Kareem Jackson of the Vikings is out for four games after hitting Joshua Dobbs.
FOX 9 MINNEAPOLIS – Kareem Jackson, a safety for the Denver Broncos, was given a four-game suspension by the NFL for hitting the quarterback of the Minnesota Vikings during the first quarter on Sunday night.
During the Vikings’ opening offensive series, Kevin O’Connell designed a deceptive play. With Dobbs out to the left, T.J. Hockenson ran an option play while positioned in the shotgun. Dobbs was attempting to get a first down when Hockenson pitched it to him. Jackson made a tackle and threw his helmet at Dobbs, causing him to fumble. The Broncos were able to recover. The turnover resulted in a field goal for Denver.
Although there was no flag on the play, Jackson should have received a 15-yard penalty for needless roughness, according to the NBC broadcast. In addition, a penalty would have resulted in a first down for the Vikings and negated the fumble.
NFL medical staff told Dobbs to go to the medical tent and perhaps get checked out for signs of a concussion. After the game, Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell was questioned about whether he thought the play should have resulted in a penalty.
“That’s how it felt on the field. I’ll need to examine it again later. It seems like a very direct helmet-to-helmet contact coming from the second level the way he did, but I’m sure they saw it differently,” O’Connell remarked. “They’re officiating a fast play there, but in terms of the rule and how it’s discussed, I do think it applies whether your quarterback is rushing the ball, receivers, running backs, or tight ends. We’ll need to investigate, but that happened quickly out there. It is the rule as it is. The flag wasn’t thrown by them.
While still in the game, Dobbs completed 20 of 32 passes for 221 yards and a touchdown to Josh Oliver. He also scored on eight rushes for 21 yards. In his first three games with a franchise, he became the only player in NFL history to have at least one touchdown passing and one score rushing.
Jackson, who was suspended for two games for a similar hit, had just returned from his month-long absence.
