Vikings DE Jared Allen is sort of claiming that his two low hits that injured Texans quarterback Matt Schaub's MCL weren't cheap shots. A Houston camera man captured him talking to Schaub after the game:
You all right? I didn't mean to hit you. I didn't mean to hit your knee like that. I came back (inaudible) falling forward. I was slipping, and I was like (expletive). If it makes you feel better, (Chester) Pitts separated my shoulder.Talking about it later he explained:
I was actually slipping. I was just going to try to wrap his legs up.Of course, Allen "slipped" into Schaub's knee twice. Going helmet first, not using his arms both times. If you haven't seen it, check out the above video. Under the rules, defensive players are supposed to affirmatively avoid hitting quarterbacks low unless the QB is running.
Schaub doesn't believe Allen's hand-caught-in-the-cookie-jar explanation when he was asked if Allen's plays were cheap shots:
Well, I think it was. The ball was already gone, and a player (Allen) went for my leg, which isn't what they're supposed to be doing. That's all I can say.When asked about Kubiak sending the plays to the league, Allen responded:
I don't even know who the hell he (Kubiak) is. He's obviously upset he lost his quarterback, but that's part of the game.Actually, the league has tried to make it not so much of a part of the game by saying you aren't supposed to hit quarterbacks in the knee or lower when they are stationary.
Allen, I guess, is asking to be whacked by NFL Finemeister Commissioner Roger Goodell because he went on a discourse of how he doesn't like the rules intended to protect quarterbacks. In talking yesterday about the personal foul penalty on Giants lineman Justin Tuck on Dallas backupbackup QB Brooks Bollinger, Allen said:
That's how we're taught to tackle people. We play a violent game, and we all know when we sign our names on that dotted line that there are going to be injuries, there is going to be pain. That's what we do. It makes us feel alive. And then for us to get punished for it is kind of one of those things where you're like, 'Whatever.'
Maybe they want to protect the quarterback because they want to say it's an offensive-driven league. Well, I don't believe in that. I play defense. I believe this is a defensive-driven league.I think in a battle between Jared Allen's view of the league and Roger Goodell's view of the league, Allen is going to lose every single time.
It doesn't help his argument much that two low hits were "oops, my bad," when on the same day he is saying he doesn't believe in rules designed to protect the quarterback, and that causing injuries and pain makes him feel alive.
Previously at FanHouse:
More Video on Jared Allen's Low Hits on Matt Schaub: Dirty or Not?
Did Jared Allen Cheap Shot Matt Schaub?
Comments (Page 1 of 1)
He can expect a big chunk of his game check to go towards charity.
this is the 3rd or 4th post about this already this week. i realize you're a texans fan, but come on, let's move forward.
We will get over it when the league makes an announcement on Friday. It amazes me that Vike fans can see the video and still be blinded by purple colored sunglasses.
I wish you luck when the Williams dou get what is coming to them. You are going to need it.
Do you think it might have to do with the fact that this is a Texan blog?
I hope Jared Allen keeps on smacking his gums and proving the point, that the shots to Schaubs knee was illegal and maybe, the MSM will give this the coverage it deserves!
If KC and the Vikes teach their players to hit another player low, in the knees, and call it tough (against "current" NFL rules), then investigate both of those franchises!
Fighting the good fight!
You're a pansyass, Eric.
Jimmy-
Actually, it is the 3rd. The first post had one low hit, that some people thought was an accident. The second post had both low hits in it, including a discussion of the applicable rules. This is the first time that Allen and Schaub have talked about the hits.
Vikings fans should be concerned with the sort of junk talk that Allen is saying about this. He needs to keep quiet because Goodell will smack a player down if he thinks that someone is disrespecting NFL rules.
Goodell is so mean he once shot a man just for snoring. No wait, that was someone else. OK, if Goodell fines a guy $5000 for wearing eye black honoring his murdered teammate, what do you think he is going to do with a mouthy player who hits a QB twice in the knees, injures him, and says all sorts of stuff about how he doesn't like the rules protecting quarterbacks?
Allen should have said he was sorry, it was an accident, and then shut up.
Thanks all for reading and commenting,
Steph
I've read some enjoyable things around the internet on this very issue. Allow me to share.
"It's pretty obvious that Allen, who had beaten Duane Brown like a drum, was trying to chase down Schaub, and Schaub was then pushed into Allen by defensive tackle Kevin Williams. It didn't even look like Allen saw it coming. If that's an "illegal" or "dirty" hit, then let's just put everyone in a skirt and play two-hand touch instead."
"I didn’t hear one person at the Buffalo Wild Wings I was at in HOUSTON, TEXAS complain one bit about it, and they were getting pretty upset at the game."
"...clearly this was a fluke play that HAD to have several things happen with several different players SIMILTANEOUSLY to play out the way it did. If Allen doesn’t slip, if KWill doesn’t get to the QB, if Shaub doesn’t step up in the pocket, if the LT would have finished his block, if the LG blocks KWill for 1/2 second longer, none of that happens and Schaub is just fine."
"Looks like Allen probably couldn’t even see that Schaub had thrown the ball, so he shouldn’t be expected to let up on the play. He does go at his knees but Allen is on his knees. What’s he supposed to do, take the time to stand fully erect before proceeding to the QB?"
I concur. If you're not going to let this go until the league announces something on Friday, at least stop creating new posts about old news.
SERIOUSLY! Allen was stumbling on his feet to begin with and i guess if that is a dirty shot than Mr. Matt should join me on the couch on Sundays to watch the games! cause he doesn't deserve to play on Sunday if he is going to wine about this!
If you wanna see s dirty hit go to youtube and search for "Taysom gets rocked" thats a dirty hit and he isn't complaining about it! why is he not? because he is a high school football player going to play for Stanford because he loves football and he is a MAN!
Schaub isn't much of a quarterback ... his replacement at least found a way for the team to score ... Put a skirt on the crybaby Schaub and find a spot on the bench for his sorry butt ... Its so easy to criticize when your offensive lineman can't do his job and keep the defenders off the quarterback .... fine or no fine, injury or no injury ... Vikes win !!!!! ...LOL LOL LOL
Peter - you have selected post syndrome. At TexansTalk several people said they thought it was dirty the second it happened. I am sure people drinking and talking with friends at a bar might not catch it as easily as some who are at home watching it with a DVR and TIVO could cause they could rewind the play.
Clark - Have you actually watched the any of the videos? There is one where Allen is push past the QB, Schuab, and he steps up into the pocket and releases the ball (NOTE I said the ball is already gone). Allen, who is on his knees and lunges at Schuab leading with his helmet into Schuab's knees. While at the same time Williams pushes schuab clearly after the ball is gone. Now while the push is no big deal really it was clearly after the DAMN BALL was gone.
Oh and saying a HS kid is not complaining like Schuab is kinda sorta; ok not kinda but in fact it is really retarded. Schuab was asked by people in the media what he thought. He did not pick up the phone and call espin or double chin McClain and say hey I want you to write a story on this.
Makes me want to see Adrian Peterson take this same kind of hit and see how viking fans act.
Adrian Peterson DID take "that kind" of hit last year from Al Harris. Harris put his helmet right into Peterson's knee from the front, and AP sat out a few weeks with a ligament injury (strain? tear? I forget which). Nobody was happy about it.
And yeah, I might be cherry-picking the arguments that coincide with my feelings on the play, but I actually do agree with those. The make good points. And just because there are a lot of comments that side with the Texans, it doesn't mean they're not wrong.
I'll say it again. Without K-Williams' push, there is no injury. Without Allen accidentally slipping, there is no injury. I don't blame Allen for moving forward while he was already low. He was moving toward where Schaub WAS, not where Schaub WOULD BE after Williams pushed him. How could he know?
If the hit on Palmer in the playoffs a few years back was dismissed as accidental, it would be hypocritcal of the league to punish Allen now.
All that said, this has been a lively debate with minimal childish namecalling, and I've enjoyed it. No hard feelings for anyone, I hope.
You obviously suffer from selective thought process syndrome. Adrian Peterson takes hits like that and worse than that on a daily basis. That second "low hit" was not even a hit; nor was it Allen's fault. He was on the ground and Williams pushed him into Allen. The first hit wasn't dirty either because he was already stumbling into SCHAUB (you put Schuab like six times) when he fell into his knees. If Schaub can't handle a D-Lineman built like a truck running into him then he's playing the wrong God damn game. This is FOOTBALL for Christ's sake! Go bitch about this some more on your dumbass Texans websites and stop posting shitty videos with your camcorders that don't prove shit.
wow, didn't realize i'd stir up trouble. my thoughts:
1. i love fanhouse.
2. stephanie. you don't have to defend your posts to me. if you care about this, write about it.
3. i own schaub in my fantasy league. boo jared allen!
Jimmy-
1. Glad you love FanHouse. Me too. It's fun to write here.
2. Sorry about your fantasy team. I bet Rosenfels gets fat stats--the defense is bad, and Rosenfels can move the ball (when he isn't Rosenchopping or throwing an INT).
Thanks all for reading and commenting.
-Steph
The lack of coverage on the illegal hits to Schaub from ESPN and the national media in general is extremely frustrating and sadly not all that surprising; as a Houston fan one can't help but feel a little like the proverbial redheaded stepchild, especially when we were all subjected to view after view of Tom Brady's similar injury. Moreover, how some fans can view the clips and think this isn't a big deal is baffling to me. And don't even get me started on Mr. Allen's clear lack of remorse for any wrongdoing. He really gets the sympathy train rolling with his disrespectful comment towards Gary K. Thanks for writing a fun and informative blog Steph. Don't listen to the fans who want to move on by sweeping this under the rug; their vision is skewed from purple tented glasses (either that or they want to build on Texan fans' fears of a 'Glass Body Schaub', "See, he can't even take a 270lb man's helmet crashing into the side of his planted knee...what a baby...." Rosencopter to the rescue!)
Too bad the Vikes didn't rip his leg completely off. Serves him right, trying to talk smack afterwards. All opponents WILL BE DECIMATED!
GO VIKES
The two hits by Allen on Schaub are dubious, as best. Allen was doing what he's paid to do, get to the QB to disrupt the passer by whatever means was reasonably available. Though it was 1/2 second after the ball was thrown, I'm sure Allen would've preferred it to be 3/4 second sooner. Obviously, that's splitting hairs pretty fine. No dirtier than the hit that put Brady out, it happens. As a matter of fact, people should take a look at the late hit that later injured Allen and may now keep him out of a few critical games: A badly beaten Houston OL decides to try & save face by wrestling Allen to the ground (from behind) after the play was over, driving the DE's right shoulder into the ground and causing a grade III separation. If that had happened to a QB or RB, it would've drawn a flag, and a big fine. But it's a DE, so nothing. Get real, people. The NFL ain't for sissies.
The league agrees and Allen had to pay $50,000 fine.