On Sunday night, Colts defensive lineman Grover Stewart obliterated Vikings offensive lineman Garrett Bradbury before forcing quarterback Sam Darnold to fumble.
Along the way, Stewart applied a forcible blow to Darnold’s head and neck area.
Referee Shawn Smith threw a flag. Then, magically, the flag was picked up. Since Smith (like all white-hat wearing referees) has primary jurisdiction over hits on the quarterback, someone had to change his mind.
It seemed that Smith (who said he initially thought it was a face mask foul) got the word from the pipeline to 345 Park Avenue that the flag should be picked up, that the blow to the head wasn’t forcible. (NBC rules analyst Terry McAulay said on the broadcast that it looked forcible.)
Coincidentally (or not), the league office has decided not to fine Stewart.
A fine would have represented an admission that the call was wrong. But it was wrong. Forcible is as forcible looks. Darnold took a forcible blow to the head.
Stewart should have been flagged. He should have been fined. And if the league office is going to direct officials to pick flags up or put flags down in violation of the rules allowing such things to happen, it’s important to, you know, get it right.
In the case of Stewart hitting Darnold forcibly in the head and neck area, the league got it wrong. The failure to fine him could be regarded by reasonable minds as an effort to circle the wagons on the blown call.