League: Players need ‘free mind’
The NFL doesn’t want players worrying about getting flagged or fined.
“You gotta play,” NFL football operations chief Troy Vincent said yesterday at the league’s fall meetings. “You hope that no player is thinking about a rule. We want them to play (with a) free mind where you’re just free and you play.”
Chiefs rookie linebacker Breeland Speaks said he didn’t take Tom Brady down because he was concerned about a roughing-the-passer penalty in the fourth quarter of Kansas City’s 43-40 loss to the Patriots on Sunday night. Brady eluded Speaks and ran 4 yards for a touchdown to give the Patriots the lead.
“We watched that video and watched that play and Tom did what we’ve seen Tom do a thousand times,” Vincent said. “He stepped up in the pocket and the defender didn’t make a play or didn’t create a sack, but you don’t want any player thinking about a penalty or being fined but you hope that he would make that adjustment on some of the things we’ve put in place, and that’s not just for his opponent’s protection but for his as well.”
Overall, roughing-thepasser calls are down since the competition committee clarified to game officials the techniques used in such hits during a conference call last month. There were 34 roughing calls through the first three weeks and 19 in the three weeks since the call.
Vincent said the league didn’t advise officials to cut down on the calls, but emphasized to them making sure they see it clearly.
Another thing we learned on the first day of the NFL’s fall meetings:
There have been only six penalties for illegal use of the helmet, but Vincent said between 10-12 players have been fined for such hits and almost 70 warning letters have been issued to players about using the crown of their helmet to initiate a hit.
Freeman on IR
Atlanta Falcons running back Devonta Freeman is going on injured reserve, another major setback for a team that already has lost several key players. Coach Dan Quinn said Freeman’s groin injury was more serious than initially thought, forcing him to undergo a surgical procedure.
Also, the Falcons signed kicker Giorgio Tavecchio to fill in at least one game for Matt Bryant, who strained his right hamstring.
One of the NFL’s highest-paid running backs, Freeman will have to sit out at least eight games while on IR, which means he wouldn’t be eligible to return for the Falcons until the next-to-last game of the regular season . . . .
The Minnesota Vikings placed cornerback Mike Hughes on injured reserve, following the ACL injury to the rookie’s left knee that will keep him out for the rest of the season.
Bills rookie QB hurt
Buffalo Bills rookie starting quarterback Josh Allen has been diagnosed with a sprained right elbow on his throwing arm and is not expected to play at Indianapolis this weekend. Coach Sean McDermott would only list Allen as week to week . . . .
The San Francisco 49ers signed quarterback Tom Savage to a one-year deal to add depth behind C.J. Beathard.