If Hines Ward was hit like that by a defensive player, it is a 15-yard penalty and a fine. I have no problem with hard blocks, but Ward has a penchant for lowering his head and delivering helmet to helmet “hits” – usually when someone is not looking. If he simply used his shoulder, however, it would have been legit. Personally, I’d love to see Ward get his jaw broken in a similar manner, and see how “clean” he considers that hit.

…against Lamarr Woodley would we be having this discussion? But because the Bengals don’t hit like that…the question is purely hypothetical. It wasn’t a cheap shot—its football—-contact sport, remember? If the Bengals blocked like that we wouldn’t be 0-7.

…I just want to see a highlight film of Bengals leveling other teams players. Right now that highlight film consists of Cedric Benson sticking Polamalu—great—lets do more of that—and on defense too! I don’t consider it cheap shot football to physically push around another team. That is how you wear the other team down. Sometimes there is a fine line—but I didn’t see anything illegal about Ward’s block.

I guess I find it frustrating too not only watch the Bengals lose on the scoreboard, but to get physically pushed around as well—-although the two are very much related.

If it was, then it was just a good block. If it wasn’t, then it was head-hunting.

Ward tends to hit defensive play-makers alot. I can understand a good block, but it’s a little cheap when he blind-sides players away from the action. Obviously, it’s all legal before the whistle blows, but again, it just seems like a cheap-shot.

but live and- on countless replays, it looks more like he ducks his head to protect himself and does the most damage with his shoulder. The damage was a combination of the angle and Rivers failing to keep his “head on a swivel” as the players say. That said, it was a tremendously physical hit and I’ve never seen any of our wideouts doing it. The way our D was fired up in the aftermath, I would have given up the flag and had someone expendable like Hebert or Lynch pop him coming across the middle. Have Marvin pick up the tab on the fine, should one be forthcoming. I mean, if Tim Lincecom(sp?) comes high and tight, drops, say, Jay Bruce, you bet your ass Edinson Volquez is plunking some Giant next inning.