How was the Helmet swing not a Penalty?

[The Red King]

28 minutes ago, Matt_In_NH said:

The bills player started lifting the helmet off and the punter aggressively completed the removal.  It was pretty minor. Removing a helmut is not a penalty if it comes off during a play or when another player is pulling it off. 

 

I was going to say this, at least regarding taking the helmet off.  Once the helmet was off though, it looked like an intentional swing.

[SoCal Deek]

12 minutes ago, The Red King said:

 

I was going to say this, at least regarding taking the helmet off.  Once the helmet was off though, it looked like an intentional swing.

It was CLEARLY an intentional swing. He should’ve been immediately ejected. The punter has no business mixing it up with the big boys. 

[pennstate10]

2 hours ago, DallasBillsFan1 said:

From a reverse angle you can see it was a Bills player that lifted the helmet off the TB player.  The punter raised his hands to the ref signaling he wasn't doing it.  That's why.

It was sort of confusing, and I didn’t watch in super slow mo, but it looked to me that 43 on Bills pulled the dudes helmet off, and then the dude pulled it back from him, and ended up swinging the helmet. 
 

I was just glad it wasn’t penalty Bills. 
 

[SoCal Deek]

34 minutes ago, dave mcbride said:

Fans spend WAY too much griping about calls already, and to complain about a call/non-call that actually had no bearing on an actual play? It’s tiresome. Refs neither favor nor or biased against the Bills.

Nobody is saying it has any to do with bias. You simply cannot swing your helmet at someone and a punter should know better than to get involved in something like that. 

[Einstein's Dog]

39 minutes ago, SoCal Deek said:

Nobody is saying it has any to do with bias. You simply cannot swing your helmet at someone and a punter should know better than to get involved in something like that. 

I agree, helmet swinging is a different level of wrong. 

 

And saying the refs couldn't determine what happened is weak.  They should have stopped play and figured it out.  There was a commercial break anyway I believe.

[NoSaint]

4 hours ago, Einstein's Dog said:

The lack of a penalty on the Helmet swing baffles me.  They replayed it and it seemed to me the announcers were covering it like they assumed that was going to be called.  Then things got murky, I guess the call was offsetting penalties, and the announcers dropped it quickly.

 

But when I saw that replay it looked like the little guy was deliberately swinging his helmet and it grazed someone.

 

We already had the Giants nonsense where they had what looked like 3 different guys doing personal fouls to our one and saying they offset, now this?

 

Does anyone have an explanation on what happened there?

I suspect they thought it was taken off him and just came down in the scuffle to grab on it? I thought the crew in NY would’ve chimed in though. Maybe letting the kicker off the hook based on position though.

[Ethan in Cleveland]

Should have been a penalty and wen ejection.

Even if you argue the helmet came off unintentionally he still swung it. And the ref through the flag and they decided to pick it up!

Terribly officiated game.  

[dave mcbride]

2 hours ago, SoCal Deek said:

Nobody is saying it has any to do with bias. You simply cannot swing your helmet at someone and a punter should know better than to get involved in something like that. 

Meh. Bills fans complaining about nonsense like this as opposed to actual plays in the game and athletic performance is the gaming world equivalent of rules lawyering. No one likes those people (except for other rules lawyers, who appear to be well represented in this thread).

Edited October 28, 2023 by dave mcbride

[BCAS Baritone]

It would have been fair to call two penalties - one on the Bills player that took off the helmet, and one on the punter that swung the helmet.  And the punter should have been ejected.  Since he wasn't ejected, the league should suspend him for next week.

 

[BobbyC81]

8 hours ago, SoCal Deek said:

He should’ve been immediately ejected, but Goodells NFL it’s a free for all. 

It’s somewhat surprising, too.  When he became Commish he levied some heavy suspensions/fines.  Then, there may have been too much criticism so he became more lenient (Ray Rice).  Then you never knew what he was going to do as he was Al, over the place (Brady gets 6 games for Deflategate).

 

I don’t think the NFL uses focus groups but maybe they should.  Most fans don’t like the crappy football that’s usually played on Thursdays but it’s big bucks so they don’t care.  

[John from Riverside]

I don’t know what’s up a penalty anymore I literally saw an opponent punch, one of our guys in the head in a previous game

[pennstate10]

1 hour ago, John from Riverside said:

I don’t know what’s up a penalty anymore I literally saw an opponent punch, one of our guys in the head in a previous game

Ahhh, let’s be serious. There is zero chance a guy wearing a Ridell helmet is hurt by some other dudes bare hand. 

[Thurman#1]

11 hours ago, DallasBillsFan1 said:

From a reverse angle you can see it was a Bills player that lifted the helmet off the TB player.  The punter raised his hands to the ref signaling he wasn't doing it.  That's why.

 

 

This!!!! At first I couldn't believe the no-call, then on the third replay I saw what happened.

 

Good no-call.

 

8 hours ago, SoCal Deek said:

It was CLEARLY an intentional swing. He should’ve been immediately ejected. The punter has no business mixing it up with the big boys. 

 

 

Wasnt clear at all. Half the motion was him trying just to grab the helmet, and whoever was giving the impetus at that point, it was a very soft swing with little impact.

 

 

Edited October 28, 2023 by Thurman#1

[LyndonvilleBill]

2 hours ago, pennstate10 said:

Ahhh, let’s be serious. There is zero chance a guy wearing a Ridell helmet is hurt by some other dudes bare hand. 

I don't thinks is so much as getting hurt,  but if you're going to penalize someone for holding up a peace sign or for a headbutt,  throwing a punch or swinging a helmet shouldn't they be one as well.🤔

[SUNTANBILLS FAN]

14 hours ago, SoCal Deek said:

He should’ve been immediately ejected, but Goodells NFL it’s a free for all. 

Like Ridley throwing a punch in front of an official and not even a penalty ? He should of been thrown out too. And the giants players spiking guys and somehow Dawkins gets a Penalty? 

[1ManRaid]

20 hours ago, BillsFanSD said:

Because it's just another example of inexplicable officiating.  Did it change the outcome of the game?  No.  Was I worked up about it at the time?  No.  Was it the right call?  No.

 

It is good for officials to call a clean game and bad when they don't.

 

How does losing your punter to a rightful ejection in the 1st quarter NOT affect the game?  I'll never understand people pulling "it didn't affect the game" just because it wasn't the literal last deciding play of the game or something.  Butterfly Effect, things change.

13 hours ago, pennstate10 said:

Ahhh, let’s be serious. There is zero chance a guy wearing a Ridell helmet is hurt by some other dudes bare hand. 

 

Ahhh YOU be serious.  Throwing a punch is an AUTOMATIC ejection no matter what helmet the other guy is wearing.