Lawrence was trying to slide when he took a forearm to the head from Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair. The play resulted in a concussion for Lawrence, who left the game immediately, and a three-game suspension for Al-Shaair.
Lawrence will miss a minimum of four games. Since Jacksonville has just five games remaining, and a league-worst 2–10 record that has already eliminated it from postseason contention, there’s a good chance this will end Lawrence’s season. Even before the concussion, it’s been a tough year for the former No. 1 overall pick, as he had missed the two games before Sunday’s due to a sprained AC joint to his nonthrowing shoulder.
The play that may have ended Lawrence’s season came late in the second quarter with the Jaguars facing a second and seven. The Jags ran a play-action pass in which Lawrence rolled to his left, saw no one open, and began to scramble. After gaining six yards, he initiated a feet-first slide, which automatically ruled him down. However, Al-Shaair launched his left forearm into Lawrence’s helmet, immediately immobilizing Lawrence and leaving him in the so-called fencing position that has become all too common in football.
That act set off a chain of events with many Jags players coming to Lawrence’s defense by going after Al-Shaair. Jaguars tight end Evan Engram was penalized for immediately pushing Al-Shaair to the ground, which was followed by players from both teams nearly brawling and having to be separated by officials. Jacksonville defender Jarrian Jones, who wasn’t even on the field for the play, was penalized and ejected for throwing a punch, while Al-Shaair was also promptly ejected.
The Texans ended up winning the game, 23–20, but the outcome was a minor talking point compared with Al-Shaair’s hit on Lawrence. The linebacker did publicly apologize to Lawrence on social media afterward, but the play has also prompted a broader discussion on whether the quarterback shares some of the responsibility for what happens.
That’s what Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said even before the NFL levied the suspension on Al-Shaair, claiming quarterbacks often try to to pick up an extra yard or two by taking advantage of the rule that you can’t touch a sliding quarterback.
While many aren’t surprised that Ryans, a former linebacker himself, stood up for his player, those same people had to be shocked when another voice said some of the blame for these plays falls on quarterbacks. Seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady weighed in on the matter and suggested that quarterbacks be fined, even if they’re the ones getting hit on a slide.
“Maybe they fine or penalize a quarterback for sliding late and say, ‘If we don’t want these hits to take place, we’ve got to penalize the offense and the defense rather than just penalize a defensive player for every single play that happens when there’s a hit on a quarterback.’”
As a stationary quarterback during his 23-year career, Brady never really had to worry about being laid out while scrambling. But it’s still a very interesting position from the man considered the greatest quarterback of all time.
In the interim, however, the Jags will either turn to former Patriots starter Jones or eight-year pro C.J. Beathard. Jones replaced Lawrence on Sunday and also started the two games earlier when the latter was sidelined with his shoulder injury. Beathard was just claimed from the Miami Dolphins’ practice squad in early November and has yet to play a regular-season snap this season, but spent the three previous years with the Jags.
