gotta get down. Sliding isn't supposed to be a last minute decision. It's a recognition that there are defenders and I'm getting down for my own protection with 4 or 5 yards of space. He got into the middle of 3 defenders and said "oh **" and tried to drop right then and there and traffic. It's like people who just walk out into a crosswalk with the attitude "I'm the pedestrian, they have to stop, I have the right of way." Well, yes, they are supposed to stop.. but that doesn't mean they're going to and are you really going to brag about how right you were when you're laid up in the hospital in a full body cast?
If you're in traffic already, you either need to dive out of harms way and get your head down, or you cover the ball up and run the ball and take your licks to the body. Either way, the head is safe. If you get popped by a linebacker? Well that's the price you pay to learn a lesson that you should have slid 5 yards earlier.