don’t get why you try to protect players on offense from helmet-to-helmet hits  but don’t protect players on defense from same offense. 

[4_kidd_4]

They’re supposed to call it. 

 

First shot is definitely a foul.

[Scott7975]

They are suppose to call it.  Its not even about Helmet to Helmet anymore.  Its the act of lowering your head to initiate contact.  It can hit any part of the other player.  If you lower your head, no matter who you are or where you are on the field or what portion of the player you hit, to initiate contact it is supposed to be a foul.  The only time you can lower your head and not get a foul is if you are lowering your head to protect yourself.

Edited November 1, 2018 by Scott7975

[pennstate10]

Ahh...that's not a foul. Both players were lowering their pad level, as has been taught for 100 years.  Neither were defenseless, no one launched. 

 

Edelmans foul was textbook targeting. He 1) led with his helmet on 2) a defenseless punt coverage guy who was not expecting to get crunched after Edelman called for a fair catch, and 3) left his feet and launched. Textbook targeting. 

 

FWIW, I'm betting that he gets a call from the NFL office. 

[Augie]

It’s hard for both sides. They grew up playing a violent game, now the rules change a bit. Regardless, you have 22 guys out there flying around at the speed of light, it WILL go wrong sometimes. But it’s a new way of life in football. (I have a hard head apparently, and I made a point of using it!) 

[Chimp]

You're talking about Edmunds' concussion right?  The dude that made initial contact with the crown of his helmet?

Edited November 1, 2018 by Chimp

[Utah John]

If Gronk didn't get suspended for the rest of the year for launching himself at White's neck last year, you know a (a) Patriot who (b) plays offense will never be held accountable.

[fansince88]

Neither of these hits should have been a foul on offence at all! Stop with the tickty tac complaints. If you play this back in slow motion you will notice on both hits the offensive player on both hits is a patriots player thus the reason these were not called. jesh guys. This has got to  stop.

[PetermansRedemption]

If it is called on defense it should be called on offense. However, two factors in play here. 1) it is the Patriots, you are never getting a call against them 2) the lowering the head to initiate contact penalty has pretty much disappeared in the regular season.