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The Los Angeles Chargers and second-year head coach Brandon Staley secured a playoff berth with a 20-3 victory over the Indianapolis Colts on Monday night.
But it didn’t come easy.
Despite the final score, the game was close until the fourth quarter and hotly contested. And Los Angeles had to finish the game without superstar safety and captain Derwin James.
James was ejected from the contest for a helmet-to-helmet hit on Indianapolis Colts wideout Ashton Dulin, who suffered a concussion on the play. James also appeared wobbly after the hit.
Derwin James ejected after one of the biggest hits in recent memory https://t.co/TuyvNDAFaX
— RedditCFB (@RedditCFB) December 27, 2022
Yes, James initially made contact with Dulin’s should. But he lowered his head to make the hit and eventually caught Dulin directly under the chin. Not only did it endanger the Colts’ wide receiver, it also put James in a position where he could have suffered a severe head and/or neck injury.
The general consensus among fans and analysts around the league was that the hit was worthy of an ejection. But Chargers coach Brandon Staley seems to disagree, and he’s placing the blame for the incident on Colts quarterback Nick Foles.
Brandon Staley Blames Nick Foles For Derwin James Getting Ejected
Following the victory in Indianapolis, Staley was asked if he agreed with the referees’ decision to eject James. To which he gave a very clear answer.
“No, I did not (agree), because I know Derwin’s intent,” Staley said according to Indianapolis Star reporter Joel A. Erickson. “I thought that he tried to lead with the shoulder.”
But he even went beyond that, saying that the blame for the hit lies with Indianapolis QB Nick Foles.
“It’s a play where they obviously laid the guy out in a tough position, which is their fault, not ours, and Derwin made an aggressive play,” Staley said. “I’ve seen him make a lot of tackles on plays just like that, and I know that his target was not above the neck. I know that.”
To Staley’s point, the throw did leave Dulin exposed. But that doesn’t excuse James for the unnecessary hits. And Staley went on to say that James was also in concussion protocol following the game. So it’s clear that the hit endangered both Dulin and James’ long-term health, and it’s hard to see how that’s Foles’ fault.