(Video) Jalen Hurts gets hip-drop tackled against Rams but referees overlook the play as no flag is thrown
A hip-drop tackle on Jalen Hurts during the NFC Divisional game, which briefly sent him to the medical tent, went unflagged by the referees.
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Jalen Hurts gave Philadelphia fans an injury scare after this hip-drop tackle (Image via IMAGO/Screengrab X)
The NFL’s ban on the hip-drop tackle was deemed to be a welcome move. It resulted in a higher risk of knee injury. However, the referees have not been as effective in implementing the ban as the league had hoped, even in the Playoffs.
Jalen Hurts took a scary hit on Sunday’s Los Angeles Rams and Philadelphia Eagles Divisional game and from the replay, this move had all the ingredients that constitute a hip-drop tackle. However, the officiating crew did not view it that way. The defender had one leg in between Hurts’ legs and made his legs fold while making him land on his knees after bringing him down.
The scary part came after as Jalen Hurts got up and approached the team’s medical tent. Fortunately for him and the city of Philadelphia, he was back on the field wearing a knee brace.
Fingertip on Mahomes, Roughing the Passer
— John Frascella (Football) (@NFLFrascella) January 19, 2025
Strangled, abused, destroyed, hip drop tackle… no Roughing the Passer for Jalen Hurts
pic.twitter.com/c1C9vXa96n
NFL players have complained multiple times of the league’s inability to enforce the ban.
Referees are under scrutiny for different treatment on same calls
The fans at Lincoln Financial were outraged at the reluctance of the officials to call a penalty on this play. An interesting question arose after this play: would the referees still have shared the same view had it been Patrick Mahomes who got tackled this way?
The answer is most probably not. In the Divisional Round game against the Houston Texans, Mahomes received favorable calls. The outrageous unnecessary roughness call on two Texans defenders who collided with each other was criticized by all, including Troy Aikman and the commentators. Chiefs’ safety Bryan Cook used the hip-drop method to tackle Dalton Schultz in the Chiefs’ Divisional Round matchup against Houston, but the referees overlooked that penalty.
Despite the injury scare, Jalen Hurts had an error-free game. He did not turn the ball over, but he was not able to connect with his wideouts for significant scoring plays. It was Saquon Barkley’s night as the running back ran over the Rams securing 205 yards and 2 touchdowns.
To Hurts’ credit, he put up respectable numbers on the rushing front as he ran for 70 yards and scored 1 touchdown. The Eagles are now headed to the NFC Championship.
Related: Skip Bayless admits being “sick” of NFL protecting Patrick Mahomes: “Prisoner of the Swifties”
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Sumedh Joshi
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