Vikings coach Mike Zimmer disagreed with officials who penalized Andrew Sendejo for unnecessary roughness following the safety’s hit on Ravens receiver Mike Wallace.
Cornerback Xavier Rhodes was attempting to pull the ball out of Wallace’s arms after an 8-yard catch. Sendejo lowered his shoulder into Wallace, who lost the ball and his helmet.
Zimmer argues Wallace was not a defenseless receiver, which drew the late flag.
“I think the receiver took five steps after he caught the ball and I think [Sendejo] hit him with a glancing blow,” Zimmer said, via Ben Goessling of the Minneapolis Star Tribune. “I know what [the officials] told me, but I’m going to turn it in and see what they say. [Wallace] established position as a runner, took two extra steps and Xavier [Rhodes] was trying to pull the ball out, which he ended up doing. The guy went down a little bit, but in my opinion he was a runner.”
The Ravens lost Wallace, who entered concussion protocol, but kept the ball because of the penalty on Sendejo. They got a field goal out of the drive.
The NFL fined Sendejo $24,309 for an illegal hit on Bucs tight end Cameron Brate in Week 3, though the hit didn’t draw a penalty.