ForceEight Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 Fantastic news. OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- Willis McGahee joined his teammates Monday at Baltimore's training complex after doctors told him he would make a full recovery from a fierce helmet-to-helmet hit in the AFC Championship Game that had him carted off the field. "I'm all right. Everything is OK," the running back told reporters as the Ravens cleared out their lockers. "The MRI and the CAT scan checked out good. I was scared, but I didn't know how serious it was. It was pretty intense." The play occurred in the fourth quarter of Pittsburgh's 23-14 victory. McGahee had just caught a pass and taken two steps before being met by safety Ryan Clark, who drove his helmet into McGahee's facemask. McGahee's head snapped back, and he lost the ball as he dropped to the ground. http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/playoffs2008...tory?id=3844665 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vmax Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 Great news. When I first saw the hit I thought the worse....meaning "He's dead". Willis had a great game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ravinmaniac52 Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 Great news, glad he and the other guy are ok. Still do not understand why no flag? There will be a fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thundercleetz Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 Great news, glad he and the other guy are ok. Still do not understand why no flag? There will be a fine. I do not think the hit was malicious. As a football player, you react to where the ball is going. Clark started sprinting when he saw where Flacco was throwing the ball. McGahee was also at full speed and they just happened to be in line for a head on collision. There was nothing either player could have done, at that point it was a train crash. Clark did not spear through him, they both kind of bounced off of each other. The hit was completely incidental in that respect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OminousRaven Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 Maybe you should watch that video one more time thundercleetz. Clearly that was a dirty hit helmet to helmet no doubt about it and Clark even left the ground so he could spear McGahee. There should be a huge fine and I cant stand how people call a H2H hit "unavoidable" or a "big hit" it is dirty, unsafe and cheap. I know the nfl is cracking down (poor choice of words) on big hits and everyone wants to cry when their player is knocked out ny a legal shot but horse collars and H2H have to go. Perfect example of a big hit look back at the titans game when Ray laid the wood to the Titans TE and compare that clean hit to this bs by clark. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ForceEight Posted January 20, 2009 Author Share Posted January 20, 2009 ...it wasn't dirty. ...it wasn't helmet to helmet. Be objective, please? You'd be on the other side of the argument (as you appear to be) if a Raven was making that hit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RavensNest8483 Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 ...it wasn't dirty. ...it wasn't helmet to helmet. Be objective, please? You'd be on the other side of the argument (as you appear to be) if a Raven was making that hit. It was def helmet to helmet and I'm talking from a football fan (not a raven standpt). It wasn't a dirty hit per se, but alot of hits aren't dirty (its football). Ask Mark Carrier, he was flagged for many helmet to helmet hits doesn't mean he was a dirty player. It should have been a flag, Clark wanted to hit willis hard, but he led with his helmet. His helmet is what hurt Willis, which is why it should have been a penalty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XCelR8 Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 I am glad to hear he is doing well and will make a full recovery. I could care less about if it was "dirty" or not. This isn't flag football they are playing and things like this will happen no matter what uniform the guys have on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ForceEight Posted January 20, 2009 Author Share Posted January 20, 2009 It was def helmet to helmet and I'm talking from a football fan (not a raven standpt). It wasn't a dirty hit per se, but alot of hits aren't dirty (its football). Ask Mark Carrier, he was flagged for many helmet to helmet hits doesn't mean he was a dirty player. It should have been a flag, Clark wanted to hit willis hard, but he led with his helmet. His helmet is what hurt Willis, which is why it should have been a penalty. No, it shouldn't have. For that hit to have been helmet-to-helmet, the defender would have to aim his helmet directly at the helmet/facemask of the ball carrier. He did not; you can very clearly see that he was aiming to lead with his shoulder into McGahee's chest. McGahee attempted to get lower to brace for the hit, and ended up with his helmet directly in the path of the projectile that was Clark's. Clark had absolutely no intention of hitting McGahee with his helmet whatsoever, let alone hitting McGahee in HIS helmet. As far as the rules are concerned, that is NOT a penalty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thundercleetz Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 No, it shouldn't have. For that hit to have been helmet-to-helmet, the defender would have to aim his helmet directly at the helmet/facemask of the ball carrier. He did not; you can very clearly see that he was aiming to lead with his shoulder into McGahee's chest. McGahee attempted to get lower to brace for the hit, and ended up with his helmet directly in the path of the projectile that was Clark's. Clark had absolutely no intention of hitting McGahee with his helmet whatsoever, let alone hitting McGahee in HIS helmet. As far as the rules are concerned, that is NOT a penalty. Agreed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RavensNest8483 Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 No, it shouldn't have. For that hit to have been helmet-to-helmet, the defender would have to aim his helmet directly at the helmet/facemask of the ball carrier. He did not; you can very clearly see that he was aiming to lead with his shoulder into McGahee's chest. McGahee attempted to get lower to brace for the hit, and ended up with his helmet directly in the path of the projectile that was Clark's. Clark had absolutely no intention of hitting McGahee with his helmet whatsoever, let alone hitting McGahee in HIS helmet. As far as the rules are concerned, that is NOT a penalty. Disagree, helmet to helmet contact is helmet to helmet. Whether he did it on purpose doesn't matter. From the rulebook...Nfl.com 1. A tackler using his helmet to butt, spear, or ram an opponent. 2. Any player who uses the top of his helmet unnecessarily. The hit bu clark can fall under both of these rules. He used the top of his helmet to hit willis. He also tackled through willis with his helmet. First thing he hit was Willis facemask with his helmet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spen Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 I thought his shoulder hit first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yagersports Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 I think his helmet did hit first, but I saw nothing malicious or dirty about the play. It's football and these were two teams that were in it to win it. I don't think there should be a fine. (I did at the time, but I was drunk, so we'll excuse my beligerent behavior lol) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeenAround Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 Fiorce is right, Willis lowered his head into Clark. The guy was leading with his shoulder not his head and if Willis didn't lower his head he would have caught a shoulder square in the chest. Bone crushing tackle but not dirty or malicious. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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