Scott Zolak calls T.J. Ward a punk
Scott Zolak has made Broncos safety T.J. Ward his latest target.
On yesterday's edition of the Gresch & Zo show on 98.5, Zolak went off on Ward for his low hit on Rob Gronkowski during the Patriots rout of the Broncos, calling him a punk. Ward led with the crown of his helmet and targeted Gronkowski's surgically repaired knee, which didn't sit well with many Patriots fans.
Ward, as many football fans know, is the player who ended Gronkowski's season last December with a hit to the knee when he was with the Cleveland Browns. Gronkowski suffered a torn ACL as a result.
Some fans didn't take exception to Ward's hit on Gronkowski when he was with the Browns because he was never known as a dirty player. Zolak, along with many Patriots fans across the country, now view Ward as a dirty player and think that there was intent to injure on the play that took place on Sunday and it's really hard to argue that there wasn't some sort of intent.
Zolak definitely has a legitimate argument. This is a case of the same two players getting into almost the same exact situation again, with a result that could have had similar to what happened before. However, there are some analysts who have said Ward was just making a football play. In his mail bag on ESPNBoston.com, Tedy Bruschi offered his take on the incident:
Bruschi is right that the best way to bring Gronkowski down is to hit him low, and we have seen other players do this with no clear intent to injure. Ward, on the other hand, is a different case. How does one defend a player who leads with their helmet to try and make a play? How do you defend someone who has now done the virtually same thing to the same player on two different occasions? Would we defend a player who targets another players head with his helmet and say that is strictly a football play? Absolutely not.
When Akeem Ayers sacked Peyton Manning during the same game, he went for the knees, but he stuck his hands out to try and wrap him up. That's strictly a football play with no intent to injure.
Zolak concluded his rant by saying the following:
What do you make of this latest incident between T.J. Ward and Rob Gronkowski? Tweet me your thoughts - @JesseGaunce
For more of my articles, click here.
On yesterday's edition of the Gresch & Zo show on 98.5, Zolak went off on Ward for his low hit on Rob Gronkowski during the Patriots rout of the Broncos, calling him a punk. Ward led with the crown of his helmet and targeted Gronkowski's surgically repaired knee, which didn't sit well with many Patriots fans.
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| Jared Wickerham/Getty Images |
Some fans didn't take exception to Ward's hit on Gronkowski when he was with the Browns because he was never known as a dirty player. Zolak, along with many Patriots fans across the country, now view Ward as a dirty player and think that there was intent to injure on the play that took place on Sunday and it's really hard to argue that there wasn't some sort of intent.
“Watch the intent by T.J. Ward. It’s one thing if you’re Devin McCourty, or Brandon Browner, or Darrelle Revis or even Aqib Talib. Aqib Talib is a damn good form tackler. He has a knack of wrapping people up by the legs and bringing ‘em down — hogtying people,” said Zolak. “When T.J. Ward takes the crown of the helmet and puts it right on that right knee, if Gronkowski doesn’t pick that knee up in time I don’t know what it’s like again. That was intent to take the knee out.”
Zolak definitely has a legitimate argument. This is a case of the same two players getting into almost the same exact situation again, with a result that could have had similar to what happened before. However, there are some analysts who have said Ward was just making a football play. In his mail bag on ESPNBoston.com, Tedy Bruschi offered his take on the incident:
I'm not aware of a reputation for T.J. Ward that he is a dirty player. Given the size Gronkowski has in the middle of the field, I'd go low, too. I wouldn't purposely try to hurt him, but I was always taught to wrap up the legs. Once he catches the ball, snap that head around, eye the defense and if someone is going low, protect yourself. As a QB, Tom Brady has to realize this, too, and I know he tries to put it only in places that Gronkowski can do this. He's that accurate of a QB, but there are certain times he has to put it high because there is going to be good coverage.
Bruschi is right that the best way to bring Gronkowski down is to hit him low, and we have seen other players do this with no clear intent to injure. Ward, on the other hand, is a different case. How does one defend a player who leads with their helmet to try and make a play? How do you defend someone who has now done the virtually same thing to the same player on two different occasions? Would we defend a player who targets another players head with his helmet and say that is strictly a football play? Absolutely not.
When Akeem Ayers sacked Peyton Manning during the same game, he went for the knees, but he stuck his hands out to try and wrap him up. That's strictly a football play with no intent to injure.
Zolak concluded his rant by saying the following:
“If that guy (Ward) doesn’t get a letter this week then they’re not doing their job down in Foxboro, meaning the league and alerting the league. They look at these. They look at these with guys who have that history,” said Zo. “There’s a way to tackle without taking somebody’s knee out. Does Ward really have to go with the crown of the helmet on the knee cap? That’s how you take guy’s careers out. It sucks.”
“The guy is a punk. That’s a punk making a punk-ass play. Period.”
What do you make of this latest incident between T.J. Ward and Rob Gronkowski? Tweet me your thoughts - @JesseGaunce
For more of my articles, click here.
