Punter Getting Clocked In Steeler-Bengal Game
 

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I saw an article this morning about that particular play. Here's a link:

http://deadspin.com/missed-penalty-g...e-a-1484135728

The author points out that this is clearly illegal as the Punter qualifies as "defenseless" and is supposed to be given extra protection. Not that he can't be blocked or hit, but he is not supposed to be hit in the head or neck area. It looks to me like that Steeler LB 1) lead with the crown of his helmet, 2) making first contact in the head/neck area, 3) on a defenseless player. Here's the rule:

Article 7
:
Players in a Defenseless Posture
.
It is a foul if a player initiates unnecessary contact against a player who is in
a defenseless posture.
(a) Players in a defenseless posture are:

(1) A player in the act of or just after throwing a pass;
(2) A receiver attempting to catch a pass; or who has completed a catch and has not had time to protect himself or has not clearly become a runner. If the receiver/runner is capable of avoiding or warding off the impending contact of an opponent, he is no longer a defenseless player;
(3) A runner already in the grasp of a tackler and whose forward progress has been stopped;
(4) A kickoff or punt returner attempting to field a kick in the air;
(5) A player on the ground;
(6) A kicker/punter during the kick or during the return (Also see Article 6(g) for additional restrictions against a kicker/punter);
(7) A quarterback at any time after a change of possession (Also see Article 8(f) for additional restrictions against a quarterback after a change of possession);
(8) A player who receives a ―blindside‖ block when the offensive blocker is moving toward or parallel to his own end line and approaches the opponent from behind or from the side, and
(9) A player who is protected from an illegal crackback block (see Article 2);
(10) The offensive player who attempts a snap during a Field Goal attempt or a Try Kick



(b) Prohibited contact against a player who is in a defenseless posture is:
(1)Forcibly hitting the defenseless player’s head or neck area with the helmet, facemask, forearm, or shoulder,even if the initial contact of the defender’s helmet or facemask is lower than the passer’s neck, and regardless of whether the defensive player also uses his arms to tackle the defenseless player by encircling or grasping him;or
(2) Lowering the head and making forcible contact with the top/crown or forehead/‖hairline‖ parts of the helmet against any part of the defenseless player’s body; or
(3) Illegally launching into a defenseless opponent. It is an illegal launch if a player(i)leaves both feet prior to contact to spring forward and upward into his opponent, and(ii)uses any part of his helmet (including thetop/crown and forehead/‖hairline‖ parts) to initiate forcible contact against any part of his opponent’s body.

Note:
This does not apply to contact against a runner, unless the runner is still considered to be a defenseless player,as defined in Article 7 above.
Note1:The provisions of (2) do not prohibit incidental contact by the mask or helmet in the course of a conventional tackle or block on an opponent.
Note 2: A player who initiates contact against a defenseless opponent is responsible for avoiding an illegal act. This includes
illegal contact that may occur during the process of attempting to dislodge the ball from an opponent. A standard of strict
liability applies for any contact against a defenseless opponent, even if the opponent is an airborne player who is returning
to the ground or whose body position is otherwise in motion, and irrespective of any acts by the defenseless opponent,
such as ducking his head or curling up his body in anticipation of contact.

https://www.nfl.info/download/2012Me...ule%20Book.pdf

I think they said the guy broke his jaw.

Broke his jaw.

Steeler gonna pay

Eh, that kicker was squaring up to try to take the ball carrier down, he should be fair game IMO. Doesn't make the illegal hit on him ok though.

From the article:

Kevin Huber was a lock for the Pro Bowl. But the Bengals punter's tremendous year was cut short with a fractured jaw, suffered when he was blindsided by Steelers LB Terence Garvin.

Punter is trying to make a tackle and gets blocked-looks like FOOTBALL to me.

Over Dustin Colquitt?

**** no!

If hitting a player in a defenseless posture were really against the rules, Matt Cassel would have marched us down the field on penalties alone.

Even if the Punter wasn't protected by the "defenseless" rule that was a shitty block. The Steeler led with the crown of his helmet right into the Punter's face. Even my kids when they were playing Pop Warner would get into a shitload of trouble for hitting like that.

You don't plow the crown of your helmet into someone's face.

Definitely a bad hit... punter or not, that was a poor choice by the Steeler. Let's say someone had crushed JC like that... the board would blow up.

This.

LMAO Jacked UP!

Should have called for a mandible.

A punter/kicker can't kick with a broke jaw?...