Comments on: Stevie Johnson says block that tore Eric Berry’s ACL wasn’t a cheap shot

By: stanmackley

stanmackley — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 22:39:26 +0000

berry got injured after the steve johnson block. his knee buckled sideways in the open field. the video is right here http://i.imgur.com/mIx3k.gif sorry there is no superimposed titling saying “goin fo yo knees” which is completely ridiculous.

all you haters that said some disgusting things need to make sure you have all the facts before going nuts on this kid.

By: joetoronto

joetoronto — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 00:18:08 +0000

Turn off the lights, the party’s over.

By: billsfan1

billsfan1 — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 00:17:37 +0000

These are the same chiefs fans who defended the hit on Tom Brady a few short years ago…Mr pot I’d like to introduce u to my friend Mr kettle

By: mistersmith22

mistersmith22 — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 22:58:17 +0000

polishrod: like I said, the only thing more important than making the first block is being in position for a second, and you can do that if you’re lying on the ground. Cut blocking might work for linemen, because after they make their block the play is beyond them, but a guy like Johnson should have thought about keeping himself in the play after blocking Berry.

For example, if Kuhn had laid himself out making a block on a kickoff on Thursday, he wouldn’t have been there to keep Cobb from falling down, and a 108-yard TD would have been a modest, average return…and who knows, that could have meant that whole game.

So sure, sometimes people cut block. Real football players, though, want to play through the whistle instead of putting themselves on the ground.

By: 619boltz

619boltz — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 22:34:21 +0000

Wow … Chargers will test ya chiefs…

By: jpmelon

jpmelon — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 22:29:45 +0000

He didn’t get injured on that play…..so what the hell is everyone talking about?

By: vols84

vols84 — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 22:02:41 +0000

I think that Stevie took out his frustration of always losing to Tennessee in college on Eric Berry. 26 years in a row for the Wildcats to hear Rocky Top at the end of the game.

The block came on a play where the ball was no where near Stevie Johnson. I could see the block if the play were ran to Stevie’s side.

Oh well. Chiefs were going to be awful this year anyway. EB will be back next year, built better than ever. And Tennessee will still dominate the Bluegrass state this year.

By: polishrod

polishrod — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 22:02:10 +0000

mistersmith22 says:
Sep 12, 2011 4:01 PM
I played TE (never anything that mattered though) and I know that blocking downfield I’d never go for a guy’s legs…that’s just bad technique,

——-

And now we all know why you never played anywhere that mattered, Chief.

The only thing you should know is that if you learned how to properly cut block in the open field, you’d have been a better player.

Cut blocks are VERY important in the short passing game, as well as in the open field blocking game. It’s way easier to hold and to BE SEEN holding in the open field, why even take the chance?

By: jnused0269

jnused0269 — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 21:55:15 +0000

This is football! Injuries happen, I have never heard so much complaining about a block from a wide receiver on a safety! When a defensive player head hunts on a receiver going over the middle it doesnt draw as much criticism. When guys make crack back block on kick/punt return no one complains. A scrawny wide receiver blocks low and a safety in the open field who saw him coming with no other players 10 yards around him and its cheap!? I call it a good block with an unfortunate turn out for E Berry. Its part of the game. Running backs block low on LB or DL who come in on blitz pick ups and DB’s tackle low on RB’s. If you have never played football then dont comment. you are taught to tackle lower and gain leverage. Its the same for blocking. You need to gain leverage and if thats blocking in the thigh/knee area thats alright with me.

By: andrewfbrowne

andrewfbrowne — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 21:50:10 +0000

He did not get hurt on the play in question. He got hurt in open space on another play. Saying it was the cumulative effect of Johnson’s block does not work either, because if that is what you are spinning that is like saying some guy from UGA, Alabama or Auburn are responsible because they did the same thing when he was a Tennessee or someone he played last year as a rookie. It was unfortunate, but it happens every game.

I can say this though, it didn’t look like it had anything to do with training camp this year, because the Chiefs did not look they did much at all in camp this year.

By: r00tabaga

r00tabaga — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 21:13:09 +0000

He got hurt a few plays after the Stevie block. People, watch the video again. Berry braces for the cut block. He wasn’t blindsided like some of you want to believe. It wasn’t helmet to helmet. It wasn’t illegal and he won’t get fined. This is ridiculous now.

By: managod777

managod777 — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 21:08:06 +0000

IF IT’S LEGAL IT’S LEGAL. PLAYERS RATHER GET HIT HIGH THAN LOW. MAYBE MASTER GOODELL WILL DO SOMETHING TO CHANGE IT. THE NINERS O-LINE BLOCKED LIKE THAT THROUGH THE 80′S AND THEY WERE OK. STEVIE MIGHT WANT TO THINK ABOUT BEING MORE HUMBLE SO HE DOESN’T ATTRACT TOO MUCH ATTENTION TO HIMSELF. CLOSE YOUR TWITTER ACCT, B!

By: igeorgiaboy

igeorgiaboy — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 20:53:50 +0000

To be honest the play was not dirty … The cut block has been in the game for a long time it isn’t new. Yes, it can’t tear someone’s knee up but the technique for defending a cut block is to use your hands and push his helmet into the dirt when a player dives at your legs.. Hopping over him is the more athletic approach, but more times than not you will end up on the ground such as Berry did.. People don’t like cut blocks but option based football is built off of it. Go look at the teams who run the option effectively Ga Tech, Navy, Air Force… Cut blocks throughout the game. Granted that this is an NFL it’s still football, tough break for Berry, not a bad play by Johnson

By: juiceboxsupply

juiceboxsupply — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 20:51:10 +0000

After watching the video and realizing that there was no injury on the play, how the hell is Johnson getting blamed for this? God clearly does not like KC

By: radrntn

radrntn — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 20:49:56 +0000

sorry for the chiefs…that kid is a stud…being so young he should have no problem healing.

By: veistran

veistran — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 20:47:26 +0000

Its pretty clearly clipping if you ask me, he gets him from behind and cut blocking from behind is clipping.

By: r00tabaga

r00tabaga — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 20:46:41 +0000

Was it dirty!? Are U kidding me? Seriously people, there are some stupid people posting here today. It is very unfortunate to lose this young star for the year, BUT it was clearly a football play…a legal play…a physical play in a physical game. Chiefs ended Brady’s year and they should know better about these type of things.
Injuries happen on almost every play folks. Cut blocks are taught and I think it was a better choice than blocking Berry w/his arms. Berry woulda tossed him.

By: juiceboxsupply

juiceboxsupply — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 20:40:18 +0000

If he doesn’t get hurt, people would be praising a receiver for making a great down field block. Unfortunate result, but definitely not dirty

By: scudbot

scudbot — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 20:31:29 +0000

dapackrepeat, ugly comment and not appreciated. Why on earth would this have anything to do with the Packers anyway?

By: somekat

somekat — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 20:28:55 +0000

What is amaing is this. The philly v st louis game, trent Cole is knocked off his feet. He keep going on hands and knees, and hits Bradford below the knee (not on it, well below it). Bradford still gets the throw off, but it’s a 15 yard penalty. (Bradford is in the pocket, where you expect to get hit)
Johnson blindsides a guy (look at the video, Berry never was, or never is looking at Johnson before he dives at him), in the open field, and goes low on him (right on the side of the knee), and actually does hurt him (obviously, the human knee is not made to take the force of a grown man flying through the air on it’s side), and that is not a penalty?
The NFL is doing a bang up job of ruining their own sport with all these “protect the offense, defensive players are on their own” rules

By: mrvikingsfan11

mrvikingsfan11 — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 20:28:24 +0000

You all have no clue, watch NFL.com, his torn ACL happened when no one touched him!!!!! He turned on a play and his leg just collapsed from turning wrong, Steve had nothing to do with it!!!!!!!

By: quannumkid

quannumkid — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 20:26:05 +0000

Also, hey PFT: stop making stories out of nothing.

By: crazybeardedjack

crazybeardedjack — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 20:25:21 +0000

It was a non-contact injury. I’ve seen the film about 25 times today. It had nothing to do with Johnson’s block. Get your facts straight PFT!

By: jimmysimpson55

jimmysimpson55 — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 20:24:15 +0000

Stevie is like a Democrat. He thinks if he does not call a cheap shot a cheap shot, then it won’t be a cheap shot.

By: drexelvol

drexelvol — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 20:22:35 +0000

“There’s nothing illegal about diving at a guy’s knees in the open field.”

Not correct, you specifically can’t to it to a QB.

By: quannumkid

quannumkid — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 20:21:43 +0000

Within the rules, and anyone saying he was “too scared and/or untrained” to throw a “real” block, understand that a cut block is a real block. Offensive linemen do it all the time. WRs are taught to do it because of how effective it is. If/when the league decides all cut blocks are illegal (they’re already illegal if the player is already engaged) then this would be dirty.

People get hurt in this game because it’s violent by nature. This is nothing but sour grapes.

By: eslaught

eslaught — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 20:20:12 +0000

The fact that the video has “Goin for yo knees” written over it makes it lose all credibility in my eyes. Blocks like that are made all season by those who don’t go high. its an outrage when it happens to a good player, but someone on special teams… not so much. he shouldn’t be fined or suspended for playing by the rules. if he went high everyone would jump down his throat for trying to decapitate berry. johnson can’t win in this situation and should not (like most athletes) be using tweeter to argue with a “fan”

By: fjtardy

fjtardy — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 20:19:49 +0000

Defensive backs regularly make tackles on tight ends, receivers, and running backs using a similar technique. That said, helmet to knee at 90 degree angle while cleats are in the grass = torn ACL. A legal hit maybe, but that’s still a dirty play.

By: rabidbillsfan

rabidbillsfan — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 20:19:30 +0000

All of you “Technique Gurus’s” out there need to brush up on your skills. Berry was ahead of SJ, therefore a true, shoulder to shoulder block/bump, would have been a clip. Cut blocks are legal as long as the player is not engaged. Also, have you ever watched a kick return for a touchdown? 9 times out of 10 a block just like this occurs. Also, to echo a statment from a previous poster, Berry finished the series on that “Torn ACL”. It wasn’t dirty, cheap, or anything like that. It was football, ask Stevie if he would block him the same way again, and I would be dissapointed if he would answer otherwise. This is just a Team trying to point the finger elsewhere after getting beat up.

By: jca6610

jca6610 — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 20:19:14 +0000

I was in Arrowhead yesterday watching this. Berry got hurt on the play in the video. He tried to come back and the knee just gave way on the non contact play.

It seems that it is a legal hit and Johnson shouldn’t be fined, but it just looks like a cheap shot. The game is so fast, but it really looks like Johnson could have got to Berry in time to hit him higher. Every time a player takes a hit like this, they almost always say it is a dirty play.