The latest ‘Thursday night football’ session of the new NFL season was all about terrific football, clever strategies, and some ‘dirty’ play indeed! With the session’s second win, the Cleveland Browns clinched their 1st position in the AFC North. Unfortunately, captain Anthony Walker Jr. got injured during their winning game.
Two Cleveland Browns players thoroughly dominated the game, leading to the Browns’ victory. QB Jacoby Brissett and RB Nick Chubb were key contributors to the Browns’ win before facing the Atlanta Falcons in Week 4.
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The TNF bellyflop during the match infuriated social media users
The Steelers offensive tackle Chukwuma Okorafor took part in some unsavory actions during the game while in the mood for ‘playing ball.’ During a downfield block, the Steelers hurled himself on Browns linebacker Anthony Walker Jr.
When Okorafor jumped on Walker Jr., he was already on the field. This block appears to have caused Anthony’s leg injury. The Browns linebacker was eventually hauled off the field. The manner in which Okorafor initiated the block and continued to engage in the attempt has caused much indignation online.
He better be suspended @NFL pic.twitter.com/vmZsKlE2pO
— Tyler Johnson (@T_johnson_TJ) September 23, 2022
Whether he’s hurt or not that’s a dirty play you don’t jump on a defender when he’s already on the ground
— Rodrick Billue (@bcf_rod) September 23, 2022
Who taught you to lay on the defender? That's called holding. The bigger problem was he shoves him down by his face and while the player is on the ground he belly flops on him needlessly. That's a dirty play.
— Happy (@cheney7911) September 23, 2022
I played O line my entire life from peewee to college and know that laying on a defender and not letting him get up is a holding penalty. You see it a ton at the college level. "Restraining an opponent to prevent pursuit is holding" per the NFL rule book.
— Happy (@cheney7911) September 23, 2022
Fans believe Okorafor’s hit against Anthony Walker Jr. got excused
During a look at the replay, Kirk Herbstreit from ESPN quoted on the Amazon Prime Video broadcast, “Contact there, and then after he hits him, jumps on top of him.”
The 25-year-old Steelers tackle denies having any role in Walker’s injuries. “I don’t know what happened,” Okorafor said. “I was just playing ball.” Yet, most NFL fans appear to disagree with Okorafor’s aim behind the jump.
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Okorafor was penalized for being an ineligible downfield lineman. However, according to coach Kevin Stefanski, the Okorafor hit caused Walker a knee sprain, and most NFL observers feel the Steelers lineman should have been ejected for such foul behavior.
The Steelers certainly missed T J Watt at quarterback in Thursday’s game, losing to a Browns defense powered by one of the NFL’s most spectacular running backs, Nick Chubb.
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Football injuries are unavoidable. The Cleveland Browns had a difficult offseason because of conflicts with quarterback Baker Mayfield. Now that they are in first place in the AFC North, this victory will undoubtedly charge them up for the next game in 10 days at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
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