Quarterbacks have been taking a lot of heat recently for going low with their blocks on running plays or interceptions, with good reason. Brett Favre was called out for chop blocking Eugene Wilson of the Texans earlier in the season on a reverse, Trent Green was lambasted for taking out Travis Johnson’s knees two years ago, and Mark Sanchez had to apologize for his dirty play last month following an interception. This week it’s Browns quarterback Brady Quinn getting called out for a dirty play. Following his second interception, he was semi-trying to make a tackle and dove into linebacker Terrell Suggs’ knees. The hit caused what’s being termed a “strained knee” for Suggs, and reports are saying he’ll miss several weeks of action. Here’s a video of the Brady Quinn cheap shot on Terrell Suggs, just skip ahead to the 1:50 mark to see the block:
While the play was not in the proper ethics of the game at least it helped Cleveland make a stop. Count Ray Lewis as one person who was livid with the cheap shot:
“Heck yeah it was a cheap shot. When you’re running down and you’re looking at the quarterback going at somebody’s knees who doesn’t even have the ball. I want to see if he gets the same fine I got or even higher. Now this man is out four or five weeks because of some baloney like that.”
Quinn says cheap-shotting Suggs at the knees was not his intent and that he was going for Chris Carr who made the interception, only to have Suggs pop into the picture at the last second. Looking at the video, that makes sense because there would be no reason to dive for Suggs (and Carr was right behind Suggs anyhow). I’m guessing something around a $15,000 fine will be coming for Brady. With him not reaching his bonuses this year, he could use that money.
