Peters: Suggs’ “cheap shot” on Bradford “planned”
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports.
Jason Peters said after the Eagles’ 40-17 win over the Ravens that Terrell Suggs’ hit against Sam Bradford in the first quarter was a dirty, premeditated hit. Suggs was flagged for a personal foul penalty on the play.
“He was trying to just take a cheap shot at the quarterback. I’m pretty sure he planned it,” Peters said. “We practiced them all week; they knew he was running the read-option. Anytime you get a quarterback running the read-option, they can take a cheap shot.”
Peters added that he thought of Suggs as a “dirty” player who should be disciplined by the NFL. He didn’t think, however, that Suggs was specifically planning on hitting Bradford’s left knee, which the quarterback has injured multiple times.
“I don’t like it at all,” Peters said, “and being a veteran player like himself, an all-pro, you’d think he had better sense than that to take a shot at a quarterback like that in the preseason.”
Peters said Suggs ran off the field after the game before he could say something to the six-time Pro Bowler. Jason Kelce, however, said he did admonish Suggs after the play, although he wouldn’t disclose what words were exchanged.
Although Kelce was frustrated with the hit, he disagreed with Peters’ assessment.
“It’s not particularly that dirty for him to hit the quarterback, I thought it was just a little weird that he went right at the knee area,” Kelce said. “But I really don’t think, looking back on it, that it was anything malicious.”
Suggs, meanwhile, said that hits on the quarterback are inevitable when running the read-option. He added that he hit Bradford softer than he could have.
“If you want to run the read-option with your starting quarterback that has had two knee surgeries, that’s on you,” he said. “I could have hit him harder that that. I eased up.”
Bradford, however, thought Suggs did target his left knee.
“I think that is what he was trying to do,” Bradford said. “I was a little upset, I’m not sure if I can repeat what I said to him but it’s a part of the game. I’m sure that is not the last time something like that is going to happen this year, but hopefully it doesn’t.”