Merriman/jake long.......

[Thurman#1]

Is that a helmet to helmet hit, was it incidental, from that angle looks like it might be, note how Long's neck snaps back as does Merriman's and Merriman's chin strap comes undone.

I don't think helmet to helmet is illegal in blocking, is it?

[Thurman#1]

Moore gets better every week.

The question on Moore has always been whether he can play the run. If he starts being able to do that, it'd be great news for the Bills.

[Thurman#1]

defense has played better without Kelsay. The play that Merriman made on that run is one that Kelsay would have sucked himself inside and left the outside running lane open for a big gain. Merriman sets the edge like your supposed to. He may not be an elite pass rusher right now but he is strong at the point of attack. I just know that the run defense suffered last year after he went down also. Kelsay could never be the defender that Merriman is and he is supposed to be a good run defender. I guess all things are relative.

They've played better, but it isn't because Kelsay's gone. This is what always looked like it would happen this year, that they'd have problems the first half of the year in a new system and would get better as the season went along, and it now seems obvious that Mario's hand really was holding him back, and the operation actually did make him a better player.

[jcmccall]

Is that a helmet to helmet hit, was it incidental, from that angle looks like it might be, note how Long's neck snaps back as does Merriman's and Merriman's chin strap comes undone.

I don't see much helmet-to-helmet on that hit. I think Merriman's helmet hits mostly shoulder pad. I think there's a glancing kiss, but I don't think that's what caused the jolt.

It seems like Merriman's initiated the contact with his chest and delivers a jolt with his arms at the same time. Hard to see going full speed, but see how Merriman's torso head comes up and back...

What I like is look where Merriman's hands are. His left is near his armpit and the right seems to hit the bottom of Long's shoulder pads and slide's up. You get you hands in those two places, you can really move a player.

Seriously, this might be the most textbook play of taking on a blocker in space wee see all year. You just don't see this stuff nearly as much as you should. Maybe the league is too fast, maybe coaches are too worried about scheme and not technique, maybe the players just don't care as that doesn't make highlight reels... I don't know. But I do know that if the league wants to reduce injuries good form tackling and hitting is required and this needs to get drilled down to the college level.


But the overall best thing about this play...it didn't come in a "moral victory!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

[DarylLamonica]

I don't think helmet to helmet is illegal in blocking, is it?

That is why i wrote the incidental.

[lilfaith24]

Almost as good as this one.

its better than that one....in yours the player jumped and thats what caused it....SM just dominated Long there was nothing more to it