Dolphins weigh lowering-helmet rule
New regulation stirs furor, but Miami’s in wait-and-see mode.
DAVIE — The NFL’s new “lowering the helmet” rule was used for the first time in Thursday night’s nationally televised game between the Bears and Ravens.
Three Ravens were called for lowering their helmet during the game, each resulting in 15-yard penalties.
“I feel like they’re trying to harp on it a lot more in preseason, so they’re going to throw flags even on times when it’s not necessarily head to head, just to make people aware of it,” Ravens safety Bennett Jackson said after the game. “I spoke to the ref. He even said, ‘Hey, it’s preseason, we got to throw the flag.’”
The Dolphins are in waitand-see mode as their first preseason game isn’t until next Thursday.
“I know there has been a lot of uproar about the new rules, and we have the officials here this week for the next few days, so we haven’t had the presentation on that yet. But when we met with them in the spring, I really don’t think that it’s going to be a change in technique of what we’re telling our guys to do,” Dolphins defensive coordinator Matt Burke said Thursday afternoon. “We don’t want guys leading with their heads. We don’t want guys dropping their eyes down and leading that way.”
The Dolphins have a pair of safeties in Reshad Jones and T.J. McDonald who are downhill, aggressive thumpers. How they adjust to the new rules is worth watching in the preseason.
The new rule is intended to make the game safer by taking the helmet out of hitting. A player will draw a 15-yard penalty for lowering his head to initiate contact with his helmet against an opponent. Players can be fined or ejected depending on the severity of the hit.
“You’ve just got to know what you’re doing,” McDonald said this spring. “I haven’t taken one (illegal use of helmet) since I’ve been in the league. I’ve been the same style my entire career. I’ve been a physical player. I only know how to play the game one way. I’ve been fortunate enough to not take any flags and just be able to play the game the right way.”
Players, coaches and fans lit up Twitter on Thursday night, with concerns that the new rule may change the way the game is played forever.
“It’s ridiculous,” 49ers cornerback Richard Sherman told USA Today. “They’ll see how ridiculous it is once they make the refs call it. It’s going to be worse than holding, worse than the catch rule. On a good form tackle, guys will lead with their shoulder pads, but you bring your head.”
All Burke and Dolphins players can do is try to follow the rules as written, as explained and as called in the preseason.
Saturday scrimmage: The Dolphins will make their first appearance of the 2018 preseason at Hard Rock Stadium today with an intrasquad scrimmage starting at 11 a.m.
Admission is free but fans should RSVP on the Dolphins’ site.
“Really, it’s the dress rehearsal for our preseason games,” coach Adam Gase said. “We try to keep everything close to what we’re going to do in our preseason opener — how players come out of the locker room, how we do things pregame, our pregame meal at the stadium. It’s all of those little things to where if you’ve been here, you’ve gone through it before, it’s not as big a deal.”
Players will stretch and warm up as they would before any game, then go through individual and seven-on-seven drills before the featured 11-on-11 plays that will draw the most attention.
“All three groups will roll through,” Gase said of the 11-on-11 period. “It’s really just a move-the-ball period, really. It’s really like practice for us. We get the headsets on. We just can’t do the sideline adjustments. That’s really the only thing missing from the whole scrimmage experience.”
Today will be the best look to date at quarterback Ryan Tannehill in his comeback from knee surgery and at first-round draft pick Minkah Fitzpatrick, a safety. Other things to look for include linebacker Raekwon McMillan, the second-round pick last year who missed his rookie season with a knee injury but will be heavily counted on in 2018; how well the revamped offensive line comes together; and if the defensive line can continue its strong summer.
Players will sign autographs after the workout and the team will hold a “garage sale” of discounted merchandise.