An emotional victory for the Philadelphia Eagles over the New Orleans Saints Sunday did not come and not using a value. The Eagles misplaced a number of gamers with accidents through the 15-12 win, the most important being DeVonta Smith.
Smith was knocked out with a concussion and stayed on the bottom for a number of minutes after officers had been reluctant to blow the whistle on the finish of a play. As a number of Saints defenders pulled Smith again, defensive deal with Khristian Boyd got here at Smith’s blindside and knocked him down.
Whereas it appeared Boyd was going after Smith’s shoulder pads within the collision, Philadelphia’s beginning security, C.J. Gardner-Johnson, did not see it that means.
“Man, that is the dirtiest s— I ever noticed in soccer, bro,” Gardner-Johnson instructed reporters. “Y’all clearly noticed that ahead development was stopped. And for them to take an affordable shot on considered one of our key guys, it reveals what sort of crew that’s. They’re front-runners.”
The official not blowing the whistle when Smith was dragged again by a number of defenders instigated the Boyd hit, however that was considered one of a number of performs that put the Saints protection into query. Offensive deal with Trevor Penning obtained a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty after blocking Darius Slay previous the sideline and into the bleachers the place the gamers sit. Slay was injured on the play.
All of the Eagles might talk about was Smith’s harm and his properly being. Boyd was not given an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.
“I might seen him (knocked) out, and that is after I waved to the coaching employees, like he is out chilly. It was scary,” offensive deal with Fred Johnson, who crammed in for Lane Johnson within the second half, stated. “You by no means need to see (one thing) like that, particularly on a play the place he catches the ball, and he is working backwards for like 5 steps.”
“It is on the refs to name that play useless, and take the required motion when he is hit late,” he stated. “DeVonta’s measurement, and so a lineman hitting him after 5 steps of him catching the ball, it is unprofessional. They are going to take a look at it and see that they should take obligatory actions.”
The Eagles weren’t blissful about what occurred, though Boyd reached out on Instagram wishing Smith properly. Boyd stated he would by no means “intentionally attempt to give somebody a severe harm.”
“Both means it goes, man, that bought no place (in) soccer,” Gardner-Johnson stated. “You all the time discuss CD this, CD this, however let’s discuss taking part in soiled on their aspect. On the finish of the day, the league will deal with it.”