NFL's Concussion Controversy: Eagles vs. Colts Game Makes a Case for Both Sides

Many of you may have seen or heard of the scary hit on Colts WR Austin Collie. I'm going to put up a link to the hit, in doing so, I don't wish to make light of a serious situation... To everyone's relief Collie was diagnosed with "only" a concussion. 

If the end result had been any worse I would not have put the video up.

Such concussions have been the center of attention this year. Many players have stood and argued it's part of the game, part of the sport we all love. Doctors and NFL officials have pushed to insert more regulations, more padding and more penalties on the game's worst hits. Several players have already received fines ranging from $25,000 to $125,000 for hits they have made.

The gruesome hit on Austin Collie will likely incur some kind of fine on the Eagles Kurt Coleman. Though once you look past the nasty result, the hit was legal. Coleman lowered his head, aiming for the shoulder pads, but Collie lower his head too. 

I caution that it is disturbing,

On the side of the defense, which includes players such as Troy Polamalu, James Harrison, and Ray Lewis, they claim that football at it's core is a rough, hard-hitting, physical sport. They also say the referees are calling too many personal fouls, not allowing the defense to do their job.

There was a prime example of this in the Eagles vs Colts game.

In the fourth quarter with 3:36 left Manning and the Colts were going for it on fourth and 18. The Colts were down by nine points; If the Eagles could make a stop, the game was in their hand.

Eagles brought the blitz, and Eagles defensive end Trent Cole got the closest to taking down Manning. During his attempt, Cole reached out; grazing his right hand across the back of Manning's helmet and striped the ball loose. The Eagles' Antonio Dixon recovered the loose ball which would seal the victory.

You can see where I'm going with this... Trent Cole's hand across the helmet constituted a 15 yard penalty and, even worse an automatic first down.

The result of the ensuing drive was a one yard touchdown run by Colts running back Javarris Jones. That made it only a two point ball game. 

Eventually the Eagles would stop a last minute drive by intercepting Peyton Manning, but it was too close for comfort on the Eagle's sideline.

I couldn't find a clip with only the penalty. Fast forward to 2:20 to see the play. 

This game gave an argument for both sides of the controversy.   

Polamalu was recently quoted saying, "There is definitely a paranoia that is unneeded. Just because... a few weekends ago, I think somebody said, five (suspect) hits out of 1,000. Yeah, I think there is too much paranoia."

I think that paranoia has driven referees to call foul on any contact to the helmet. It certainly appeared that way in Trent Cole's case.

On the safety side of the argument, as Collie lay on the field the commentators discussed their own feelings surrounding the controversy and the scene on the field. "Now you understand why so many people get upset about, (saying) you can't do this about the game or you can't do... yes you can. You wanna make rules... whatever you can do possible for player safety. It's just outrageous...saying let us play the game. Yea, go play football, let somebody have a life too."

Football is life for many of these players and fans, but when the game is over both players and fans want to be able to go home to their families and loved ones.