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Denver Broncos: Critics are wrong to say Defense is Dirty

By Jacob Weindling

Dec 13, 2015; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Broncos fans hold up a defense sign in the second quarter against the Oakland Raiders at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 13, 2015; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Broncos fans hold up a defense sign in the second quarter against the Oakland Raiders at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports /
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Aug 13, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Rams head coach Jeff Fisher and owner Stan Kroenke and NFL commissioner Roger Goodell talk on the field before the preseason game between the Los Angeles Rams and the Dallas Cowboys at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 13, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Rams head coach Jeff Fisher and owner Stan Kroenke and NFL commissioner Roger Goodell talk on the field before the preseason game between the Los Angeles Rams and the Dallas Cowboys at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports /

The NFL’s Hypocrisy

The perception that the Broncos defense is uncomfortably aggressive is the result of the NFL’s awkward legislation of the game (with a big helping from a bunch of people introduced to the league through fantasy football who do not appreciate the older, grimier elements of the game). The owners and their human Goodell shield have instituted a bizarre set of “safety” rules that vary based on position.

Vontaze Burfict’s near-decapitation of Antonio Brown received most of the attention after the shitshow in Cincinnati back in January. For good reason, this is horrifying.

Meanwhile, Ryan Shazier lead with the crown of his helmet through Giovanni Bernard’s face, but that hit faded into the backdrop behind the madness at the end of the game.

Both of those hits are the same level of dangerous and reckless. It’s not out of the realm of possibility that either of those could have resulted in the NFL’s first death on the field since Chuck Hughes had a heart attack in 1971 while playing for the Lions.

However, not only was Shazier’s hit viewed as less severe, punished as less severe during the game (the Steelers challenged that Bernard fumbled, won, and Gio didn’t play another snap), but it was also validated as the correct call by officiating experts the next day!

Mike Pereira, the former VP of Officiating for the NFL, told Rich Eisen that it was a was not an illegal hit because

“This is the crown of the helmet rule that was brought in 2013 and I was against the rule when it was brought in because it was really designed for when two players are lined up against each other like two rams with their heads down. It was for that type of direct contact. It wasn’t for when a player went sideways and in this case he turned around, spun around after the making the catch and was clearly a runner.

The issue was that this rule is going to be so hard to officiate and that’s why when they brought in the rule there was two called in 2013. There were none called in 2014 and there have been none called in 2015. And I just don’t see it as the classic lineup, two guys face-up on each other and one guy lowering the head and making contact with the crown of the helmet.”

So if you’re downfield, you get protected. If you’re a runner anywhere near the line of scrimmage, felonies are A-OK. Oh, and if you’re in between the maulers up front? Helmet to helmet hits are just called tackles.

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