Or maybe, just maybe Dobbins didn't actually know Cutler was a runner just yet. He let up on the hit because he saw Cutler was passing before the hit, and raised his arms afterwards to show that. Dobbins' comments about the hit were disingenuous to me.
Or maybe, just maybe Dobbins raised his arms because it's a common-sense reaction to hitting a prized NFL quarterback. He knew the moment he touched one, as most defenders do, he was at risk (no matter if they're a runner or not), so he was rightfully trying to downplay the significance. He knew something big had happened (helmet to helmet) but it wasn't his intent, and his arms going up and comments after reflected that.
Not if it's an accident and it doesn't involve a QB. There are dozens of hits every week where helmets collide and flags aren't even thrown, much less fined. It's a double standard for prized quarterbacks, and Goodell is an ******* because he gives maybe a THIRD of that protection to non-quarterbacks (Brian Cushing). PR, PR, PR. All Roger cares about.
A hit like that will draw a fine like that everytime. Most often you see QBs and WRs take hits like that. RBs don't stand that upright, and are getting lower and putting their heads down. Dobbins hit wasn't really an accident. He went high, but he didn't have to.
He said as much, wish I could find the article. Paraphrasing, he said he would have usually hit him lower, but saw that he was going to pass so went higher to try and disrupt the throw, iirc.
Your PR campaign for Dobbins isn't flying. If Cutler was indeed a runner and tucked the ball to run, would Dobbins have reacted the same way after hitting him? Granted the hit would have been different, but Dobbins wouldn't have let up after the hit if he knew Cutler was running. He saw he was hitting a qb in passing mode, launched upward and hit Cutler's helmet (intentionally or not), and let up to acknowledge he hit a passing qb. Then he gave chase to the ball because he didn't hear the whistle AND wasn't even thinking about where the LOS was.
Until the last second, it was possible for Cutler to throw a legal pass, so Dobbins had to stay upright (high) in order to potentially swat the ball away, or at least take away a throwing lane. If he goes low, Cutler can just throw right over him. There just wasn't enough reaction time after Cutler released the ball/crossed the LOS for Dobbins to completely readjust his body and go lower. So he led with the shoulder and made initial contact with the throat/chest area. Unfortunately, both players were of similar height and were each running to the same spot, so the helmets inadvertently collided a split-second after. Just an inherent risk of the game, and both knew it when they signed up for it. I agree that it's usually going to get fined, but that's because that type of play most frequently occurs with quarterbacks. I'm just b****ing about the hypocrisy of it all. As you can tell, Goodell grates on my last nerve.
Oh, and just to clear up something that a few people keep repeating (From the NFL rulebook): (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, regardless of whether the defensive player also uses his arms to tackle the defenseless player by encircling or grasping him; and (a) Players in a defenseless posture are: (1) A player in the act of or just after throwing a pass; and 2) Roughing the passer rules apply on all passes (legal or illegal) thrown from behind the line of scrimmage (12-2-8). If a pass is thrown from beyond the line of scrimmage, unnecessary roughness may apply for action against the passer.
Good to know you're the judge of PR campaigns. Yes, I think Dobbins would have reacted the same way even if Cutler were five yards downfield and running. BECAUSE IT'S A KNOWN NFL QUARTERBACK. Defenders think like this and talk about it all the time. It's a double standard and if they think they got a good lick on a quarterback (intentionally or not), the vast majority are going to make the case that they "pulled back" because they know they're at risk of severe game and/or financial punishment. I can promise you that you're dead wrong on your "theory" of why he gave chase to the ball. It doesn't matter if a quarterback is 20 yards downfield and then throws a forward pass, and a defender sees an official throw a flag right there. If the play hasn't been blown dead and an offensive player is going toward the end zone, you pursue and try to stop them or you're going to have your ass chewed out by the coach and/or coordinator. That's football 101.
Nobody is going to argue that QBs aren't babied by the league. Everybody knows there is a double standard concerning offensive players in general (QBs and WRs in particular). I don't think anybody is trying to villify Dobbins or say that he was being intentionally malicious. It all happens so quickly, and if you go high, you know the odds of being fined are high. Certainly more questionable plays have resulted in fines from the league office. If there is a ridiculous part to this, it is that Dobbins gets fined $30k, and his game check is only $43,750, but other guys making way more money get a similar dollar amount even if they make substantially more (assuming first offense). They aren't going to take the kid gloves off, the best you can hope for is that they start giving kid gloves to everyone, but then we may further water down the product.
Offensive players get no real punishment when they go after or injure defensive players. Titans offensive tackle David Stewart has been fined $7,875 for multiple outbursts including taking swings at Texans defensive players. Daniel Manning throws a punch while to get a player off his pinned leg and gets fined $15,000. Antonio Smith was fined $21,000 for trying to kick Ritchie Incognito off his leg when he was trying to do something funny to it away from the play. No justice for defensive players when left at the whims of the the NFL.
Not according to the NFL rulebook. Also, found the quote from Dobbins on why he hit him high: "You want to try and aim for the hip to get the legs and body to go down with him. But with him, he was trying to deliver the ball. So I was really trying to hit him up high so he would mess up the throw as well."
Hey which explanation are you going with? For a second I thought you were going to ask me for media credentials on judging PR campaigns. So you think Dobbins would have let up if Cutler tucked it and run and NOT do a baseball slide? I think Dobbins would have treated him like any RB he's tackling. The 2 things that defenders let up on when tackling a qb is in passing mode and sliding feet first. And you misread my post. I said Dobbins chased after the ball because he DIDN'T hear the whistle AND wasn't thinking about where the LOS was. In essence he still thought the play was live and was not thinking about the LOS.
I'm wonder when players are going to start getting fined for "punching" at the ball? Because you know that they all don't hit their mark. If they don't get fined for it, I say our team needs to add this skill to swatting. Sounds like a legit excuse if you feel like popping someone.
All defensive players have been taught this since High School. Some are better at it than others, and I don't know why more don't implement it.
This is why I thought happened when I was watching. I also thought that maybe he was trying to deflect the pass, so he stayed up high.
