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Ju Ju Shuster suspended for cheap shot. (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Da Guru
- Start date
Bojang0301
Omar4Heisman
Well it’s done. I look forward to every questionable block/tackle to be in consideration for suspension. Nice precident set this season. Some of these guys are running 20mph. You make a decision at those speeds.
gianmarco
Footballguy
The ONLY reason I'm not bothered by it is that there's a good chance it's used as a message for Bengals/Steelers and if not for the injuries last night and MNF game, possible it doesn't happen.
Interseptopus
Footballguy
Yeah these crack backs are pretty intense and look way worse than they really are because the defensive player is typically blind sided completely.
He should be fined for accidental helmet to helmet. Crazy he gets a game. If this was on Sunday noon I don't think he gets suspended at all.
Ghost Rider
Footballguy
I think normally would have been just a fine, but given the history with Burfict, it came across as payback, hence the taunting.
That said, I think it is safe to say that the hit just made Smith-Schuster a favorite not only in the locker room, but with Steelers fans.
That said, I think it is safe to say that the hit just made Smith-Schuster a favorite not only in the locker room, but with Steelers fans.
apalmer
Footballguy
steelers1080
Footballguy
It's utter bull---t that he gets 1 game and AJ Green got 0 games. WTF.
Ditka Butkus
Footballguy
Good comparison...I was thinking I've seen this before...I also agree, had he not added the taunt he would have got a fine only.
Ditka Butkus
Footballguy
Also a marked man...Burfict is not going to let this go and will be looking for payback first chance he gets.
Ditka Butkus
Footballguy
Da Guru
Fair & Balanced
I think the next game might be the last for Burfict and Shuster. Burfict will be banned from the NFL and Shuster will have a career ending injury.
Ditka Butkus
Footballguy
Seriously, Tomlin should consider benching Shuster for the Cincy games, and even on the bench he may not be safe.
Bossman
Footballguy
Yeah, the hit really wasn't all that terrible.I'm sure the OP islike he was in the Gronk thread.
JJSS led with his shoulder, head to the side.
Helmets touched but the major impact was shoulder to sternum.
Not even sure that deserves a fine.
Bossman
Footballguy
Thread title is very misleading ... I'm sure purposely so.
Came in here expecting to read about a suspension ... not a "should be" suspended.
Congrats to the OP ... I fell for it.
JoeSteeler
Footballguy
In his letter to Smith-Schuster notifying him of the suspension, NFL VP of Football Operations Jon Runyan wrote:
“You are suspended for the dangerous and unsportsmanlike acts you committed during the fourth quarter of last night’s game. Specifically, with 7:10 remaining, on a passing play to a running back, you lined up a defender and delivered a violent and unnecessary blindside shot to his head and neck area. You then “celebrated” the play by standing over him and taunting him. The contact you made with your opponent placed the opposing player at risk of serious injury and could have been avoided. Your conduct following the hit fell far below the high standards of sportsmanship expected of an NFL player.”
“You are suspended for the dangerous and unsportsmanlike acts you committed during the fourth quarter of last night’s game. Specifically, with 7:10 remaining, on a passing play to a running back, you lined up a defender and delivered a violent and unnecessary blindside shot to his head and neck area. You then “celebrated” the play by standing over him and taunting him. The contact you made with your opponent placed the opposing player at risk of serious injury and could have been avoided. Your conduct following the hit fell far below the high standards of sportsmanship expected of an NFL player.”
Pipes
Footballguy
I agree with this. The taunt afterwards made it look like an intentional act by JuJu. There have been many worse hits than his that have gone without a suspension.
Stompin' Tom Connors
Footballguy
This is the exact opposite of what should happen, obviously, and the reason why I'm OK with a one-game suspension.
This is a violent sport, and rivalries (esp. in-division) sometimes do create animosities between individual players or whole units that persist. As such, the line between acceptable and not naturally gets a little blurry in some use cases.
But that's not an excuse for players to put their own and other player's safety in jeopardy, or to go over the line from sport to non-sport (making it personal, taunting, brawling, chain-pulling, etc.). This is why I'm OK with a one-game suspension here -- the hit was fine, the intent and taunting follow-up was not. While this not be the very best way to send a message, it is still does send a message that this kind of sentiment -- teams needing to look out for or encouraging pay-back violence -- is not permissable in today's NFL.
SeniorVBDStudent
Footballguy
Its subjective, but when I watch the reply I don't read the intent as "let me go ahead and make sure this guy doesn't make a play on the ball carrier" I read the intent as "let me measure this up so I can deliver the max hit possible without leading with my helmet". There is then incidental contact. Given the recent history of Bengals versus Steelers I think the league was boxed in and had to dole out the suspension even if it would have been a fine in a neutral situation.
fred_1_15301
Footballguy
This is kind of a ridiculous stance. I also can't stand Burfict but if you're going to take that stance, he cannot be in the league. You can't have a guy in the league and allow "open season" on that guy.
TLEF316
Footballguy
I don't think he should be in the league.
But as a guy who clearly has no regard for the safety of his fellow players, it bothers me that he enjoys the benefit of that protection. He's just a bad guy
fred_1_15301
Footballguy
Yeah but I'm saying the league cannot allow "open season" on one of their players. Regarding safety, he has to be treated equal to every other player in the league. As fans, we're emotional and we're allowed to feel whatever we want. I agree with you completely about Burfict. I don't think anyone would argue that he's not a bad guy.
CalBear
Footballguy
Did you notice the play where someone took a shot at Brown while the ball literally hit the defender in the shoulder? He'd rather try to injure one of the best players in the game than go for the easy interception.
And there are still meatheads on this board who'll talk about it like this is "real man" football.
Interseptopus
Footballguy
Is that so bad though? What's wrong with a big hit? Is that not making sure that guy doesn't make a play on the ball carrier? Should we encourage athletes to block "just enough?"
So next time, JuJu misses his block or the guy breaks free, coach asks him why he let up and he says, "coach I wanted to do just enough to make sure he didn't make a play on the ball carrier." Is that okay?
It's this kind of mentality that I think is just wussifying our nation as a whole. Before know it, it'll be a bunch of Beta males playing football saying excuse me do you mind if I block you?
I'm all about player safety, but big hits are fun to watch, and both people can walk away just fine when it's done legally and correctly. Crack backs are my favorite. It's dangerous but rules exist to protect the players (don't hit from behind, helmet to helmet etc). The helmet to helmet here was incidental and really had no big implication on the hit.
If this hit avoided the incidental helmet to helmet, and Burfict did not get hurt (which he didn't)... so all it was is a big hit and JuJu taunting, I think he still gets a suspension even though it'd be a 100% clean hit. NFL is dead set on destroying itself.
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Interseptopus
Footballguy
There's a difference between a legal big hit and a cheap shot/illegal hit.
But keep lumping everyone into one category and calling them names
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TLEF316
Footballguy
To be fair, the league already doesn't treat players equally in terms of safety. QBs get extra protection because losing them would hurt ratings. And star QBs get protection that bad QBs simply don't get.
CalBear
Footballguy
Shuster's hit wasn't legal. That's why it was flagged and why he's fined and suspended.There's a difference between a legal big hit and a cheap shot/illegal hit.
But keep lumping everyone into one category and calling them names
On the Brown hit (which was illegal, but not flagged), as a football fan I would prefer to see football where the defense chooses to try for an interception rather than choosing to try to injure an opponent. And I can't imagine any sane football player feels otherwise.
Stompin' Tom Connors
Footballguy
What you are saying is true, but QBs are also one of the more "defenseless" players in that they are seeking to throw the ball, not say running with momentum where they could potentially give as good as they get.
To be sure, in today's NFL, QBs aren't teeny wallflowers -- they are normally well over 6 feet with body types more akin to LBs and TEs than the Fran Tarkentons and Doug Fluties of yore. But they are still in very vulnerable positions of being in one spot while defenders come at them from all angles -- including the blindside. The fact that they are the most valuable players in every sense on a team is also not lost on why the NFL wants to protect teams' investments.
End tangent.
modogg
Footballguy
watching this hit, and comparable hits mentioned here in the thread, i would like to see JuJu get a one game ban, but the Steelers org. be penalized in some regard. The hit seems like a predetermined move and it certainly looked like they were targeting Burfict. if that was another Bengals player, do we think that the same hit is done? I watched the Golden Tate one mentioned, ans some others, and they seemed to be in the flow of the game. this one not as much.
I know there is a ton of fandom in here, and if the Eagles were in this i would likely side with the Eagles' player every time, but this one seems pretty obvious. these things won't change until they hit the organizations or coaching staff too. League loves to call out every hit Burfict lays out, should be the same to know that teams would target him. If the league wants the teams to police all of this themselves, then we might as well bring enforcers in and just ignore the health implications.
I know there is a ton of fandom in here, and if the Eagles were in this i would likely side with the Eagles' player every time, but this one seems pretty obvious. these things won't change until they hit the organizations or coaching staff too. League loves to call out every hit Burfict lays out, should be the same to know that teams would target him. If the league wants the teams to police all of this themselves, then we might as well bring enforcers in and just ignore the health implications.
The one game suspension is appropriate, IMO, b/c of the taunting. The hit wasn’t as dirty as some are making it out to be. He hit him in the chest, but his helmet made contact with Burficts’ face mask/chin, so the penalty was correct. But there was NOTHING that suggests the hit was predetermined, or that Burfict was being targeted. JuJu was a WR blocking downfield; Burfict happened to be the defender who was pursuing Bell that was in proximity to him when he became a blocker.
modogg
Footballguy
maybe i didn't watch most of the game so the heightened attention makes it seem bigger then it was. teams and organizations should be held accountable a bit though
Da Guru
Fair & Balanced
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Interseptopus
Footballguy
If he didn't have helmet to helmet contact then it would have been legal. At least as far as I am aware (I'll gladly take that back if I am incorrect). And the helmet to helmet contact was incidental and really had no big effect on the "intensity" of the hit. The taunting also was illegal
I would agree on the second point, I would much rather see teams go for the INT than just try to light up a player. I hate it when defenders just go for the hit every time. I am more in the category if a person who enjoys big hits but also legal and intelligent (not going for the INT for example is not intelligent)
Interseptopus
Footballguy
I thought he did a great job of updating the title as soon it was announced. However, this thread started as a "what should he get" so if you're starting from the beginning then that would explain your confusion; he edited the title to update with the most up to date news on the situation
Maybe, if it’s premeditated, but prior to that hit, there wasn’t much going on with regards to Burfict. Bell got a penalty after the Ben pick. Bell wasn’t chasing the runner, wasn’t trying to tackle the Cincy interceptor & Burfict started “blocking” him (just ran over to him, and put his hands on his chest). Bell didn’t try to beat this “block,” just tried to push Burficts hands off. Plays over, a red comes over to separate them, Bell shoved him 1 last time & gets the flag & Burfict is super pleased with himself. Then nothing until the hit; no shots by Burfict, no shots on Burfict. So I don’t understand how you can think it was premeditated.
CalBear
Footballguy
If he didn't have helmet to helmet contact, Burfict wouldn't have been concussed, most likely. Schuster's helmet hits Burfict right in the face mask, with Schuster leaning in with his foot planted for leverage.
Here's a similar play with Thomas Decoud blindside blocking on a Desean Jackson punt return at Cal:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lo9e2Jf7R0o
It wasn't flagged (the rules were different then), but both players were concussed. And, like Schuster's block, it wasn't necessary for it to be so violent; all either blocker needed to do was redirect the defender to spring their teammate; they already had the position they needed. If you're at all serious about protecting players, that kind of play should be illegal, should be fined, should result in suspension.
(Trivia: The UCLA player was Korey Bosworth, nephew of The Boz).
modogg
Footballguy
i guess my question is, if this was any other Bengals defender in this position, do you think it goes down like it did?
belljr
Footballguy
belljr
Footballguy
That block is legal if Juju doesn't hit him in the head. Hines Ward rule. And I don't mind bit legal hits
Agreed. If he didn't taunt him, its just a penalty and fine. The NFL is sending a message to these 2 teams that they are either going to play clean or face suspensions.
Shutout
Footballguy
Guys taunt all the time and I don't recall seeing anyone getting suspended for taunting. I don't agree and its not just to disagree with any of you guys on this particular instance but I look at it as a whole:
An illegal hit normally gets an in-game penalty and MAYBE some monetary fine but only occasionally a suspension (if it was clearly targeting a guys head...was extremely malicious, etc).
Taunting during the game never gets a guy suspended in the following week.
Putting both of them together to justify it? Okay, but then why didn't AJ Green get a suspension? He took several swings. he brawled...a continued act. There was taunting going on in that fight/conversation, for sure.
So I go back to the hit. to me, it was every bit as explainable as a hit that started in one spot and ended up in another spot (higher than intended) as Kiko alonso's hit on Flacco.
I would come much closer to being biased FOR Gronk than Juju as far as a fan, but I can honestly say the second I saw Gronk's actions I was "you have to get suspended for that." Watching Juju, I'm thinking "This is obvious the bad blood, especially towards Burfict. He needs tossed for the game." But that's it.
fruity pebbles
Footballguy
AJ should have been suspended, that was laughable. There is taunting and then there is taunting. Cant really compare this to spiking a ball at an opponent after a TD. He literally stood over a guy he knocked out and goaded him. Makes it look like he did it on purpose and targeted him.
Shutout
Footballguy
Yes I think he did it on purpose. Maybe premeditated due to the bad blood. No doubt.But my point was more of consistency.If Green's actions get nothing, then Juju's should not get penalty and fine and suspension, etc. It is too large an illogical disconnect.
Stompin' Tom Connors
Footballguy
I think the helmet contact was incidental. Looks to me that the full brunt of the blow was SS's shoulder to Burfict's chest, with the natural momentum from the force of the blow snapping Burfict's head forward thus creating contact between his facemask and SS's head.
Overall, I think it's moot as it's the taunting that really is the issue to me, not so much the hit.
Stompin' Tom Connors
Footballguy
Have to agree with your points about consistency in penalization, and that it's both the taunting and the hit together that did more to draw the suspension than the hit or the taunting would have alone.
In terms of the bolded, though, guys jaw all the time but we rarely see this kind of taunting ever, let alone all the time. And I think it's because of this flavor of taunting -- Ali over Liston-like gloating over a guy who needed to be carted off -- that SS got the suspension.
Evilgrin 72
Distributor of Pain
Absolutely ridiculous. Both Gronkowski and Iloka's plays were much more egregious. JuJu blocked Burfict square in the chest. His helmet slid up under Vontaze's helmet. You want to throw the crackback block flag, OK. I'm not even sure if it was a blindside block since he was squared to Vontaze, but OK. The taunting was unnecessary. Throw a flag there too. Fine. A suspension for that is absurd. He did not target the player's head and/or neck. The major impact was shoulder to chest, the rest was incidental. I'm not sorry that Burfict was the one de-cleated, but the defender blocked isn't the issue, the hit is. I agree with those that feel that this is a message to the teams to "knock it off." A suspension was not warranted based solely on the play.
Iloka launched himself and intentionally blasted Brown in the head with the crown of his helmet. Iloka is also a known head-hunter and Bengals fans know it. That was much worse. If there was any single play in the game that deserved a suspension in a vacuum, this is the one.
Gronkowski gave a guy a forearm shiver to the back of the head after the play was whistled dead and concussed him. That was the worst offense of the three. It wasn't even in the run of play and effectively was tantamount to assault.
The fact that all 3 players received the same penalty just once again shows how capriciously the NFL metes out "justice."
Iloka launched himself and intentionally blasted Brown in the head with the crown of his helmet. Iloka is also a known head-hunter and Bengals fans know it. That was much worse. If there was any single play in the game that deserved a suspension in a vacuum, this is the one.
Gronkowski gave a guy a forearm shiver to the back of the head after the play was whistled dead and concussed him. That was the worst offense of the three. It wasn't even in the run of play and effectively was tantamount to assault.
The fact that all 3 players received the same penalty just once again shows how capriciously the NFL metes out "justice."
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Not sure what you mean. I think JuJu still gets suspended, but very likely less media coverage. Look at the cincy hit on AB a few minutes later. Just as bad, more helmet to helmet contact, but nowhere near as much media coverage, but just as bad and illegal a hit.
Agree that the NFL doesn't have any clear or sensible way they hand out these punishments; but you have to admit that the optics of a hit that did involve head contact (& I agree it wasn't the original point of contact) followed by a player standing over him, flexing, followed by that player having to be carted off the field would contribute to the resulting suspension, no?
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rockaction
Footballguy
Great effing hit in my opinion. Good on you, JuJu. That goon will keep his head on a swivel from now on. This was some hockey stuff.
Gronk's was inexcusable. Oooh! I'm being held! Nah, JuJu blasted this guy.
Gronk's was inexcusable. Oooh! I'm being held! Nah, JuJu blasted this guy.
