Geno Smith turns 33 today. Happy birthday, Geno.
He didn’t get the early present he wanted; there was no fine imposed on Giants defender Isaiah Simmons for the sideline tackle that injured Smith’s knee nine days ago. To make things worse, Smith was fined for an unsportsmanlike conduct foul that happened after he returned to the game.
The injury, which happened on a legal hip-drop tackle, reignited the debate regarding whether the hip-drop tackle should be banned. Coach Pete Carroll, a defensive specialist, said the maneuver needs to go.
“We’ve just got to get that out of ball,” Carroll said last week. “It’s so dangerous.”
Not everyone agrees. That group includes Seahawks linebacker Bobby Wagner, who was asked about the hip-drop tackle during a recent visit to #PFTPM.
“I didn’t see the play, so I can’t really fully comment on it,” Wagner said. “But I will say that it’s very hard to be a defender in this league. It’s very hard to tackle a person in this league. If anything, I think the hit that happened, it was really late on the sideline and didn’t necessarily need to happen. But at the end of the day it’s very hard to tackle in this league and every year they make it harder and harder. I think I’m always on the defensive side.”
The hip-drop tackle raises concerns similar to the horse-collar tackle. The body weight of the defender ends up on the legs of the ball carrier, enhancing the risk of injury.