Rams LaMarcus Joyner likely to be fined for hit on Teddy Bridgewater

Early in the third quarter of Sunday’s loss to the Minnesota Vikings, St. Louis Rams safety LaMarcus Joyner laid a hit on Viking’s quarterback Teddy Bridgewater that would send chills down your spine. Bridgewater, in an attempt to rush for a first-down, initiated a feet-first slide during which Joyner collided with him and injured the young quarterback.

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Bridgewater’s head bounced off the turf like a tennis ball on concrete. It was an ugly hit, the kind that has no place in the NFL, but make no mistake, Bridgewater knew that result was a possible consequence of leaving the pocket as a runner.

Social media was immediately buzzing in the moments after the collision. Some favored on the side of Minnesota calling the play dirty, and others falling in favor of St. Louis calling it just another tough, gritty play. Regardless of how you felt, the play resulted in a 15-yard unnecessary roughness penalty for Joyner and a concussion for Bridgewater.

NFL rules state, “A defender must pull up when a runner begins a feet-first slide.” The wording continues on to say that contact is permitted if a runner “already committed himself and the contact is unavoidable.” However a penalty must be called if “the defender commits some other act, such as helmet-to-helmet contact or by driving his forearm or shoulder into the head or neck area of the runner.”

Nov 8, 2015; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater (5) injured after a late hit during the fourth quarter against the St. Louis Rams at TCF Bank Stadium. The Vikings defeated the Rams 21-18. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports

All depending on how details shake out in the league office, Joyner will likely be fined at least $8,681, but there is a possibility that number could increase. If Bridgewater is deemed to have been “defenseless” at the point of the collision, Joyner’s fine could grow to a minimum of $23,152. Joyner has no history of these types of infractions and the likelihood of a suspension paired with the fine is low.

Whether or not Joyner had committed to the tackle prior to Bridgewater initiating the slide will be up for debate for quite some time, but the contact Joyner made to the head of Bridgewater is clear as day, and for that he should be disciplined.

However, this hit does not categorize Joyner as a dirty player, and it doesn’t even come close to warranting discussions of the return of defensive coordinator Gregg Williams’ biggest debacle, Bountygate. Williams’ defenses have always played in that gray area between toughness and overkill. He’s motivated players to points beyond their natural ability and has towed the line between tough and reckless, but Bridgewater never had any dollar sign next to his name in the pregame walkthrough.

Quarterbacks are always the main targets of an opposing defense. Bring down a starting quarterback and the chances of your team winning increase exponentially. It’s a defenders dream to find one in the open field, unprotected by the bigger offensive linemen. Joyner was never trying to hurt Bridgewater, there are very few players in this league that play with such malice. It was simply the perfect combination of speed, strength and bad circumstances.

Every play is conducted with the speed and strength that as a writer, can only be viewed with awe. Every play is played with strength that is more than most people will ever know, and to put one play under the microscope of criticism is unfair, but necessary on occasion.

Fans and writers alike will flood the ears of the willing with their take and critique in the coming days and the court of public opinion will deliver their verdict well before the league, but what Joyner did was simply part of the game.

Joyner was trying to send a message. A message every defender attempts to send when an opposing player looks to make a move, and that is simply think about it next time. Next time you leave that pocket, think about it. Next time you take the hand-off up the middle, think about it. Next time you look to go over the middle for a catch, think about it.

It may not be nice, but it’s football, and that’s the reality of the NFL.