Midway through the second quarter of a critical NFC North Division game on the road, the Detroit Lions lost their defensive signal-caller, safety Brian Branch, to an ejection. Branch appeared to make an attempt at lowering his shoulder just as Green Bay Packers wide receiver Bo Melton was also turning his body, resulting in an unintended helmet to helmet collision.
There have been myriad instances of purposeful violence in the NFL over the years; complete, ejection-worthy stupidity that warranted the league dropping its judicial hammer. Just watch the last play in which the NFL ejected a player. Last year, Damontae Kazee went nearly horizontal, assuming the position of a diver jet as Indianapolis Colts receiver Michael Pittman Jr. was also diving toward the turf. Officiating crews have missed the purposeful twisting of ankles and torquing of other important joints, but flagged Branch for a play that I, personally, saw in three different games Sunday. In one of those instances (Miami and Buffalo) Jordan Poyer wasn’t ejected. In another, in Philadelphia-Jacksonville, a penalty wasn’t called at all.
We note that to say this: It’s the kind of administrative nonsense that can derail a game for a team that might struggle to control itself emotionally. We’re at a point in time where NFL coaches can barely keep their players in the building for practice (see: Jermaine Burton and the Cincinnati Bengals ) or paying attention during the most critical play of the game (see: Tyrique Stevenson and the Chicago Bears )…