The Buffalo Bills bested the Pittsburgh Steelers in the first round of the playoffs by a score of 31-17. In that loss, a pair of Steelers left the game with concussions. One happened after Allen Robinson II’s head hit the ground followinf a reception on a routine tackle, but the other was an unnecessary hit by OG Connor McGovern on CB Joey Porter Jr. to knock him out of the game.
McGovern came in late on the play as Porter was tackling WR Stefon Diggs and hit Porter from behind in the back of the helmet. Porter immediately went down holding his head and was eventually ruled out with a concussion after heading to the locker room.
“It’s a dangerous play,” S Eric Rowe said after the game, according to Brian Batko of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “On the fact of player safety, he’s focused on trying to make a tackle, and it’s just like a block in the back they would call. It’s him just teeing off.”
The Bills were just outside of field goal range at the time with a 21-10 lead. The completion to Diggs put them within field goal range, which they eventually kicked a few plays later. If the penalty had been correctly called, they would have moved back out of field goal range and the drive would have been a little more interesting.
As the league focuses on player safety, the offensive players usually seem to be the ones benefiting from the increase in penalties and subsequent fines on defenders from the NFL. It is a shame that when the defensive player needed protecting, the referees missed the opportunity. Porter was the defensive equivalent of a defenseless receiver as he was focused on making the tackle with no way to protect himself in this situation.
It will be interesting to watch this upcoming Saturday when the league office hands out its weekly fines. McGovern should be docked some money for this dangerous hit.
