A hit by Redskins defensive back Deshazor Everett on Eagles running back Darren Sproles when Sproles was attempting to catch a punt led to pushing and shoving on the field and a penalty for Everett.
The Eagles were still upset about the play after the game. Left tackle Jason Peters called it a “cheap shot” and said he had to remind himself not to get thrown out of the game retaliating against Everett. Everett had knocked tight end Brent Celek out of the game earlier in the second half on an illegal blindside block that was penalized, something tight end Zach Ertz referenced after the game.
“Obvious cheap shot. Darren was trying to field the ball, the guy hits him before the ball gets there,” Ertz said, via ESPN.com. “I’ve honestly never seen the guy before, didn’t know who he was going into the game, and if that’s how he wants to make a name for himself, then so be it. I thought it was B.S. Darren didn’t even have the ball and the guy tried to take his head off. He tried to take Brent [Celek]'s head off, kind of knocked him out of the game, too. I don’t know who that guy is, but yeah, I thought it was B.S.”
Everett plowed into Sproles well ahead of the ball’s arrival on the fourth quarter punt, something he said was not his intent when he spoke to reporters after the game.
“I didn’t see him fair catch the ball at all, but I did, I thought the ball was right there in front of me when I went for the tackle, but unfortunately it wasn’t and the ball hit me back,” Everett said. “As you could tell, football is a split second game and unfortunately I didn’t make the right decision, but I was just giving my full effort out there and make a tackle. My condolences to him. It definitely wasn’t intentional for me to just try to take a guy out of the game or anything like that. I was just out there trying to play football.”
Sproles didn’t return after the hit. He wrote that he’s “feeling good” on Twitter Sunday evening.