I actually was at this game at Foxboro during Thanksgiving break. When he got hit everyone around me just goes "ohhh" for 5 seconds. It might have been the most miserable game in terms of weather I have ever attended. It was about 30 degrees and raining. It wasn't cold enough to snow though. My socks were soaking wet the whole time. Parking cost 50 bucks and I had to park and walk from a mile away. They need to get their act together in New England.
<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/tt8AQCnMBjU&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/tt8AQCnMBjU&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object> Kimbo Slice has the best tackle, IMO.
I kind of disqualify the Welker hit, since it was a pretty lame cheap shot. Ball no where near the receiver (he didn't even touch the thing), completely defenseless. The Ward hit, on the other hand, contributed to the scope of the play, and was made against a much bigger guy, by a much smaller guy... bravo Hines
How was he completely "defenseless?" The ball was tipped and he GAVE UP on the play... he had plenty of time to look and see who was coming. It was a clean and legal hit and is the type of hit that only top-notch defenses make. The Steelers Defense finishes the play no matter what, and that's why they're the best D since perhaps the 2000 Ravens D. You gotta send a message to guys like Welker who like to work the middle all-game long. I'm sure the Steelers were happy to trade a 15 yard penalty to prevent the NE receivers from going over the middle the rest of the game
Supposedly, Belichick showed a couple of clips in a team meeting of Clark making similar hits, but only when the opponent is defenseless. Whenever Clark is facing a guy square up, he becomes an ankle tripper and arm tackler.
Dude, Hines went out of his way to ruin Keith Rivers' life. Broke his jaw on that play. I mean, if you talk about "excessive"
it's a rough hit, to be sure, and by far the winner. First thing I thought of reading/watching the op. But... That's the chance you take crossing your receivers in the middle like that. Warner did that to Boldin and said it made him wanna retire for having put his receiver in that position. Most times the defender won't have time to see if the receiver is going to, did, or didn't catch the ball before it's too late to stop the hit. It happens. It's football. When you call a play like this, and know and see there's a safety that will rush to meet a deep receiver slashing middle, this is the danger. As the QB, you have to realize this or face the fact that you put them in that position. Who's going to hold onto a ball while being hit like that? Not many. Again, a brutal hit, but well within the rules. I put that on Rothlisberger, not the defender.
I don't know why anyone give Hines Ward trouble for that play. My favorite part of watching punt returns and interception returns is some of the blindside blocking that you get from reversing the direction of the field. We all love it when one of our guys knocks the other guy off his feet. It's football and Ward is a little dude. He plays the way coaches teach you to play from a kid and that's to play until the whistle blows. If you don't keep going until the whistle blows, you're going to get hit, so go hit somebody. This is not NFL, but my favorite hit of the year... <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/cbSaXAEoYvQ&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/cbSaXAEoYvQ&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>
Maybe so, but injuries happen. That's an incredible block by a guy who is normally on the other end of the punishment. The willis thing is the least of these hits, though perhaps the most deliberately dangerous considering he goes high on him and smacks him in the head. Did I miss someone posting the Boldin hit? It should be in here if it isn't.
I didn't say it wasn't legal. It was cheap and unnecessary, as in, you're just hitting someone for the sake of hitting them. Didn't contribute to the success or failure of that play. Hines Ward, on the other hand, completely broke that play open for his runner. Like I said, the guy he was taking on was bigger than he was... that takes balls.. pretty easy for a linebacker to lay out a WR who's job is to concentrate on catching the ball instead of avoiding getting his head knocked off... as opposed to a defender who knows that pursuing a runner he should avoid blockers. You simply can't compare the effect of the plays against each other, they stand apart.
This one was pretty good. <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/GR1UWxs_5G8&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/GR1UWxs_5G8&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>
I watched that clip over and over again...It didn't look that great to me, even the first time I saw it I was like hmmm, okay. The other guy is pulling him down while the receiver basically runs into Willis who's standing there at the moment...waiting for him to get there. The helmet to helmet hit probably hurt a bit, but the guy pulled him back and trapped his legs under him which didn't let him fall back naturally...that's why he looked like he broke his back. Willis had less to do with that tackle than the guy pulling him down did. If the Clark hit is cheap than what do you call throwing a helmet into someone who's getting pulled down from behind? Also, Willis a brickwall? Cmon man he bounced off the guy after the collision. Smith had no where to go b/c his legs were trapped underneath him by the tackler from behind. That's why didn't even knock him on his back...
I have no clue what video your watching, it sounds like your watching something else. If you watched it over and over you would notice that the guy behind him has nothing to do with him the hit. Yes his legs got trapped under him from the other receiver but that was AFTER the hit. Willis timed it perfectly and wasn't just standing there waiting for the receiver to hit him. I like how you say he bounced off the guy yet "somehow" he was still on his feet after the hit. Again did you even watch the video? The only reason why the receiver wasn't on his back because he was propelled by the other guys two knees, shortly after he was winded and they needed an injury timeout. It's one thing to throw your entire body full force to make the block or hit, it's another when you smash someone and they go bending backwards and your still on your feet. Thats why I considered this a great hit.
Hmm...not sure about the hit. The "Best NFL player throw" had to go to that Pittsburgh special teams player who picked up and threw Pacman out of the pile on the punt return fumble last Sunday. Look, Ma...no flag!
If you are going college, this one was pretty good. <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/V1vCZ6zt4Es&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/V1vCZ6zt4Es&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>
I agree man I thought that Willis hit was just big and filthy.......... It seems like everyone else is watching a different video............
Uh yeah I did...look at the video you posted and watch at the 1 min mark(it's slowed down so you can see it better)..you can see that Smith was on his knees where Willis was standing(hence Willis was knocked off of this position) as Willis was knocked back from the collision and stumbling to his left. So do you think Willis hit the guy and decided to fall to his left under his own power with his legs flailing? Smith was slowing down when he saw Willis--the helmet to helmet collision would've knocked him down, but it looks so dramatic b/c the other guy was pinning his legs and not allowing him to go down so it looks awkward. That's not a big hit although it looks nasty b/c of the guy pulling him down and pinning his legs. The tackler from behind hits him first and throws his entire weight on his back...do you disagree? Look he's basically riding the receiver...even the announcers were saying he wasn't able to protect himself b/c he was being hit from behind...he was a bit defenseless. He was bending backwards because...oh ffs,nevermind.
