During the Houston Texans' win over the Denver Broncos on Sunday, Houston quarterback Matt Schaub was on the wrong end of a devastating and illegal hit by Broncos defender Joe Mays. How devastating? He lost part of his earlobe on the play.
I plan on rewatching that hit some time. I don't remember it being as violent as people are describing it. He didn't launch at his head, it was a hard upper torso hit, and when he lifted up as Schaub was coming down, he ripped the helmet off. May be biased, but I believe we are calling it illegal because it was a violent hit. But violent hits aren't illegal, just hits to the head, launching, driving, and going for the legs. If Eric Berry would have hit Drew Brees violently, he wouldn't look like a fool celebrating after Brees slipped the ball out for a first down.
2.8 yards per rush, 6 dropped passes, 75 yards in penalties, 31 points surrendered, and for the second week in a row the D couldn't get off the field when it mattered. Manning's probably thinking Arizona looks good right about now.