Horse collar

going out on a limb here, but my guess is you have a perfect understanding of the rule

 

[shrugshouldersrolleyessmile]

 

Horse collar is what broke Smitty's leg. When someone puts their arm around your neck/shoulders from behind as though to "strangle you", when you're both running, it tends to make you fall with your legs under you and often the tackler also comes down on top of you putting legs under your body and theirs in a very awkward angle which is exactly what broke Smitty's leg. And not to stir that pot again, but I didn't think the knee hit was intentional at all. I've watched it again several times and it appears to me that Fujita's feet "stuck" in the grass because his legs below the knee collapsed oddly - not in a way that suggested he was planting and then diving at Smith's knees but more in a way that his feet just did something weird and then from the knee down he's off the ground but with his lower legs raised and bent as though he's kneeling down. If it was an intentional dive (and I don't think it was at all) it was the most spastic attempt at one I've ever seen.

 

http://www.heraldonline.com/247/story/7814.html

Jones fined $7,500 for Smith hit

CHARLOTTE -- For the second week in a row, an opposing player has been fined for an illegal hit on Carolina Panthers wide receiver Steve Smith.
According to league officials, Cleveland safety Sean Jones was fined $7,500 for dragging Smith down violently from behind in last week's game "by using the horse-collar technique."

In the fourth quarter of the Panthers 20-12 win, Smith got loose for a 20-yard gain, but Jones jerked him down by the back of his shoulder pads at the Browns 1-yard line. The week before, New Orleans linebacker Scott Fujita was also fined $7,500 for hitting Smith at the knees away from the play.

Panthers coach John Fox said he'd send the New Orleans tape to the league office for review, and it's believed he did the same with the Jones hit this week. The Panthers believe Smith's been the victim of some questionable shots, and hope by asking the league for official review they'll slow down.

No penalties were thrown on either hit.

Smith laughed and shook his head this week, saying he was disappointed with some of his drops in last week's game, though at least one came when a Browns defender was twisting him away from the ball by the head.

"I didn't go a good enough job finishing," Smith said. "I caught six balls. I could have caught 12 or 11. I mean, in hindsight, I should have caught the balls I didn't.

"I know the one time, it's kind of hard when they've got your facemask, but I just work here, so ..."

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