Coaches, players confused by implementation of helmet rule

EAGAN, Minn. -- Concerns over the implementation of the NFL's new helmet rule continue to mount through the preseason and have drawn frustration and concern from players and coaches alike.

The new rule, which penalizes offensive and defensive players for lowering their head to initiate contact with their helmet to any part of an opposing player's body, was designed to make the game safer. How it's being enforced by officials in the preseason is generating stark controversy. Some, including Minnesota Vikings coach Mike Zimmer, even believe it might end up leading to how games are decided.

"It's going to cost some people some jobs -- playoffs, jobs, the whole bit I'm guessing," Zimmer said. "We haven't had any called on us so far. It's just hard to figure out. No one has ever said to me, 'Hey. Don't worry about it, we're going to call it less or we'll get it straightened out in the regular season. Or we're going to come up with a revised rule.' No one has ever said that."

Added safety Harrison Smith: "I don't fear it, that's going to happen. Without a doubt, that's going to happen. You get a big sack, that changes field position, that changes maybe get a guy out of field goal range, get them in third-and-long or something like that or get off the field on third down and then it's a whole new set of downs. That's going to change games."

The Jacksonville Jaguars were on the receiving end of such a call in the first quarter of Saturday's preseason game when Vikings fullback C.J. Ham caught a pass from Kirk Cousins and lowered his shoulder into cornerback A.J. Bouye. Because the Jacksonville defender appeared to lower his head while bracing for contact, Bouye was flagged for a 15-yard personal foul.

Was there anything the defensive back could have done differently?

"I don't really think so," Smith said of Bouye's tackle. "And I do want to drive home the point that, especially as defensive players and as ball carriers, we do want to make the game as safe as you can make it, no matter what. It is football and we're out there hitting, so it's not always going to be possible, but we're not resistant to these changes. They just need to be physically possible, I guess?"

In his 44th NFL season and 19th as  New England Patriots head coach, Bill Belichick doesn't see much of an issue at all, however.

"I would just say, from my standpoint, it's not a change for us, it's not a change for our coaching staff. We've never taught that. We've never taught tackling with the crown of our helmet, putting our head down and leading our body forward in that type of position," Belichick said Monday in his weekly interview on sports radio WEEI.

"I don't think fundamentally that's a good position to be in, it's not effective. There's a lot of things that can go wrong, besides getting hurt, and that's an important one. So we've always tackled and blocked with our head up, and our eyes open and head back so we can see what we hit. That's the only way I've ever coached it. If we do it that way, we'll be within the rules, so that's what we try to teach."

The San Francisco 49ers' Richard Sherman has been a vocal critic of the rule. He continued to speak out Sunday in a series of tweets sparked when Brett Tessler, the agent for his teammate Raheem Mostert, complained that his client was flagged for unnecessary roughness Saturday for leading with his head.

The Ravens' Eric Weddle also replied to Sherman's tweets with his own criticism of the rule change.

The Tennessee Titans and defending champion Philadelphia Eagles are tied for the most lowering-the-head penalties through two preseason games with five apiece.

Six teams that have played two preseason games have not been flagged for lowering the head to initiate contact. Indianapolis, which plays Baltimore on Monday night, was not flagged in its preseason opener. Behind the Titans and Eagles, five teams have been penalized under the rule three times apiece: Arizona, Atlanta, Carolina, the Rams and San Francisco.

Chicago has three such penalties through three exhibitions.

Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz said his team's defensive players were meeting Monday afternoon to look at helmet fouls called on both the Eagles and other teams across the league.

"We're trying to be educated on what's going to get called and what's not. The instructions we've given guys is try not to lower your head and try to take your head out of it," Schwartz said. "And I think our guys are trying to do that. The other thing we say is you want to lower your target, but along with lowering your target and trying to stay away from the head, sometimes that causes you to dip your head. They're trying to play within the rules. ... The problem is they're dealing with world-class athletes who are moving targets. A little bit easier said than done."

Titans head coach Mike Vrabel said Sunday he already showed his team an eight-minute video from the NFL of penalties in the first week of the preseason.

"We'll keep doing that and we'll keep coaching it and we'll keep stressing it, and hopefully it doesn't, one, lead to injuries, or two, cost us yards," Vrabel said.

Safety Shamarko Thomas, then with the Colts, is the only player to be ejected for lowering his head to initiate contact this preseason, with that taking place during his team's preseason opener against the Seahawks. Thomas was released by the Colts days later and has since signed with the Denver Broncos.

ESPN's Mike Reiss, Tim McManus and The Associated Press contributed to this report.