re: Jay Ward with the hit of the year

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Right. Targeting requires defenseless player (he was not; he was a runner) and forcible contact the head/neck area (hit was shoulder to shoulder).

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Targeting doesn’t necessarily require a defenseless player. It’s just that the rules are more stringent when tackling a defenseless player.

Either way, there has to be at least one “indicator” of targeting - e.g. launching, lowering the head, etc.

The difference is that if the opponent is not defenseless, it’s only targeting if someone makes forcible contact with the crown of their helmet. If the opponent is defenseless, it’s targeting if someone makes forcible contact “to the head or neck area” with the “helmet, forearm, hand, fist, elbow or shoulder.”

I don’t know how anyone can make the argument that a ball carrier diving forward is a defenseless player, and Ward didn’t hit him with the crown of his helmet.

Here is the actual rule for those interested:

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Targeting and Making Forcible Contact With the Crown of the Helmet
ARTICLE 3. No player shall target and make forcible contact against an opponent with the crown of his helmet. This foul requires that there be at least one indicator of targeting (See Note 1 below). When in question, it is a foul (Rule 9-6) (A.R. 9-1-3-I)

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quote:

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Targeting and Making Forcible Contact to Head or Neck Area of a Defenseless Player
ARTICLE 4. No player shall target and make forcible contact to the head or neck area of a defenseless opponent (See Note 2 below) with the helmet, forearm, hand, fist, elbow or shoulder. This foul requires that there be at least one indicator of targeting (See Note 1 below). When in question, it is a foul (Rules 2-27-14 and 9-6). (A.R. 9-1-4-I-VI)

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One of the most confusing things about the “targeting rule” is that it’s actually two separate rules. So people often conflate the various aspects of the two rules.