Vikings Defender Accused of Dirty Play
Washington Commanders tight end Zach Ertz tore his ACL on Sunday, and Minnesota Vikings safety Jay Ward is the culprit, accused by Commanders loyalists of a dirty hit.
A Vikings defender is being accused of dirty play after a hit that tore Zach Ertz’s ACL, sparking debate about intent and league discipline.
Ertz’s career, too, is now in jeopardy, while Ward won’t beat the allegations of being a dirty player anytime soon.
Vikings Safety Jay Ward in the Spotlight for the Wrong Reason
It’s similar to the Kerby Joseph situation of 2023.
Ward Injures Ertz
Ertz grabbed a pass high in Week 14 at U.S. Bank Stadium — and Ward went low. The hit visibly rocked Ertz’s knee, forcing him out of the game and onto injured reserve.
Here’s the hit:
NFL.com reported Monday, “Tests confirmed that Washington Commanders tight end Zach Ertz tore his ACL in Sunday’s loss to the Minnesota Vikings, head coach Dan Quinn announced on Monday.”
“Ertz suffered what appeared at the time to be a serious knee injury in the second half when he was hit by Vikings safety Jay Ward while attempting to catch a pass from backup quarterback Marcus Mariota. Ertz had to be helped to the sideline and then was carted to the visitor’s locker room at U.S. Bank Stadium before he was ruled out for the remainder of the game.”
Naturally, Commanders fans ripped Ward for the tackle. It may have ended Ertz’s illustrious career. Ertz sobbed as a cart took him to the longer room. He knew the stakes.
Kevin O’Connell Insists No Ill Will
O’Connell defended his player after the game, claiming he “knew for a fact” that Ward had no intention of harming Ertz. It’s worth noting that Ward does not have a reputation as a dirty player.
“Just thinking about the rules that these defensive players have to play with, I know for a fact there was no bad intent behind that play,” O’Connell told reporters.
Those statements from O’Connell won’t clear Ward’s name in Washington, and regrettably, the play will follow him for years until reasonable folks learn that Ward basically had an accident in Week 14.
A Legal Hit … But Frowned Upon
Here’s the deal: Ward’s hit was legal. Defenders cannot blast defenseless receivers; anything that looks too violent is called unnecessary roughness. Too many of those flags, and a player like Ward will be out of the league as a roster detriment.
Ward also can’t get anywhere near a player’s head. Not allowed. There’s an adage around the business that ball carriers would rather be “hit in the head than in the knees,” and that played out in living color on Sunday.
Ward is almost certain to avoid a fine, but his character won’t escape full scorn and future examination.
Kerby Joseph Memories
Does any of this sound familiar? It should.
Detroit Lions safety Kerby Joseph created a similar hit two years ago on Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson, tearing Hockenson’s ACL and setting into motion a recovery that would take about 10 months. Ertz, who is much older than Hockenson, faces a likeminded fate.
Vikings fans immediately shamed Joseph that day for the hit. Ward’s hit is the same thing. No delineation.
The difference, though, was Joseph’s antics following the Hockenson injury. A couple of weeks later, after Joseph and the Lions’ coaching staff insisted that Joseph was not dirty, nor was the play on Hockenson, Joseph tore another tight end’s ACL, this time, Tyler Higbee of the Los Angeles Rams. Lions fans even bragged in the stands afterward with posterboards that were proud of knee injuries.
The test for Ward will be whether he does it again — as Joseph did.
The Next Man Up
With Ertz on the shelf, youngster Ben Sinnoot appears poised to get a look in Washington’s offense.
Riggo’s Rag‘s Ryan McCafferty wrote Monday, “Sinnott should be Washington’s starting tight end for the remaining four weeks of the season. John Bates has been ahead of him on the depth chart, but he’s primarily a blocking specialist. Colson Yankoff could also get more involved, but he wasn’t drafted as a crucial building block.”
“The Commanders need to know what they have in Sinnott. They’ve been officially eliminated from playoff contention, and it’s a real question as to whether or not they’ll even win another game this year. This season is now all about the development of Washington’s young pieces, as scarce as they may be.”
The Commanders drafted Sinnott in Round 2 of the 2024 NFL Draft. He should be more than ready for this moment.
McCafferty added, “That is why Daniels must be on the field as long as he is healthy enough. It’s why there needs to be fewer Noah Brown targets and more for Treylon Burks and Jaylin Lane, who combined for zero receptions at U.S. Bank Stadium. It’s why the growth of young defensive players such as Jordan Magee (who has been a bright spot) and Johnny Newton (not so much) is so crucial.”
“Sinnott still has a chance to turn the narrative around. But there can’t be any more excuses now. If he can’t outperform Bates, who isn’t a pass-catcher, or Yankoff, the undrafted rookie from his same class, then he’s a bust. He has four games to start making an impact.”
Ertz will turn 36 by the time he returns — if that’s in the cards at all.
You must be logged in to post a comment.