When Jets guard Matt Slauson hit Texans linebacker Brian Cushing in the knee on Monday night, no flag was thrown. But the league office still could call a foul.
Jarrett Bell of USA Today reports that the league office is reviewing the hit for possible discipline.
If Slauson is punished, it would be a surprise. NBC officiating consultant Jim Daopoulos, a former game official and supervisor of officials, tells PFT that the hit was legal. If Slauson had struck Cushing in the helmet/neck area or with a helmet, the play would have broken the rules. Currently, however, there’s no prohibition on going low at a defensive player on a blindside block.
So while the league should review the play to ensure there was no violation, the league should conclude there was no violation. Unless the widespread subjective belief that the play was “dirty” has relevance to matters of league discipline, which it shouldn’t.