Helmet-To-Helmet Strike Saved The Bucs
November 25th, 2013
Click here and watch the very end of the NFL Network highlight package of the Bucs-Lions game. You’ll see surprise safety star Kelcie McCray jar the ball from Calvin Johnson with a bone-rattling hit. But from the reverse angle shown, McCray clearly drives his helmet into Johnson’s head, in what Joe’s confident should have been a personal foul.
Now Joe doesn’t love the new NFL rules protecting receivers like Joe guards his gameday beer in the refrigerator. But the rules still exist.
The irony (and lesson) here is that officials likely let the hit go because it didn’t come from a marked man like suspended Bucs All-Pro safety Dashon Goldson.
Does anyone think Goldson gets away with a hit like that, especially against one of the greats of the game? No chance. With Goldson, the refs toss flags and consult later — and the Bucs likely lose.
November 25th, 2013 at 11:42 am
There is absolutely no doubt that Goldson would have been flagged…..He will have to take his helmet off before striking a reciever to avoid a flag.
He is definately a marked man and absolutely must make adjustments with his strike zone….I suggest ankles or better yet…..the bottom of the feet!!!
November 25th, 2013 at 11:43 am
Joe- link doesn’t work 🙁 Link is fine. Try again. –Joe
November 25th, 2013 at 11:52 am
Is Goldson a marked man in the NFL – Hell the eff yeah!!
Now I do think all the bucs defense might be marked since we started blowing the victory formation, every play one of our guys does, an impact play, we have to look and see if we got a flag or not.
November 25th, 2013 at 12:06 pm
Reverse angle shown at this site. I”ve been having issues seeing NFL.com videos also for some reason. The link above is missing, and doesn’t work.
http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2013/11/detroit_lions_fumble_their_way.html
They slow it down, and looks like a good play with helmet contact incidental. Not leading helmet to helmet.
November 25th, 2013 at 12:11 pm
That was no where close to a PF compared to the hit on Vincent Jackson earlier in the game that was not called.
November 25th, 2013 at 12:12 pm
Turn off ad block on nfl.com. Videos will start working. Worked for me.
I think what is happening is the ad block is blocking the commercial video, and then the NFL video never loads (or you don’t wait long enough for the commercial to finish).
November 25th, 2013 at 12:28 pm
Sorry, no way, I disagree that that could have been a penalty. Even Goldson would have been okay with this hit. I understand the hypersensitivity on this issue, but it was not a helmet-to-helmet strike as suggested by Joe. Maybe one too many beers while viewing this replay, Joe.
Film don’t lie. –Joe
November 25th, 2013 at 12:32 pm
The way Johnson jerked his head around, you never know what the refs would have done if it had be Goldson.
He has a rep now, and needs to change his game a bit, and he has lately, but still his hits are under a microscope.
November 25th, 2013 at 12:46 pm
I just watched video of the play & had the same thought; there was a zebra looking right at the hit, good angle, & no flag. But was it a foul?? Was Calvin a ”defenseless player”?? He was in the act of catching the ball; it’s not like the pass sailed ten feet over his head.
I admit that these new rules have me a bit confused, but that’s not hard to do.
November 25th, 2013 at 12:55 pm
No way Marlow..
Both Goldson and Barron get flagged for that hit. Like to add that VJ clearly received a helmet to helmet ,not called, earlier in the game and I’ve seen them unflagged across the league all season. It’s on the refs, I feel a players rep has a lot to do with getting called for it or not.
November 25th, 2013 at 1:09 pm
I think the most important element is that Cal never reacted to the hit except the obvious fumble. Clearly it was legal in his mind.
November 25th, 2013 at 1:25 pm
Oh well it’s incidental contact and you can see that his head continues to move through until his shoulder makes contact but regardless it doesn’t matter.
We won 😉
Not to mention the refs screwed up over and over all game long and they owed us one lol.
The Lions were given a free TD.
November 25th, 2013 at 1:49 pm
Joe is really quick to call this type of penalty on the bucs. I remember another rant ummmm sorry column about how the sack fumble that Claiborne put on brees vs the saints only to recant weeks later when the nfl said the call was blown. Sorry joe… Your words don’t lie.
November 25th, 2013 at 1:57 pm
Looks to be shoulder pad to helmet. Good clean hit IMHO.
November 25th, 2013 at 2:09 pm
Hm. Funny I bring this up 3 hours ago in the comment section of another story and now it’s it’s own story…..
November 25th, 2013 at 5:21 pm
clean hit.
November 25th, 2013 at 7:18 pm
I’m surprised it wasn’t called. We’ve been flagged already because we let a receiver catch the ball, but didn’t allow him to “make a football move”. Total BS
November 25th, 2013 at 11:05 pm
During yesterday’s game, a Lions defender hit Vincent Jackson in the facemask with his helmet. There was no flag on the play. Shocking. These freaking blind zebras call what they want when they want. If they don’t see it, they make it up.