Helmet Rule Watch: The 9 calls made in NFL preseason Week 3

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</div> <p><p><asset-img UniqueId="775651" /></p> </p> <p>This one could have been called on both players. Yes, Nzeocha comes diving in with his shoulder down, but it's the running back who creates the helmet-to-helmet contact by lowering his helmet.</p> <p>[polldadd y poll=10090781]</p> <h3 class="presto-h3">Call 6: Colts LB MAtthew Adams (#49) vs. San Francisco</h3> <div style="position:relative;padding-bottom:55.6%" class="embed-gfycat"> <iframe allowfullscreen="" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;" height="100%" width="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" src="https://gfycat.com/ifr/ShadowySpicyIlsamochadegu"/> </div> <p><p><asset-img UniqueId="775651" /></p> </p> <p>It's difficult to see from that angle, but it certainly appears Adams avoided making initial contact with his helmet. Adams tweeted out a video of the hit after the game…</p> <p><asset-embed uri="https://twitter.com/all_in_adams/status/1033780534105853952?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" /> </p> <p>We can't really blame the ref for making that call in real-time. Again, there needs to be a review system in place to properly make these calls.</p> <a name="pd_a_10090788" id="pd_a_10090788"/> <div style="display:inline-block;" id="PDI_container10090788" class="PDS_Poll"/> <div id="PD_superContainer"/> <noscript> <a href="http://polldaddy.com/poll/10090788">Take Our Poll</a> </noscript> <h3 class="presto-h3">Call 7: Falcons SS Damontae Kazee (#27) vs. Jacksonville</h3> <p> <strong>Warning:</strong> The video shows a gruesome knee injury.</p> <p><asset-embed uri="https://twitter.com/andrewperloff/status/1033497810384154629?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" /> </p> <p><p><asset-img UniqueId="775652" /></p> </p> <p>This isn't the best angle, but Kazee flies in with his head down and smashes it directly into Lee's knee. A dirty hit? Probably not. A legal one? No way.</p> <a name="pd_a_10090790" id="pd_a_10090790"/> <div style="display:inline-block;" id="PDI_container10090790" class="PDS_Poll"/> <div id="PD_superContainer"/> <noscript> <a href="http://polldaddy.com/poll/10090790">Take Our Poll</a> </noscript> <h3 class="presto-h3">Call 8: Buccaneers FS Isaiah Johnson (#39) vs. Detroit</h3> <div style="position:relative;padding-bottom:55.95%" class="embed-gfycat"> <iframe allowfullscreen="" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;" height="100%" width="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" src="https://gfycat.com/ifr/DimwittedMealyFlyingfish"/> </div> <p><p><asset-img UniqueId="775652" /></p> </p> <p>Johnson was doing everything right until the last moment, when he lowered his helmet and lost sight of what he was tackling. I will say that the Lions running back is equally guilty on this play and probably should have been flagged. If the NFL is going to get these collisions out the game, the refs must start throwing flags on offensive players as well.</p> <a name="pd_a_10090815" id="pd_a_10090815"/> <div style="display:inline-block;" id="PDI_container10090815" class="PDS_Poll"/> <div id="PD_superContainer"/> <noscript> <a href="http://polldaddy.com/poll/10090815">Take Our Poll</a> </noscript> <h3 class="presto-h3">Call 9: Ravens Bennett Jackson (#39) vs. Miami</h3> <div style="position:relative;padding-bottom:55.17%" class="embed-gfycat"> <iframe allowfullscreen="" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;" height="100%" width="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" src="https://gfycat.com/ifr/ForthrightSphericalGosling"/> </div> <p><p><asset-img UniqueId="775652" /></p> </p> <p>It appears Jackson meant to lead with his should but lost sight of his target and ended up making contact with his helmet. Unfortunately, intent does not matter. This is a dangerous hit and one that clearly deserved a flag.</p> <a name="pd_a_10090814" id="pd_a_10090814"/> <div style="display:inline-block;" id="PDI_container10090814" class="PDS_Poll"/> <div id="PD_superContainer"/> <noscript> <a href="http://polldaddy.com/poll/10090814">Take Our Poll</a> </noscript> <p> <strong>Conclusion:</strong> This was not a good week for referees making these calls: Four calls out of nine should not have been made (though two of the plays did involve illegal hits of some kind.). Interestingly, <a rel="noopener" target="_blank" href="https://ftw.usatoday.com/2018/08/nfl-49ers-richard-sherman-helmet-rule-texans">referees did a much better job of making these calls during the first two weeks</a>, but we heard fewer complaints about them <em>this</em> week. It seems like fans don't really have a problem with the quality of these refereeing decisions as much as they have a problem with the quantity of them. 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