The hit that could end Stewarts career... you make the call...

[KendrickPanther]

I don't know. It's not that bad. All RBs get hit low, sometimes you are the grass and sometimes you are the lawnmower. If that was Sproles I would have hit him too.

[TheRed]

We could all argue about this for days.

 

It's an unfortunate result, and Stewart as much as I love him, just can't stay healthy. It was a matter of time really.

[French Navy]

Very similar hit on Gronkowski in the Pats game. Sounds like Gronk got it worst. 

[Cary Kollins]

I hate it, but I don't think it was dirty. Nine times out if ten he doesn't hit Stewart as he plants and Stewart doesn't get injured.

[Brooklyn Bully]

People hit ball carriers at their knees and legs all day long. Not dirty at all. Just unfortunate it hit exactly on Stew's knee.

[CatMan72]

As someone who has played and coached the game, I can tell you that DB's are taught to hit "low" by targeting the hips, not by diving at the knees, because if Stew had reacted a moment sooner he could have easily hurdled the defender and had a clean look at the endzone. The hips are a much more static target than the legs and they afford you the opportunity to drive the ball carrier out of bounds or to the ground. 

 

None of us will know the intent of the defender on that play unless he volunteers that information, so it's hard to say if it was dirty or just really poor technique and unfortunate timing. 

 

 

[fieryprophet]

Stewart screwed himself with that last step. He had to have seen the corner going low, he should have given him the dead leg instead of planting.

[CatMan72]

Keep in mind what DeAngelo said a year or two ago about Saints defenders diving at his legs along the sidelines like no other team in the league... 

 

[Cary Kollins]

Reportedly, it could be a season-ender as ESPN.com reports that the team fears Stewart tore his MCL. But former Chargers team doctor David Chao, writing for the National Football Post, says it's possible Stewart actually could return in time for the playoffs.

http://mweb.cbssports.com/nfl/eye-on-football/24370177/report-panthers-fear-rb-jonathan-stewart-has-a-torn-mcl

[Peppers90 NC]

no complaints on the tackle from me.

[Peppers90 NC]

either hit or get rannd over, lewis avoided the latter

[PhillyB]

you have to tackle guys like stew low, and at full speed the difference between a bad angle at the side of the knee and a thigh or calf hit is literally centimeters and milliseconds.

 

fug the saints but that's a legal hit and probably not a dirty one.

[L-TownCat]

In this case it is more of an indictment of the leagues new policies on helmet to helmet contact than it is a low blow. Usually I'd be ready to tear this guy a new butt hole but he actually did the only thing he could and went low. This is Rogers fault.

[PanthersAlv]

 Stick with the Moorested play if youre trying to just "discuss" a specific dirty play

A Specific dirty play? So, in your opinion this was a dirty play as well, but not as bad as the facemask play?

 

I don't know. It's not that bad. All RBs get hit low, sometimes you are the grass and sometimes you are the lawnmower. If that was Sproles I would have hit him too.

the guy clearly went low... but where is the tackle? His arms are down, he planted his helmet on Stews knee. Arms out and around his legs to trip him up while going for the hit I would understand. but this was a hit to knock him out of bounds that was directed towards his knees. If it was his thigh... I could understand that too... but it wasn't.

Now, I'm not saying it was premeditated... but, this is the Saints... and you can't rule out the idea of "dirty pool" especially with the Hit on Smitty crossing the middle, the head hunting of Ted Ginn... and that hit on Stew.

Either way... it sucks for Stew. I wish him a fast recovery.

Time to move on.