It’s being called “dirty” and a “cheap shot,” but what it isn’t being called is “illegal” and frankly that’s just bullshit. During Sunday’s game between the Tennessee Titans and Denver Broncos, Titans wideout Harry Douglas delivered a “block” at Broncos corner Chris Harris Jr. that was a blatant attempt at ending Harris’ season.
There is nothing about that play that screams “block.” If anything, Douglas was trying to set up Harris with his nonchalant, floppy-handed jog that looked more like a dance from Barney the Dinosaur than an actual football play. Both men were yards away from the run and Douglas could have easily just lazily locked up with Harris for the effort both men were putting into it at the moment. But he didn’t. He tried to take Harris’ knee out and nearly did.
Thank God for covering me cuz I thought my knee was gone . 🙏🏿
— Chris Harris (@ChrisHarrisJr) December 11, 2016
A play later Harris’ teammate, Aqib Talib, rightly tried to fight Douglas and the only shame in that is that Talib didn’t do any real damage to the asshole.
“From a rules standpoint, it’s not a foul,” former NFL official and FOX’s officiating guru Mike Pereira said over Facebook live. …Is it maybe dirty? I guess some people think that.”
Yeah, Mike. Some people would.
Douglas, of course, claims it was just a common cut block and maybe, legally, that’s true. But the nature in which Douglas delivered it, feigning a passive block attempt (if any) then diving directly at Harris’ knee is not just dirty. It’s malicious. It was an obvious attempt to injure and Roger Goodell and the NFL should so something about it.
Can't Get open so let's just take 25 out the game .
— Chris Harris (@ChrisHarrisJr) December 11, 2016
But, you know, how many times am I going to write that sentence in futility?
At the very least, this should hurt Douglas’ standing in the NFL community. There should be a fraternity of players. There are only so many of these men and they go through so much to play at the highest level, it’s hard to understand why one would intentionally try to seriously injure the other. There’s a difference in a delivering a solid, rocking football hit, even if the result is an injury. It’s respected. It’s like a knockout in boxing. And to use the boxing analogy, this was like Douglas trying to bite of Harris’ ear. He should have to pay not only a fine, but with time.
“I can’t believe he (Douglas) did that,” Harris said after the game. “Trying to take me out for the game, try to end my career. Hopefully they go back and look at that and hit him with a fine.”
If not, Talib and Douglas have the same agent, so he has a few ideas on how he’s going to handle it the next time the two men meet up.
“It was a dirty play by a sorry player,” Talib told reporters after the game. “He (Douglas) don’t do nothing, he comes to the game, don’t catch no passes. He comes to the game and chops guys from the back. He’s got the same agent as me, so when I see his ass in Atlanta I’m gonna beat his ass. He tried to something dirty, so that’s why I’m gonna beat his ass.”
It was an interesting post game locker room. #Broncos Aqib Talib was hot after Titans WR Harry Douglas low hit on Chris Harris Jr. pic.twitter.com/cZFE1f2x0V
— Kami Carmann (@KamiCarmann) December 11, 2016
And if that’s all that happens Douglas should consider himself lucky. Talib is usually so armed in his civilian life he’s in constant danger of shooting himself.
Dolphins get good news on Tannehill
Miami Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill probably still won’t take a snap again in 2016, but his 2017 looks line as the team learned Monday that he didn’t tear his ACL or MCL as they originally feared. Instead it was a sprain suffered in the team’s win over over the Arizona Cardinals, Sunday.
In a related move the Dolphins added free agent quarterback T.J. Yates to the roster to back up Matt Moore.
Cardinals get bad news on Floyd
Speaking of the Cardinals, wide receiver Michael Floyd took the loss a little too hard and was found out cold behind the wheel of his vehicle with the motor running early Monday morning in Scottsdale, Ariz. He was arrested for suspicion of driving under the influence and failure to obey a police officer. So that’s going to cost him.
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