Balzer: Jackson Injury, Morgan on Finnegan

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Wednesday, September 19, 2012
By: Howard Balzer



The Rams begin preparing in practice Wednesday for the game against the Bears this weekend, but the buzz still remains from Sunday’s win over Washington on several levels.

First, there is the ongoing debate over running back Steven Jackson’s groin injury. Second, is the incompetent officiating from the game and the way the game ended with a 15-yard penalty against Redskins wide receiver Josh Morgan for throwing the ball at Rams cornerback Cortland Finnegan.

Starting with Jackson, I’ll admit to a bit of skepticism regarding the reality of Jackson’s injury against the conspiracy theorists that are totally convinced Jackson was benched by coach Jeff Fisher for spiking the ball when he was upset there was no touchdown signaled on the play in question.

One question needs to be asked: Would a head coach with Fisher’s experience bench a team captain for more than two quarters for an act of frustration? That seems highly unlikely. The theory is given more credence because no injury was announced in the press box. NFL spokesman Greg Aiello told me in an email Tuesday that NFL teams “are expected to provide accurate and timely injury information during games.” Expected apparently isn’t required.

The fact is, Fisher has been extraordinarily tight-lipped since his arrival, often citing competitive reasons for not being forthcoming regarding injuries. It’s not only possible, but extremely likely that no announcement on Jackson was made because the Rams didn’t want the other team to know about an injury in the event he came back and played in the game.

Furthermore, a review of the game tape shows the probable play on which Jackson experienced a “tight groin.” Four plays before the sequence that began near the Redskins’ goal line, Jackson ran right and broke into the open field on a play in which he gained 20 yards to the 18-yard line. As he neared two Washington defensive backs, Jackson can be seen slowing and slightly pulling up before going down.

It wasn’t a particularly long run, but Jackson came out of the game at that point for two plays. He returned when the ball reached the 4-yard line, after which he carried on three consecutive plays.

Later, after the Rams kicked a field goal following Jackson’s penalty, TV cameras show Jackson sitting in front of a large storage trunk the team uses for equipment and behind a table with a Gatorade cooler. To his side are two boys holding towels so no one can see what is happening. No one else is visible but it is apparent trainer [hil]Reggie Scott is low and in front of Jackson, perhaps probing his groin[/hil]. The boys are looking down, and at one point, Jackson lowers his head and is speaking to someone believed to be Scott.

Following the Rams’ kickoff, the camera focuses on Jackson again, and this time Scott is standing next to Jackson and as they walk away from where they were, Jackson’s uniform shirt can be seen pulled up as he then straightens it and pulls it down past his waist.

As Fisher said Monday, “His groin was tight, we didn’t want to risk further injury. He could have come back in the game. And he was OK with it. He understands. This is a long season. He is an experienced back, he knows his body. He’s not going to be 100 percent in this ball game, but could have come back and when you’re competing in a ball game like that, you just don’t want to set yourself back. He’s clearly not ruled out for this game. He goes back in that game at some point, he may have an issue.”

As for the officiating, while Fisher claimed he wasn’t concerned about a brawl breaking out, Redskins coach Mike Shanahan felt differently. He said Monday, “I said that after the game – I’ve never been in a situation where you feel that there is going to be an explosion on the field. You’re hoping that doesn’t happen. It was very close to losing control.

“You have to keep control of what’s going on on the field, and once you get used to doing something, it’s second nature and you go about your business. Everyone is professionals in this league in their own right. Sometimes you don’t make those calls right away and all of a sudden people do lose their composure.”

In numerous instances, players were getting in shots on the kickoff returner even after kickoffs weren’t returned, while the officials didn’t stop things quickly enough.

At the end of the game, of course, known instigator Cortland Finnegan had the ball thrown at him by Washington receiver Josh Morgan, which resulted in a 15-yard penalty, taking the Redskins from fourth-and-less-than-one at the Rams’ 29-yard line to fourth-and-16 at the 44. Shanahan said had there not been a penalty, he would have gone for a first down on fourth down.

As for the Morgan penalty, he said, “What you’re trying to do is make sure that it doesn’t reoccur again ... for our whole football team. It could mean the difference between winning and losing, guys keeping their composure. A lot of these veterans set these guys off with a little push or hit at the end of the play and all of a sudden a guy loses his composure. He has to be smart enough to get up and walk away. That happens within the National Football League and you have to be smart enough to keep your composure.

“When you get hit, your first reaction as a football player is to retaliate. One thing you have to learn in the National Football League is they normally catch the second guy, not the first guy. Every once in a while the first guy will get caught. More times than not, the second guy gets caught. If you take a look at the film, you see guys pushing guys in the face, all of a sudden a guy loses his composure and the other guy is walking away, and when you throw the football at him, he’s laughing. That’s part of a guy growing up.”

The ultimate irony is that the Washington Post had a story last Thursday with Finnegan as the subject. Here are quotes about Finnegan from the story:

“He’s the ultimate competitor, a great competitor. He’s one of those guys that plays—you know how they say play to the whistle? He’s one of those guys that plays until you walk back to the huddle. He’s just got a little extracurricular with him, you know?

“He pretty much tries everybody at least once or twice a game to see how you respond back to him, to see how you react to him. And then he just can go out and be the football player that he is. A lot of people respect the football player. I definitely respect the football player he is. Some of the extra stuff, he can cut out.”

Finally, “You don’t want to be the second guy because the second guy is going to get caught. He’s going to come at you and he’s going to be the first, second and third guy. You’ve got to remind yourself not to be that fourth and fifth guy, and throw your hands up and walk back to the huddle.”

Yes, the player saying all those things was ... Josh Morgan.
 

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No one else is visible but it is apparent trainer Reggie Scott is low and in front of Jackson, perhaps probing his groin. The boys are looking down, and at one point, Jackson lowers his head and is speaking to someone believed to be Scott.

Following the Rams’ kickoff, the camera focuses on Jackson again, and this time Scott is standing next to Jackson and as they walk away from where they were, Jackson’s uniform shirt can be seen pulled up as he then straightens it and pulls it down past his waist.

Oh no! A whole new controversy arises! :lmao:
 

cfin5256

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Username said:
No one else is visible but it is apparent trainer Reggie Scott is low and in front of Jackson, perhaps probing his groin. The boys are looking down, and at one point, Jackson lowers his head and is speaking to someone believed to be Scott.

Following the Rams’ kickoff, the camera focuses on Jackson again, and this time Scott is standing next to Jackson and as they walk away from where they were, Jackson’s uniform shirt can be seen pulled up as he then straightens it and pulls it down past his waist.

Oh no! A whole new controversy arises! :lmao:

Well, I guess that IS one way to loosen a tightened groin. :whome?: