Bengals Punter's Jaw Broken by Steelers Blind Side Hit

[Maverick Hiker]

http://larrybrownsports.com/football...t-video/214016

I think this type of helmet to helmet hit is more typical of the Steelers than any other team. This has gone on for years going back to Hines Ward, Harrison, etc.

Message to Garvin, Tomlin, and the rest of the Steelers: Taking out the Bengals punter Huber with an illegal hit is hardly a show of toughness. Rather it was an unnecessary illegal play which caused life changing injury, which broke the man's jaw and ended his season at the least.

The Ravens hit just as hard as the Steelers but their hits are typically clean and not like this.

[HoustonRaven]

It was head on so I am not sure why this was called a blind side hit. He certainly didn't see it coming, that's for sure.

And I don't see anything wrong with the hit. Helmet to helmet doesn't apply here. I know we got flagged for a similar hit but I don't think that makes it a good call. We shouldn't have been flagged.

[Ravenswintitle]

Refresh my memory; didn't one of our guys block a punter a couple games ago and a penalty was called? Wasn't even a hard block IIRC

[Maverick Hiker]

Personally I think Tomlin encourages this type of play, while Harbaugh does the opposite.

[Justlovemybirds]

Fun Fact: Garvin is a local guy (Loyola Blakefield)

[Ravenswintitle]

[Maverick Hiker]

It wasn't blind side. It was head on.

And I don't see anything wrong with the hit. Helmet to helmet doesn't apply here.

The initial contact was both with the shoulder and the helmet. Helmet to helmet does apply. The articles I have read about the play indicate a fine is very likely.
Here is what the USA headline article this morning said about the play.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports...ek-15/4036515/

Garvin's helmet caught Huber under his chin and resulted in a fractured jaw for Huber, which would end his season. The play could also draw a fine from the league.

[ERey]

If I'm a punter and the play comes my way my head on on a swivel the entire time. No one really expects you to make a tackle anyway.

[HoustonRaven]

The initial contact was both with the shoulder and the helmet. Helmet to helmet does apply. The articles I have read about the play indicate a fine is very likely.
Here is what the USA headline article this morning said about the play.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports...ek-15/4036515/

Garvin's helmet caught Huber under his chin and resulted in a fractured jaw for Huber, which would end his season. The play could also draw a fine from the league.

Yeah, I was just about to post something similar. PFT breaks it down here that punters / kickers are considered defenseless players, thus a flag should have been thrown.

[JohnBKistler]

It was head on so I am not sure why this was called a blind side hit. He certainly didn't see it coming, that's for sure.

And I don't see anything wrong with the hit. Helmet to helmet doesn't apply here. I know we got flagged for a similar hit but I don't think that makes it a good call. We shouldn't have been flagged.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com...-hit-on-huber/

That article says that punters and kickers are under the "defenseless player" rule and hits to the helmet/neck area should be flagged, which that hit certainly was.

In terms of the speculation of the intent, I don't think Garvin purposely meant to hurt Huber. He certainly needed to be blocked because he still had a play on the runner. A more experienced special teams player would have had "his head on a swivel" and seen the block coming and better protected himself. Huber didn't and got blown-up. Should have been flagged. "Them's the rules."

[HoustonRaven]

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com...-hit-on-huber/

That article says that punters and kickers are under the "defenseless player" rule and hits to the helmet/neck area should be flagged, which that hit certainly was.

In terms of the speculation of the intent, I don't think Garvin purposely meant to hurt Huber. He certainly needed to be blocked because he still had a play on the runner. A more experienced special teams player would have had "his head on a swivel" and seen the block coming and better protected himself. Huber didn't and got blown-up. Should have been flagged. "Them's the rules."

See post #9. ;)

[JCroUSAF]

He may not have meant to hurt him but he certainly had every intent to hit him as hard as possible. He was trying to make a name for himself outside of being woodleys backup. The punter wasn't even looking, should have been a flag and hopefully he recovers quickly