Eric Smith to Appeal
In his press conference, Jets Coach Eric Mangini addressed Eric Smith appeal of his one-game suspension for the hit on Anquan Boldin at the end of the Cardinals games over a week ago. Mangini noted that should the suspension be upheld (very likely) the Jets would move Jesse Chatman into Smith’s roster spot … meaning that the team won’t need to cut anyone else to add Chatman back until at least next week.
In his place, Eric Mangini noted that he thinks that Abram Elam, David Barrett and Hank Poteat will be the players you are most likely to see rotating in at Safety in Smith’s absence.
We’ve been over this, and regardless of whether the Smith should be suspended, he will be suspended as the league is cracking down on helmet to helmet contact and Smith’s suspension is serving as a lesson to the league … intent doesn’t matter as the league is looking to get out of grey areas on this issue.
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Let’s see, deliberate late hits on.a QB get you a fine and accidental helmet to helmet hits get you suspended. Makes perfect sense.
Eric Smith used his head on his vicious hit on Bolden. He needs to use it now and accept the one game suspension. The less we see of the hit, the better. I would have given him more than one game. I think he needs the week off, to get his act together. He has not had a good year, so far, and I think frustration got the better of him, on that hit. For him to argue the decision, shows he is not dealing with reality. He needs to watch films of his other games, as well. Maybe, he thinks he is playing well.
this whole rotation of players in at safety- i just dont like! There should be the starter and then only one other player. I think this constant rotation at the safety spot is just messing up the chemistry and what role each player is supposed to play on defense in the secondary!
I think people arent looking at this the right way. You think that we know something Eric doesnt? Of course he knows it will be upheld.
I think its more about the matter that if he doesnt at least try to appeal, then its as if he is admitting guilt
He is doing it because it wasn’t a dirty hit. If Rhodes doesn’t nail him from behind it is a clean hit. He is protecting his name and he should.
I think he is appealing because the fine is not proportional to his salary. It amounts to 1/8 of his salary if I remember his numbers correctly. Almost the equivalent of 2 game checks. I think the suspension will stand (especially since Boldin needed surgery), but the fine should be limited to his game check for the suspension since the hit was clean. Then again, he is being made an example of. It doesn’t hurt him to appeal though.
He has to appeal. And there should be a reduction. Boldin was knocked into him. Otherwise it would have been a helmet to the ball and we all know about putting a ‘hat on the ball’ is good football. Anything else that says ‘regardless of intent’ takes away from the next guys ability and desire to take that same shot and you’ll just introduce fear into the game. Might as well play flag football when that happens.
Am I the only one that saw Kerry Rhodes inadvertently push Anquan Boldin’s head downward into Eric Smith’s helmet?
Yes?
No?
Because - that’s sure as heck what it looked like.
One harsh aspect is that if he appeals successfully, one of his teammates will have to be cut.
Appeal or no appeal if one less person gets their bell rung because a safety thinks twice before lowering his helmet on such a hit in future, then the publicity is a good thing.
Yes, I think it was inadvertent too, but it might send the wrong message to other players if he gets away with it. Sucks that it has to be a Jet that they make an example of, but hey it could be worse - imagine the outcry if it was Rhodes.
If it’s called ‘regardless of intent’ it, too, sends the wrong message. We’re not trying to stop violence in football, that’s at least half of its appeal, just intentionally trying to injure another defenseless player. The Bills QB got planted and knocked senseless and that’s alright because it wasn’t his helmet that was involved, but the intent was there to knock him senseless, of that there can be no question, and he was defenseless. Where is the line being drawn here?