Leave the Game to the Players

The Jets need make no apology for the way they won Sunday’s overtime thriller against their fierce division rival the New England Patriots.  However the same cannot be said for the NFL or for the referees.  Both teams played hard all afternoon and deserved to have the game decided on the field.  Not by a referee’s decision to enforce a new rule that had never before been called.

Not that a penalty shouldn’t be called if an infraction exists but the timing of the call was all wrong.  Up to the moment that Jets kicker Nick Folk lined up to attempt a 56 yard field goal, in an open air stadium, on a windy day, over 400 field goals had been attempted across the league.  Not once before had this new rule for “pushing” been implemented.  To make this call in overtime of an extremely competitive game without first setting a precedent is at the very least questionable. 

The NFL has said this rule was established to protect a defenseless player, the long snapper.  However too often this season debatable calls by the referees have off set good play on the field.  The NFL has insisted these new rules, such as helmet to helmet, defenseless receiver, and targeting, are necessary for player safety.  Instead they have only stifled the ferocity that has made the game of football an American passion.

Without question, player safety should be of ultimate importance.  However if the NFL is really concerned with the safety of its players they should concentrate on doing something about the very dangerous weapon all players use, the Helmet.  The league should look for ways to soften the helmet and make it less of a danger rather than try to police its use.

Leave the game in the hands of the players, not the referees…