St Louis Rams playmaker Case Keenum was tackled in the late stages of the game against the Ravens and hit his head heavily on the ground.
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Flacco played out the Ravens’ final series, which set up Justin Tucker’s game-winning field goal, with “two completely torn ligaments” in his knee, as head coach John Harbaugh revealed to reporters after the game. I didn’t know until after I visited with you after the game that Case was being examined for a concussion.
The long kicks, however, require a more sound swing than what Harbaugh sees from him.
Here’s the play, second-and-10 at the Rams’ 41-yard line. Baltimore linebacker Elvis Dumervil jumped way offside, to the point where several players from both teams hesitated, anticipating that the play would be blown dead.
But the recent penalties have overshadowed that good play to some degree. The Rams went so far as to send their head trainer out to talk to Keenum while the refs were sorting out the penalty on the play, but chose to let him stay in the game. The officiating department at the same time, they are enforcing the measurement. “Yesterday was a combination of unusual events that took place”, Fisher said.
The other component to the issue involves the injury spotter in the press box – known as the ATC, which is short for athletic trainer certified.
“We’re going to find one”, Harbaugh said about a backup quarterback. He couldn’t even get up with assistance, but Keenum never left the field. What happens with the ATC is that his responsibility is to call down and notify the officiating department if he sees anything.
As much as we may feel and think that football is safer, and that we’re helping players by expressing serious concern about head injuries, there are clear limitations here. But defenses have started to key on the rookie and he’s been held to 200 yards with a 3.2-yard average the past three games, plus he had a key lost fumble down the stretch against the Ravens.
-SPECIAL TEAMS: D. The failures were a 52-yard missed field-goal attempt that would have given the Rams a 16-13 lead with 1:46 left in the game, plus a blocked extra point and that allowed the Ravens to tie the game in the fourth quarter with a touchdown, extra point and field goal.
Once he’s up, Keenum ambles toward the sidelines while his teammates on the field stay around for the huddle.
So what could’ve been done differently? “It happens. I just have to go out there, rehab, get back and be stronger”.
“I’ve been really fortunate”, he said after Sunday’s game. Behind them are the New Orleans Saints, Washington Redskins, Philadelphia Eagles and Rams all at 4-6 and any of them, with the exception of the Rams and Redskins, could probably put together a six-game run and break into the postseason.
The National Football League said on Monday it began a review on Sunday why Keenum was not taken off the field for “the necessary evaluation” by a team doctor or the independent neuro-trauma physician, as required by its concussion protocols.
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The league released a statement Monday regarding the play.
