Bengals LB Keith Rivers leaves game with jaw injury after hit from Steelers' Hines Ward

Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger completed a pass to Matt Spaeth on the fourth play of the game.

[Steve]

Ward should be suspended. He is notoriously making bad hits. This is clearly a hit where Ward had a helmet to helmet hit

[Jopa-n]

Steve wrote:

Ward should be suspended. He is notoriously making bad hits. This is clearly a hit where Ward had a helmet to helmet hit

It was not a helmet to helmet hit. It was not a dirty hit, unless seeing an offensive player do the very same thing defensive players do to their counter parts ALL GAME LONG makes you think it's dirty.
He put his shoulder into the defenders chest. His helmet may have hit Rivers Jaw but not on purpose, just like defenders do to offensive players all game long.
It's about time offensive players can start to give defenders reason to keep there head on a swivel (defensive term by the way).

[Steve]

Ward should learn to look at what he is hitting not putting his head down therefor it constitute a helmet to helmet hit if it "may hit his jaw" If the tables were turned it would of been an instant 15 yd penalty. How do you explain Wards track record?

[dizzle]

it was a helmet to helmet hit because rivers was facing to the side and when hines hit him he injured his jaw from the top of his helmet hitting the side of his jaw.. it was a very dirty hit too on the same note but he should atleast be fined.. football is about scoring touchdowns and not trying to injure your opponents.. and after hines hit him he smiled and his teammates gave him high fives.. thats automatically unsportsmanlike conduct... its like he doesnt care about who he hurts.. im only 15 and i know this stuff

[jeff]

Steve wrote:

Ward should be suspended. He is notoriously making bad hits. This is clearly a hit where Ward had a helmet to helmet hit

it was clean hit ,they hit ward twice as hard all the time and he dont complain, defencive players need to be hit to , next you want to be able to stiff arm if your RB you suck & the nfl to

[man of steel]

Ward is just a bad ace. I guess my advice would be if they dont want to get hit go to a noncontact sport sissy! It's FOOTBALL steeler football!

[Jopa-n]

Steve wrote:

Ward should learn to look at what he is hitting not putting his head down therefor it constitute a helmet to helmet hit if it "may hit his jaw" If the tables were turned it would of been an instant 15 yd penalty. How do you explain Wards track record?

I saw the play repeated times and his shoulder hit Rivers in the collarbone area at first impact. It would be impossible for the crown of the helmet to hit his jaw at that point. Maybe the top of his helmet at the forhead area, but not the crown. His intention was to catch him right in the numbers with his shoulder and knocking off his feet, JUST LIKE DEFENDERS are taught to do on a textbook hit.

[Ryan]

dizzle,
You are clueless...Hines ALWAYS smiles, and if you give your own teammates high fives after a beautiful CLEAN block...that isn't even close to "unsportsmanlike conduct" His jaw is broken because his own knee came up and hit himself in the face. That's all on rivers b/c if he's pursuing and not looking out for a block...he's very foolish. Hines played that perfectly...if the league fines him for playing good, hard yet clean football...then shame on them for ruining a great game. The Bengals are so bad maybe calling that a dirty hit gets their mind off of it!

[Steve]

Why has the league taken action against Ward the last two weeks. They see a problem that Ward is a thug and a dirty player. And yes the Bengals are horrible.

[Bill in Cranberry]

I just shake my head in wonder at all of the "Sissies" out there in this day and age. Its called football & the Steelers play it smash mouth. Hines has not been flagged. His hit on Rivers was a "Beautiful thing." Clean & Textbook!
Whoever has been fining Ward needs to get on with his life's work. He/she dosen't know football!

STEELERS ROCK !!!

[Matt]

Its football...... if a linebacker cant take a hit from a receiver then he needs to play a different sport. it wasn't a dirty hit. If you make a nice block and put a linebacker on his ass then you deserve a high five.

[Jopa-n]

Matt wrote:

Its football...... if a linebacker cant take a hit from a receiver then he needs to play a different sport. it wasn't a dirty hit. If you make a nice block and put a linebacker on his ass then you deserve a high five.

Well said! Nice to see someone who enjoys the game for what it is and should be: a collision sport. Sissies need not apply.

[dizzle]

Ryan wrote:

dizzle,
You are clueless...Hines ALWAYS smiles, and if you give your own teammates high fives after a beautiful CLEAN block...that isn't even close to "unsportsmanlike conduct" His jaw is broken because his own knee came up and hit himself in the face. That's all on rivers b/c if he's pursuing and not looking out for a block...he's very foolish. Hines played that perfectly...if the league fines him for playing good, hard yet clean football...then shame on them for ruining a great game. The Bengals are so bad maybe calling that a dirty hit gets their mind off of it!

yeah you pissburg fans really do know how to make me laugh. look up the video on youtube of him getting hurt.. i was watching the dang game when it happened. his knee didnt hit nothing

[Jopa-n]

dizzle wrote:

<quoted text>
yeah you pissburg fans really do know how to make me laugh. look up the video on youtube of him getting hurt.. i was watching the dang game when it happened. his knee didnt hit nothing

I watched it also about 5 more times in the last 24 hrs. Your right, his knee did not hit anything, but I know this as well, Ward's shoulder made full contact with River's upper chest area and he knocked him off his feet, clean as could be. Everyone that commented on it on ESPN said it was a clean hit, no doubt what so ever.

[Jeff]

Dizzle probably aspires to be a punter for his high school team....that way everyone who hits him will be penalized. Good luck with that, dude.