Craig Wrolstad defends lowering-the-helmet foul on…

USA TODAY Sports

The conclusion of the Bengals-Jets game included a controversial foul against Cincinnati defensive back Mike Hilton for lowering the helmet to initiate contact with Jets running back Ty Johnson. Many think Johnson should have been penalized for doing the same thing.

Speaking to pool reporter Paul Dehner, referee Craig Wrolstad said that the possibility of flagging Johnson was not considered.

“I don’t think there was any discussion about the offense,” Wrolstad said. “The call was on the defense.”

Many think the call shouldn’t have been on the defense. Wrolstad nevertheless defended the call.

“The line judge had unnecessary roughness . . . and the foul was for lowering his head to initiate contact,” Wrolstad said. “So that’s going to be a use of the helmet foul.”

So what should the defensive player due to avoid the foul?

“I’m not here to verse you on how to tackle properly,” Wrolstad said, “but the rule is that you cannot lower your head to initiate contact on a player with your helmet. So, he can hit him with his shoulder, I suppose.”

It’s a lot easier said than done. (Or as Simms would say — and actually said last week — harder said than done.)

As one source with knowledge of the development and application of the rule told PFT, the fact that Johnson lowered his helmet made the foul on Hilton more likely, even if it technically would have been a foul if Hilton had simply hit Johnson in the legs with his helmet.

The other problem with the rule is that it’s not consistently enforced. Thus, when it is called during a key moment, the fact that it’s so often not called makes the decision seem arbitrary or (as the tin-foil hat wearers would say) the outcome seem predetermined.