According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, former Chicago Bear and current Washington Redskins safety Brandon Meriweather will be suspended by the NFL after a couple of hits on defenseless receivers during the Redskins’ 45-41 triumph over the Bears on Sunday afternoon.
During the third quarter, Bears WR Alshon Jeffery caught a pass down the field and ended up gaining 28 yards on the play. As he collected the ball, he was blindsided with a hit to the facemask courtesy of Meriweather, who lowered his head and drove the crown of his helmet into Jeffery. The Bears receiver stayed in the game, and the 15-yard penalty that Meriweather received should have caused him to cool his jets a bit.
The safety (and how ironic that this guy should have that moniker attached to his name) wasn’t done yet though. On an incomplete pass to the end zone intended for Brandon Marshall, Meriweather once again went high on a Bears receiver, this time letting his arms do the work as he clocked Marshall up high. Meriweather received another penalty on the play, and on the very next snap, Josh McCown found Martellus Bennett in the end zone for a seven yard touchdown catch.
Meriweather’s history is definitely coming into play with the league's decision to throw the book at him. He was fined $50,000 for a hit during the 2010 season, and was fined twice in 2011 for illegal hits to the head. He also picked up a $42,000 fine for a hit on Green Bay Packers RB Eddie Lacy earlier this season, which gave Lacy a concussion and cost him playing time.
It’s pretty clear that fines aren’t doing Meriweather any good in terms of getting him to change his style of play, and he obviously doesn’t take them very seriously, judging by his antics in the locker room after the game:
#Redskins' Meriweather, knowing he's going to get fined for 2 helmet-to-helmet hits, was soliciting teammates for money in locker room. — Joseph White Jr. (@JGWhiteAP) October 20, 2013
Local
Meriweather (with a smile): "Anybody else want to chip in on my dinner? I can't afford it right now." — Joseph White Jr. (@JGWhiteAP) October 20, 2013
In a day and age where the NFL is trying to eliminate head-hunting from the game, Meriweather is a shining example of a guy who is refusing to evolve with the sport. His constant stream of bad decisions, as well as a complete lack of regard for the safety of those players he is playing against, looks like it's finally caused the NFL to throw down the gauntlet and suspend him for at least a game or two.
What did you think of the hits, Bears fans? Should Meriweather be suspended? Let us know in the comments.
