Bengals punter takes it on the chin

[Old Fart Dawg]

Crunch.
Cincinnati Bengals punter Kevin Huber took one of the hardest hits of the season Sunday night against the Steelers and had to leave the game.
The painful moment took place during Antonio Brown's 67-yard punt return for a touchdown, which gave the Steelers an early 21-0 lead.

 

[57stratdawg]

A couple things:

1) they aren't bullshitting about that 'head on a swivel' thing.

2) the announcers on radio said he wasn't wearing a mouthpiece and lost several teeth. I never understood why people don't wear mouthpieces in football, especially the damn NFL. I get it you're a punter, but still.

 

[BulldogBlitz]

crown of the helmet, high hit, targeting.

expect a fine. if you can't blow up a wide receiver coming across the middle, why in the world would you be allowed free reign on a scrawny punter.

 

[aTotal360]

LaVar Arrington approves. That POS used to go after kickers or punters and then would gloat like he made a superbowl winning on stop on the goal line.

 

[THE Bruce Dickinson]

That's a load of crap. He hit the punter once from Pitt in 1999, and that was the only time I can ever recall him doing that. In last night's game the punter was trying to make the tackle on the return man. That makes him not the punter anymore. He is simply another defender. However, I probably would expect a fine from the hit.

 

[mstateglfr]

Free reign? The punter was moving to try and tackle Brown. Its not like the punter was standing still and facing away from the action- he was participating in the play and trying to tackle.

It was a block. It was a hard block, a brutally hard block, but still a block.

Sure doesnt look like targeting to me- he led with his forearms as well as his helmet. They make contact at the same time.

 

[Tin Cup Cowboy]

For all of you that think the NFL rule changes are "ruining the game". The Punter suffered a broken jaw, lost teeth and a cracked vertebrae in his neck.

Yes the punter was a defender, but that was an unnecessarily vicious block. The blocker clearly "loaded" before blocking the guy.

 

[Sutterkane]

Your post reeks of stank *** *****. There's 6'4 230 lb mother17ers out there running 4.5 40s. If you can't be aware of your surroundings at all times while getting paid to do it you deserve to get 17ed up.

If he puts his helmet into his pelvis he probably suffers a broken hip and can't punt ever again. Hits are going to happen in football.

 

[QuadrupleOption]

crown of the helmet, high hit, targeting.

expect a fine. if you can't blow up a wide receiver coming across the middle, why in the world would you be allowed free reign on a scrawny punter.

It looks to me like he led with his shoulder and the helmet hit was incidental. I don't think he was targeting with his head.

 

[Shamoan]

on a swivel, his head was not.

 

[BigMotherTucker]

I don't like it at all...

Totally uncalled for.

 

[Tin Cup Cowboy]

Nice rebuttal.

You are saying hits that break a guy's neck are acceptable and shouldn't try to be taken out of the game?

I'm not saying that you can prevent injuries on every play. But, if you are ignorant enough to believe that he couldn't have blocked that guy without causing the injury he did; there is nothing I can say will enlighten you.

 

[johnson86-1]

Totally uncalled for.

Getting the crown of the helmet up under the punter's helmet is what does it for me. The punter shares some of the blame for not having a mouthpiece and it looks like he may have one of the kicker's facemask, which I've never understood. You're out there a few plays a game, leave your eyes unobstructed if that helps you kick, but why not go ahead and have a facemask like wide receivers?

Also, I can understand trying to unload on a wide receiver, as making him hear footsteps can significantly limit him on offense, but unloading on a kicker like that is just trying to hurt somebody. Except for injuring him, unloading on him like that is not really going to make a difference in the game.

 

[DerHntr]

When I watch that hit it doesn't look like the guy flat out tried to kill him. It was just an extremely well placed hit when a guy wasn't looking. Plus he is a lot bigger than the kicker.

He looks like he slows down and settles in for a block. A lot of times a hit that causes so much injury is one where the blocker never slows up and slams full steam into someone.

Hope the kicker recovers and can play again.

 

[archdog]

That was a simple block. Hate it for the kicker but he was trying to make a play. Anyone else other than qbs and punters would have popped right back up after that hit.

 

[CEO2044]

Nearly broke his neck, broken jaw, numerous teeth knocked out? The guy's not looking- c'mon guys. A bit unnecessary. He could have hit him lower and gotten a sufficient block in.

Looks crappy to me.

 

[Sutterkane]

I'm saying the punter is responsible for being a player on the field. If a punter did that to a linebacker nobody would give a **** about it. They'd think it was funny.

 

[CEO2044]

I know what you're saying. I'm saying, it's a crappy hit to put on someone that's obviously not looking, and if he broke his neck it'd be a tragedy. With all we're sitting here talking about, you'd think it's not hard to note some guy not looking and block him lower.

Because he's not paralyzed, he's responsible. If he is, it would be terrible.

 

[Cancellerius]

If you've ever played the game at any level, you know there is just something awesome about laying an all out, didn't see it coming block. It's hard to expect someone with a football playing mentality to just "block easy" in that situation. With that said, I'm certainly not in favor of anyone being seriously injured.

 

[Sutterkane]

You just made my point...why would you not be looking where you are going?

 

[CEO2044]

If you've ever played the game at any level, you know there is just something awesome about laying an all out, didn't see it coming block. It's hard to expect someone with a football playing mentality to just "block easy" in that situation. With that said, I'm certainly not in favor of anyone being seriously injured.

I get that it's super exciting and gives you a rush of adrenaline. On the flip side, if he broke his neck, I'm not sure how easy that is to live with.

I realize everything can't run through your head at once, but I think I'd choose a safer block.

 

[Drebin]

That was a simple block. Hate it for the kicker but he was trying to make a play. Anyone else other than qbs and punters would have popped right back up after that hit.

This is BS. This hit was targeting, simply put. He led with his helmet up into the helmet area of the punter. That was a vicious hit. But don't take my word for it. Wait and see how much he gets fined for it.

If it were a hit to his chest, I would agree with you. That hit was bush league, and he should get a suspension and hefty fine for it.

 

[Thrl595]

Obviously, there are a lot of losers who never played football on this board.

Go band!