The New England Patriots have made a habit of running up the score in games where they have long since clinched victory. It’s a habit that has earned Bill Belichick plenty of detractors among players, coaches, and media members, but he has continued to do it anyway, because there may not be a coach alive who cares less about what everyone else thinks.
Detroit Lions center Dominic Raiola took exception today when the Patriots elected to run the ball rather than kneel on it, which resulted in the final touchdown of their blowout 34-9 win. On the game’s last play, he dove at the knees of backup defensive lineman Zach Moore, then after the game had this to say:
“I cut him. We took a knee, so I cut the nose [tackle]. They went for six. They went for a touchdown at two minutes. They could have took three knees and the game could have been over. It's football. He wants to keep playing football, let's play football. Not a big deal. It's football.”
Somehow, it doesn’t seem likely the league will agree with his “not a big deal” assessment. Maybe Raiola and the Lions line should have blocked better, and this all could have been avoided.
[via The Big Lead]
