Yahoo Sports 
Controversial penalty call could result in rules change in 2015
Midway through the third quarter, his team leading 14-13, San Diego Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers lofted a pass to Ladarius Green. The New England Patriots' Brandon Browner hit Green hard – hard enough to pop Green's head back (and, the team later revealed, give him a concussion) – and the ball popped up into the air. New England's Devin McCourty snagged it and ran it back for what appeared to be a go-ahead touchdown.
Not so fast. Refs threw a flag on the play, and the result might be a rules change in 2015.
The referees contended that Browner had gone helmet-to-helmet on Green, and in the lightning-quick environment of real life, it certainly appeared that way. The flag wiped six New England points off the board and resulted in a 15-yard unnecessary roughness penalty.
It was a potential game-changing play ... and it was a completely wrong call.
As the game progressed, it turned out the penalty wasn't a decisive one; New England would go on to score 10 more unanswered points and win going away. But replays demonstrated that Browner did indeed lead with his shoulder rather than his head. He did everything right, and still got nailed for the penalty.
As a result of increased concussion awareness, the penalty for a helmet-to-helmet hit is so severe that defensive players have taken to hitting lower on the body to avoid any possibility of a penalty. That, in turn, has led to a greater risk of knee injuries. No good deed goes unpunished.
However, the rule change that this play could enact has to do with the replay aspect. The helmet-to-helmet play is not reviewable, despite the fact that many, including Patriots coach Bill Belichick, have lobbied for change. A simple review would have shown Browner's intention and split-second correct decision-making.
A review of helmet-to-helmet hits is an easy enough rule to implement for the 2015 season. And if it cuts down on confusion about how players are making tackles, so much the better.
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Jay Busbee is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Contact him at jay.busbee@yahoo.com or find him on Twitter.
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