New York Giants running back Cam Skattebo and head coach John Harbaugh have both objected to a lowering-the-helmet penalty called against Skattebo in Sunday’s win over Houston, questioning how a runner is supposed to protect himself and the football without running low.
Cam Skattebo (Credits: ESPN)
Cam Skattebo Helmet Penalty vs Texans Sparks Giants Outrage
The flashpoint came in the first quarter of the Giants’ 27-21 overtime win over the Houston Texans. On a seven-yard run, Skattebo lowered his helmet into Texans safety M.J. Stewart, and officials flagged him for unnecessary roughness for impermissible helmet contact, wiping out the gain with a 15-yard penalty.
Skattebo, back in the starting lineup after being sidelined in Week 6, was visibly furious on the sideline, while Harbaugh went straight to the officials. Harbaugh argued that a runner meeting a defender in the hole has almost no time to adjust, and is mostly trying to protect himself while gaining yards.
“I understand the idea,” Harbaugh said on Monday. “You have to run low to protect the football. You have to run low to protect your body. You can’t run in there and give tacklers your chest.” He added that he did not believe Skattebo was deliberately using his helmet as a weapon, arguing the running back was trying to lead with his shoulder while staying in a strong position.
Skattebo Asks NFL to Enlighten Giants on Helmet Rule
Skattebo himself was equally unhappy, saying the league celebrates his physical running style in promotional content but penalizes him for the same approach on the field. He suggested the league could “enlighten” the Giants on exactly what it wants from ball carriers in that situation.
The debate is not new for Skattebo. He was fined $7,073 earlier this season for impermissible helmet use against the Tennessee Titans, and ball carriers have drawn several fines this year for lowering their heads, even though flags on such plays have been rare. That inconsistency is exactly what frustrated Giants fans, many of whom called the Texans call one of the worst of the season and argued similar contact goes unflagged every week.
For all the controversy, Skattebo still made his mark on the game, later scoring a 16-yard touchdown as the Giants edged Houston in overtime. But the penalty has reignited the NFL’s long-running tension between celebrating physical football and policing head contact, and the Giants clearly want clearer answers.
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Source: ESPN — read the full story there.