Friday 27 October 2017 12:43, UK
Baltimore Ravens players were angered by a late hit to the head by Miami Dolphins linebacker Kiko Alonso which left their quarterback Joe Flacco concussed on Thursday night.
The Ravens routed the Dolphins, with their defense inspiring them to a 40-0 win, but the game was overshadowed by an ugly incident towards the end of the first half.
Flacco was clearly sliding after a nine-yard scramble on third down near Miami territory when Alonso slammed into him with a wild shoulder charge.
The blow sent Flacco's helmet flying and triggered a melee involving players from both sides.
A groggy Flacco was taken to the sidelines with concussion and played no further part in the contest. Video footage showed Flacco bleeding from his ear as a result.
Ravens coach John Harbaugh reacted furiously to Alonso's headshot, but later refused to be drawn on whether he thought the Miami player should face a suspension.
"I'm not commenting on that," Harbaugh said. "It was penalised correctly."
But some of Flacco's team-mates were not so diplomatic in the locker room after the game, with linebacker C.J. Mosley admitting the team were angered by the hit.
"The whole team took it personally," Mosley said. "That really set the tone for the rest of the game. It was a little chippy going throughout that. That's our type of football.
"You're taught when a quarterback slides, you want to aim for the head because when he does slide, and your trajectory is going to be going over where his head was."
Defensive tackle Brandon Williams added: "Definitely took it personally because we feel like that was a cheap shot. We are family. You mess with one of us, you're going to mess with all of us."
Although Alonso was penalised for unnecessary roughness, he was not ejected from the field following the hit.
And he defended himself afterwards, insisting the hit was not a dirty play.
"It was a bang-bang play," Alonso said. "I thought he was going to slide. And then, I had to hit him because he slid too late. It was bang-bang. I don't know what else I could have done."
Alonso was asked if there was any way he could have avoided hitting Flacco.
"No way," he said. "That's the target. When a guy slides, and his target is very small, I just think it's a second late, which is why I hit him.
"I definitely hope he's alright. You hate to see that happen to people. I truly hope that he is OK."
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