Ed Reed fine

[el diablo]

So, Ed Reed gets fined again for an "illegal" hit. I've seen this replay numerous times and fail to see how Ed Reed's hit on Victor Cruz was illegal. Ed Reed didn't leave his feet in the apparent launching of his body. Ed Reed initiate contact with his head. He led with his shoulder. He made contact with Cruz's chest. Not his head. And Victor Cruz made a football move once he caught the ball. If anything Reed in my opinion made a perfect football play. How can Victor Cruz be deemed "defenseless" when he never left his feet?

[Pappy13]

I haven't seen the play, so don't read too much into this, but if you are in the act of catching the ball, you are considered a defenseless player, has nothing to do with whether or not you leave the ground. Also if a player is in a defenseless position, the hit doesn't have to be to the helmet to be illegal. Lowering your head and hitting with the crown of your helmet to any part of a defenseless player is considered illegal contact.

http://nflcommunications.com/2011/12/27/definition-of-a-defenseless-player/

[Cathal]

It's B.S.  there was nothing illegal about his hit.