kid is tough no doubt
If it was Brady the flag would have been thrown before he was hit and Thomas would have been ejected had his fine delivered by FedEx this morning.
The play should have resulted in an ejaction. Another thing about the players crying, no wonder they don't know how to win games. Maybe the Steelers could win against a girl's softball team?
All Defense!
Ejaction
If we want to bang the table for Thomas being suspended then Dupree should've been suspended for the hit he put on Wilson a few weeks back.
Ok. I just want to make sure that if we are all going to start calling for suspensions for hits to the head, it has to go all ways.
If I was running the league, I would suspend Dupree and not suspend Thomas. I think the Thomas hit is one of those horrible things that happens in fast, violent game and I think Dupree's hit was a player who could've pulled up but chose not to.
Again, just one guy's opinion.
In general, I do not think anyone should be suspended, ejected, or even penalized at all for hits to the head unless they are deliberate cheap shots. People bonk heads in football all the time, it's just what happens.
After looking at the play again, I do not think Thomas was deliberately trying to knock him out, it was just unfortunate.
I would probably be fine with a rule that said, instead of penalties and suspensions, if you injure someone with a hit to the head, accidental or not, you are out of that game until the opposing player is cleared to come back in the game. Which in this case would have been basically the same as an ejection, but not always. If you are interested in the concept of "fairness," anyway, that seems like a reasonable way to do it.
See you Space Cowboy ...
Let's not split hairs... speculating intent is already rampant. The hits should have been called the same. Should just leave it at that.
Both left their feet "launched"... Both led with the crown of the helmet... Both were hits to the head/neck area.
I prefer the college method of calling the foul 1st, then let the review check the boxes above or not for the possible ejection.
...and if the fine schedules were anything consistent, Thomas should get at least the same $21K bill Dupree did.
Fine him also. Let's get this stuff consistent.
Did Dupree make a tackle?
Just fine coming no suspension from what i read..bunch of b.s..suspend them for the hits eventuaully they might get it
KNOCKIN ON 7'S DOOR!
That is an incredibly ridiculous thing to say.
If your friend was laying on the ground in front of you and you believed there was a chance something horrific had just happened to him, you wouldn't react to that? I wouldn't want anyone on my team that wasn't concerned and shaken by that.
Sociopathic behavior isn't a positive trait on or off the field.
I'm with the others who didn't have a problem with this hit. I have a bigger problem with the roughing call against Ola Adeniyi late in the 4th.
"You've heard people brag about 'being in the zone'. They don't know what the Hell being in the zone is about. I played in the NFL for 15 years and I was only in the zone that one time." - "Mean" Joe Greene on the 1974 playoff victory over Oakland
First of all. Rudolph didnt likely know what state he was in, so shouldnt be allowed the judgement to decide he wanted to walk out.
As for the hit, Thomas is coming head on and leads with helmet and 2 crossed forearms. He wasnt going for a tackle, nor blocking the pass, he launched himself at an area above the "strike zone", contrary to his belief/statement. Should carry a fine and potentially should have been ejected or suspended 1 game. His only saving grace might be that I think his head was up and not looking down, so maybe the league judgement is no crown hit.
With regards to Dupree hitting Wilson...that was a side shot, with his arms out as if he was trying to wrap up, but his target area was again too high and his helmet hit the QB head. Dupree ran thru the hit, he didn't launch himself at the QB. I dont see it as malicious as the Thomas hit, where he left his feet, at probably 5'11" to launch himself (forearms crossed) at the head of a 6'5" QB. The hit on Rudolph was much more malicious and could/should carry a stronger penalty. IMO.
EGJ,
I'm not talking about that one. Perhaps I'm mis- remembering the specific incident. I'm talking about where he wrapped him up around the legs and brought him down, only to be flagged for an illegal hit below the waist.
"You've heard people brag about 'being in the zone'. They don't know what the Hell being in the zone is about. I played in the NFL for 15 years and I was only in the zone that one time." - "Mean" Joe Greene on the 1974 playoff victory over Oakland
The rules are there for exactly this reason. It shouldn't matter what area Thomas "meant" to hit. The hit was a helmet to chin with him launching(both feet off the ground). That is textbook what the rules are there to prevent. I do not know Thomas' history with the league so I don't know about any suspension but there needs to be a hefty fine for that hit on Rudolph. Malicious intent or not Dupree should be fined for his hit on Wilson also.(Maybe he was I don't keep up) It's not about the intent.
The reality is, that intent does matter, especially when it comes to fines and suspensions.
If Minkah Fitzpatrick tries to break up a pass across the middle and in the process of trying to make a play, he inadvertently hits the WR in the helmet with his shoulder, its a penalty. The league likely doesn't fine him heavily, if at all. Similarly, when Vontaze Burfict went across the middle and hit AB in the head with his shoulder, while not making a play on the football or attempt to tackle, he was punished heavily. Same result of shoulder to head of a WR, but one with visible malice and intent.
BTW, Dupree was fined for the Wilson hit. I recall reading it somewhere.
Did anyone notice if that was Ryan Shazier helping Rudolph walk off?