CLEVELAND, OH – DECEMBER 11: Marvin Lewis of the Cincinnati Bengals looks on against the Cleveland Browns at Cleveland Browns Stadium on December 11, 2016 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)

Despite defeating the 0-13 Cleveland Browns 23-10, Cincinnati Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis had an issue with one play in particular this past Sunday.

It may have been the only positive play the Browns had in the entire game. With the Bengals going up 13-0 in the first quarter, the Browns blocked Mike Nugent’s extra point attempt and after attempting a few laterals to try and score two points, but were tackled near midfield.

Lewis, who is on the NFL’s competition committee, didn’t much care for the play and felt it was unnecessarily dangerous.

“We had a rugby play,” Lewis said. “That’s just not good for football because guys can get hurt on plays like that. That’s what I was worried about.”

I’m all for making things safer for NFL players because they play an incredibly dangerous game. I’m just confused how or why a play like that is any more dangerous than other situations in the NFL.

For one thing, American football was derived from a form of rugby. So while Lewis is correct and a play featuring multiple laterals resembles rugby, they are pretty similar sports so it’s not as big a surprise as Lewis makes it out to be. Another thing, a play like this is so rare that there are other plays in the NFL that are way more dangerous that happen way more often and maybe the NFL competition committee should look into.

Lewis doesn’t even point out the most dangerous part of that play. It isn’t the laterals that is most dangerous, it’s the act of actually blocking the kick that’s most dangerous. Big football players barreling in as fast as possible to block a kick and likely make violent contact with a punter or kicker’s leg and knee. Yeah, I think I would be more worried about a leg being broken or a knee ligament tear in a kicker than a few laterals. By that logic, Lewis should want to ban blocking kicks.

Another dangerous special teams play took place in the Redskins-Eagles game. Deshazor Elliott mistimed his hit on Darren Sproles as he was returning a punt and unleashed a hellacious and arguably dirty hit on a defenseless Sproles. Returning punts is more dangerous than a few laterals. By that logic, Lewis should want to ban punt returns.

Why exactly is Marvin Lewis taking a stand on this “rugby” play? Could it be a legit fear of player safety? Could it be that because this is such a rare play that it’s subconsciously more dangerous than other plays that we have grown desensitized to? Or could it be that Marvin Lewis was embarrassed that an 0-13 team blocked a kick and almost ran it back. Everyone should be looking at ways to make football safer, but for someone on the competition committee, maybe Marvin Lewis should look at other parts of the game to fix rather than a very specific play that rarely happens.

[ESPN]

About Phillip Bupp

Producer/editor of the Awful Announcing Podcast and Short and to the Point. News editor for The Comeback and Awful Announcing. Highlight consultant for Major League Soccer as well as a freelance writer for hire. Opinions are my own but feel free to agree with them.

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