Why do the helmets look so weird?

[PSU95alum]

Here is a great article and video on a revolutionary new helmet design. Looks very promising.

http://www.foxnews.com/tech/2017/08...-may-help-nfl-players-reduce-concussions.html

 

[heckmans]

Many agree with this as lighter padding and armor changes a players angle of attack and reduces straight head-on angles of attack at full speed (rugby players, Australian Rules Football players, Gaelic Football, etc...do not have violent head-on, head-first collisions and the reason is that they do not have the padding and armour to even consider initiating such collisions). If you build armour that allows severer and severer collisions, you will get them and are potentially encouraging them by making them feasible.

Yup. Rugby player here. In the NFL, the new rule against launching is a start. In rugby you cannot leave your feet to make a tackle and you must be attempting to wrap a ball carrier - i.e. can't throw a shoulder
Unfortunately, there are a couple differences that can't be changed. Downfield blocking and the forward pass put players in unprotected positions, but the launching rule will help receivers. The new rule against hitting a defender away from the play should also help, but I'd like to also see a rule that prohibits unnecessarily blowing up a player on a block that "far exceeds" what was necessary to remove him from the play...really just talking about when a blocker just blows someone up for the sake of making a "big hit" - the kind that would show up on NFL Films.

 

[bsmith51]

Yup. Rugby player here. In the NFL, the new rule against launching is a start. In rugby you cannot leave your feet to make a tackle and you must be attempting to wrap a ball carrier - i.e. can't throw a shoulder
Unfortunately, there are a couple differences that can't be changed. Downfield blocking and the forward pass put players in unprotected positions, but the launching rule will help receivers. The new rule against hitting a defender away from the play should also help, but I'd like to also see a rule that prohibits unnecessarily blowing up a player on a block that "far exceeds" what was necessary to remove him from the play...really just talking about when a blocker just blows someone up for the sake of making a "big hit" - the kind that would show up on NFL Films.

Interesting. I don't know the rules of rugby. But I am pretty sure that giving up a little real estate is not as big of a deal in that sport. In other words, in football, a defender trying to stop someone from getting a 1st down in a short yardage situation will launch his body to do so. In rugby, there is not the same need to stone other players and stop all momentum (unless they are going for the end zone I suppose). Rugby is a rough ass sport but I don't think the need to stop a guy in his tracks is as prevalent in that sport as it is in football. Is that generally right?

 

[heckmans]

Interesting. I don't know the rules of rugby. But I am pretty sure that giving up a little real estate is not as big of a deal in that sport. In other words, in football, a defender trying to stop someone from getting a 1st down in a short yardage situation will launch his body to do so. In rugby, there is not the same need to stone other players and stop all momentum (unless they are going for the end zone I suppose). Rugby is a rough ass sport but I don't think the need to stop a guy in his tracks is as prevalent in that sport as it is in football. Is that generally right?

You are correct. Football is a game of inches. Rugby is a game of possession. Tactically, in rugby, the defender will actually try to get behind the ball carrier, putting the ball on the "defensive" side of the tackle and giving the defense a greater chance of stealing possession.