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“Heads Up” Tackles Concussion issue?
Outside the Lines (Sunday 8 a.m. ET, ESPN2)

Facing a concussion crisis, the NFL and its youth developmental arm, USA Football, has implemented a new safety program targeting the sport’s youngest athletes up to the high school level. Called “Heads Up,” it teaches concussion awareness and proper equipment fitting, as well as a new and sometimes controversial tackling technique. “Heads Up,” introduced in more than 2,700 youth leagues nationwide, hopes to take the head out of the game, while detractors say that’s just not possible. Mark Fainaru-Wada investigates “Heads Up” and its effectiveness on the field.

“I don’t believe you can make football safe. But I think if what their political approach to it is — if they say safe, safe, safe, safe enough, and health and healthy and safer and safer, it’s creating the illusion that it is being made safer. I don’t believe you can make football safe.” — Nate Jackson, who spent six seasons with the Denver Broncos and recently wrote a memoir about his life in the NFL

“I can appreciate that people will, again, tie this to the NFL and suggest it’s a P.R. move in the NFL. That’s what everybody wants to throw out. We are about making the game better and safer at youth and high school, period. We’ve never said that ‘Heads Up’ football is making the game safe. We say that ‘Heads Up’ football is making the game better and safer.” – Scott Hallenbeck, executive director of USA Football

 
Bill Belichick Conversation
Saturday Edition of Sunday NFL Countdown (Saturday, 11 a.m., ESPN)

https://youtu.be/IJpNCrY-j_I

New England’s three-time Super Bowl-winning coach Bill Belichick tells Chris Berman how Tom Brady led the Patriots to their 11th playoff appearance in 14 years, what it’s like being part of the “Boston Strong” community and the challenges his team faces Saturday against the Colts.

“I have a lot of respect for this team. I’ve demanded a lot from them. And they’ve responded in a very positive way in doing what’s best for the team, and being able to perform and execute under pressure.” — Bill Belichick, Patriots coach on the 2013 team

“A quarter of your season is going to come down to some type of field-goal play, field position, blocked field goal, made field goal, missed field goal, red area stop. Wherever you get those three or four points from, that’s going to decide a quarter of your season.” — Belichick

 

In Seattle, the Secondary Comes First
ESPN.com

With its swagger, the “Legion of Boom” has captured the hearts of Seahawks fans.

Liz Merrill writes: “There was always a plan. To the rest of the league, it was obnoxious: four defensive backs strutting, dancing and flapping their gums in a faraway corner forgotten by football. “I love you, Bro,” they’d say to each other during warm-ups. And opponents hated playing them.”

 

Four Score

From Boomer & Belichick to Key & Cam, and even with a legendary Starr who played on the “Frozen Tundra,” ESPN’s “J” release was behind the scenes for this week’s NFL coverage:

HOOVER, Ala. — Greg Garber interviewed Green Bay Packers legend Bart Starr for a Sunday NFL Countdown piece on playing in cold weather. Producer Zachary Budman said, “Coincidentally, it was nine degrees in Alabama on the day we were interviewing him regarding cold weather QB’s.  They said it was the coldest it’s been since sometime in the mid 1980’s.”  (Credit: ESPN / Producer Zachary Budman)

SEATTLE, WA – Ray Lewis interviewed the Seahawks Earl Thomas for a Sunday NFL Countdown piece (to air on Saturday’s special edition, 11 a.m. ET) on the All-Pro safety’s “closing speed.” (Credit: ESPN / Producer Tory Zawacki)

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Keyshawn Johnson interviewed Panthers quarterback Cam Newton for a Sunday NFL Countdown piece. (Credit: ESPN / Producer Terrell Bouza)

FOXBOROUGH, MA – Chris Berman interviewed coach Bill Belichick at the Patriots facility for a Sunday NFL Countdown piece (to air Saturday). Producer Luke Williams found it particularly interesting when Berman asked Belichick about his favorite team growing up. The coach’s response: “I grew up loving the Baltimore Colts. It was really an honor my first year in the league in 1975 to work for the Baltimore Colts. Those horseshoes on the helmets is kind of a special look. But not this week. This week they’re on the other side of the field, so we got to go get them.” (Credit: ESPN Producer / Luke Williams)