NFL: Preseason-Baltimore Ravens at Philadelphia Eagles
Aug 22, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Baltimore Ravens outside linebacker Terrell Suggs (55) tackles Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Sam Bradford (7) late and is called for a penalty during the first quarter at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
(Bill Streicher)
PHILADELPHIA -- Ravens outside linebacker Terrell Suggs' hit on Eagles quarterback Sam Bradford in the first quarter of Saturday night's game is already the most controversial play of the preseason.
Suggs appears to go low with the hit, targeting Bradford's knees on a play that according to Eagles' head coach Chip Kelly, was not a zone-read play, which would have given Suggs license to hit Bradford as he would any other player.
"It was just a handoff. We didn't run any zone read,'' Kelly said before the Eagles returned to practice at the NovaCare Complex. "We don't run as much zone read as everyone thinks we do. He wasn't reading anything, he was handing the ball off. I thought the ruling on the field was correct.''
WATCH: Ravens player punches Eagles player in the stomach
According to Kelly, Bradford was simply handing the ball off, which runs counter to NFL head of officiating Dean Blandino's ruling Monday.
"If the quarterback has an option, he's considered a runner until he either clearly doesn't have the football or he re-establishes himself as a passer. So it's not a foul by rule. It's something that we'll make sure that we cover with our game officials because the defensive end coming off the edge, he doesn't know if the quarterback is going to keep it, he doesn't know if he's going to take off and run or drop back and so we treat the quarterback in that instance as a runner until he clearly re-establishes as a passer or until he clearly doesn't have the football."
You can see video of the hit below:
After hearing from both Kelly and Blandino as well as having video evidence above, how do you feel about the hit? Cast your vote in the poll below:
Matt Lombardo may be reached at MDLombardo@yahoo.com. Follow him on Twitter @MattLombardo975. Find NJ.com Philadelphia Sports on Facebook