Steelers' Harrison suspended for 49ers game

Quarterback Alex Smith might be able to breathe a little easier as the 49ers prepare for their Monday night game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.Steelers outside linebacker James Harrison was suspended for one game without pay as a result of his fifth illegal hit on a quarterback in the past three seasons, the NFL announced Tuesday.
Harrison ranks second on the Steelers with eight sacks this season.NFL Executive Vice President Ray Anderson made the decision after Harrison was penalized helmet-to-helmet hit against a Cleveland quarterback Colt McCoy. In addition to four fines for illegal hits against quarterbacks in 2009 and 2010, Harrison also was fined twice for unnecessary roughness during that period, the NFL said.RELATED: Harrison says hit on McCoy not worthy of fine
Under the collective bargaining agreement, Harrison will have three business days to appeal the suspension. An expedited hearing and decision would take place this week in advance of this weekend's games, the league said. Appeals are heard and decided on a rotating basis by either Art Shell or Ted Cottrell, the officers jointly appointed and compensated by the NFL and NFLPA to decide appeals of on-field player discipline. If the suspension is upheld, Harrison may not practice this week or be at the team practice facility or stadium for any other activities during the suspension. He will be reinstated on December 20.
Here is some background on NFL rules and policies:The 2011 League Policies for Players manual states: "Players who were fined for violations in 2009 or 2010, and whose fines were either partially or fully upheld, will be considered second andor repeat offenders under this policy." Rule 12, Section 2, Article 9 of the NFL Rule Book states: "It is a foul if a player initiates unnecessary contact against a player who is in a defenseless posture. (a) Players in a defenseless posture are: (1) A player in the act of or just after throwing a pass. Rule 12, Section 2, Article 13 (8) and (3) is also applicable to the roughing the passer penalty called against Harrison.
When a passer is outside the pocket area, as McCoy was, he is still afforded the protection of Article 13 (3), which prohibits defensive players from using their helmet against a passer who is in a defenseless posture, including by "forcibly hitting the passer's head or neck area with the helmet or facemask, regardless of whether the defensive player also uses his arms to tackle the passer by encircling or grasping him". The applicable rules: PASSER OUT OF THE POCKET
(8) When the passer goes outside the pocket area and either continues moving with the ball (without attempting to advance the ball as a runner) or throws while on the run, he loses the protection of the one-step rule provided for in (1) above, and the protection against a low hit provided for in (5) above, but he remains covered by all the other special protections afforded to a passer in the pocket (numbers 2, 3, 4, 6, and 7), as well as the regular unnecessary-roughness rules applicable to all player positions. If the passer stops behind the line and clearly establishes a passing posture, he will then be covered by all of the special protections for passers. HITS TO PASSER'S HEAD AND USE OF HELMET AND FACEMASK
(3) In covering the passer position, Referees will be particularly alert to fouls in which defenders impermissibly use the helmet andor facemask to hit the passer, or use hands, arms, or other parts of the body to hit the passer forcibly in the head or neck area (see also the other unnecessary-roughness rules covering these subjects). A defensive player must not use his helmet against a passer who is in a defenseless posture for example, (a) forcibly hitting the passer's head or neck area with the helmet or facemask, regardless of whether the defensive player also uses his arms to tackle the passer by encircling or grasping him, or (b) lowering the head and making forcible contact with the topcrown or forehead"hairline" parts of the helmet against any part of the passer's body. This rule does not prohibit incidental contact by the mask or non-crown parts of the helmet in the course of a conventional tackle on a passer.