NFL news roundup: Ron Rivera debates Luke Kuechly’s ejection
Meanwhile, Bears cornerback Kyle Fuller suffered a broken hand.
Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports
One of the heavily debated officiating decisions in Week 7 was the ejection of Carolina Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly for making contact with a referee. Following a scrum on the field, Kuechly was pulled away from behind, causing the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year to flail. Unbeknownst to him, one of the people trying to remove him from the pile was referee Steve Freeman. As a result, Kuechly was flagged and ejected from the game, a 38-17 loss to the Green Bay Packers. Now Carolina head coach Ron Rivera is publicly campaigning for the league not to fine his defensive stalwart.
Rivera told the media Monday that he disagreed with both the penalty itself and the explanation provided by the referees. He believes Kuechly, who claims that he had no idea a referee was behind him, and feels he didn’t do enough to warrant an ejection. It’s the first time Kuechly has been ejected during his three seasons in the NFL. Whether the league fines him for the ejection will be revealed later this week.
McCown nearing return
When Tampa Bay fell to division rival Atlanta 56-14 back in Week 3, it highlighted the team's many shortcomings, including ineptitude at quarterback. Josh McCown completed just five of his 12 passes for 58 yards and a pick in that contest before exiting with a hand injury. The game marked a low point for the both team and player. The Buccaneers entered the season expecting to at least compete for a playoff spot with McCown, fresh off a strong season in Chicago, at the controls. Instead, Tampa dropped to 0-3 and McCown was sidelined indefinitely.
Several weeks later, the outlook has improved. Though the Buccaneers' season doesn't appear headed for the playoffs (1-5 record), Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times reports that McCown has finally returned to practice. Though the Buccaneers won't acknowledge it, Mike Glennon has replaced him as the starter. Still, McCown is a seasoned veteran who could prove important should Glennon suffer an injury.
Fuller breaks hand, won’t require surgery
In addition to dropping their third game in four weeks, the Chicago Bears briefly lost Kyle Fuller to a broken hand. The rookie cornerback also suffered a hip pointer, though that issue is considered less severe. Fuller returned to the game wearing a cast.
After veteran Charles Tillman went down with a season-ending torn triceps, Fuller stepped up and has become the Bears' top cover man. During a two-game stretch, he intercepted three passes and forced two fumbles. Though his injury will not require surgery, it may impede his ability to force more turnovers moving forward.
Burfict’s neck is “fine” according to his head coach
During an attempted tackle of Indianapolis quarterback Andrew Luck, Bengals linebacker Vontaze Burfict injured his neck and was forced to leave the game. Cincinnati's medical staff diagnosed him with a cervical strain, leaving his availability for Week 8 in doubt. However, head coach Marvin Lewis isn't worried, informing the media that his star linebacker is "fine."
Lewis has a history of downplaying injuries. Last week, he seemed to blame the media for Burfict's concussion lingering. Accordingly, Lewis might not be the most reliable source for injury updates on his players. More importantly, there's a growing awareness that Burfict needs to change the way he plays to remain healthy. In addition to his neck and concussion issues, he was fined for twisting the ankles of Cam Newton and Greg Olsen at the ends of plays. This devil-may-care attitude has made him a Pro Bowler, but it may also shorten his career.
See More:
