James Harrison

[GTripp0012]

Originally Posted by Mattyk

Actually it's not that hard at all, it's called tackling 101. Lead with the shoulder and keep your head out if the way. Incidental contact is going to happen from time to time, but Harrison clearly has poor technique.

I feel bad for any player who gets flagged for a perfectly legal, textbook hit, but in the case of Harrison, most of his hits are dirty anyway and he doesn't always get called for them.

The game would be safer without James Harrison. Great defensive player. Seems like a good guy. But he's a dirty player and Steelers fans who think he's getting fined for the equivalent of shutting his car door too hard are mindless homers.

All the evidence suggests that the NFL can improve head safety over something like a five year period doing exactly what they are. I mean, how often do you see a personal foul -- late hit called compared to just five years ago? They don't need to over-enforce it anymore because defensive players understand what a late hit is, even if it's not very well defined by the NFL rulebook. They know it's a 15 yard flag, so they don't do it.