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:
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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?
Jared Allen Says Low Hits on Matt Schaub Not Dirty; Schaub Ain't Buying It originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Thu, 06 Nov 2008 10:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.
