The Dallas Cowboys‘ desperation deepened to 3-5 following a painful Week 8 loss to Arizona, keeping their 30-year Super Bowl drought heavy on their minds. While the defense fought to turn the game around, one second-quarter play instantly sparked league-wide controversy.
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The Cowboys defense came up with another big play in the second quarter when Overshown’s heavy hit on Knight forced a fumble. LT Overton pounced on the loose ball to secure Dallas’ second takeaway of the night, as Knight was left lying on the turf for several moments before being helped off and evaluated for a concussion. However, no flag was thrown on the play.
“So Cam Skattebo gets flagged for running low and protecting the ball, but DeMarvion Overshown is allowed to create helmet-to-helmet contact, hurt a defenseless player, by leading with the head and no call. Gotta love the NFL,” wrote Marshall Green on X, sharing the clip.
Going by the clip, it seemed that Overshown was able to find a loophole that helped him to evade a penalty on the field. While Knight was running with the ball in his hand, Dallas cornerback Cobie Durant tried to grab him by his waist in an attempt to stop him. Knight was able to get out of Durant’s embrace. That’s when, out of nowhere, Overshown came rushing into the scene from the right side of Knight and pushed him hard with his shoulder pads. But it was not a foul.
Helmet contact alone is not enough to draw a flag under NFL rules. The circumstances surrounding the collision matter, including how the player positions and uses his helmet. The rule applies to offensive players as well as defenders, while incidental contact during an otherwise normal tackle is treated differently.
Under Article 10, players cannot lower their heads and use their helmets to forcibly contact an opponent. The rule also prohibits using the helmet or facemask to butt or make forcible contact with an opponent’s head or neck. Incidental contact during a standard tackle or block is not penalized. Violations result in a 15-yard penalty and an automatic first down for defensive fouls, while disqualification is also possible.
But in this case, the hit went unattended. But analysts were already calling the decision out.
“That shoulder-to-the-head tackle by DeMarvion Overshown was vicious, but it legal, my goodness, hope Knight is ok #DallasCowboys,” wrote Mavs Podcast host Kevin Gary Jr.
Even though Overshown wasn’t penalized on the spot, he likely risked punishment, as the NFL often issues fines days after the game. If fined, it would mark another costly discipline warning for a struggling Dallas defense already under heavy media scrutiny.
When it came to Cam Skattebo initiating a hit with forcible contact from the crown of his helmet on Houston Texans safety MJ Stewart, the NFL did not take long to arrive at a decision and threw a flag for unnecessary roughness, resulting in a 15-yard penalty.
On the flip side, it took the league roughly seven days to decide on an unflagged hit that Detroit Lions safety Brian Branch made with a head-to-head contact on Green Bay Packers tight end Tucker Kraft. Branch will now have to pay a $23,882 fine as a punishment.
While the NFL is yet to decide Overshown’s fate, for now, the Cardinals are paying a heavy price for the unflagged hit.
DeMarvion Overshown’s Hit Leaves Arizona Dealing With Backfield Concerns
Arizona defeated Dallas for the fifth straight time, maintaining its unbeaten record at the Cowboys’ home stadium with a 5-0 mark at AT&T Stadium since it opened in 2009. But not all that sparkles is gold. After the victory, they are now dealing with too many injuries.
They might have won but lost three offensive players, out of which Knight is one.
“She got word from Mike LaFleur that Knight would be out. Knight wasn’t officially given an injury declaration as of yet, but it was a fairly textbook shoulder-to-the-head that caused a fumble towards the waning moments of the second half. Knight had 18 total yards on three carries and one catch before leaving. We would be surprised, given how brutal the hit he took looked, if he were available for Week 9. This leaves Tyler Allgeier as the lone healthy back for the second half of this game,” reported NBC Sports’ Rivers McCown as he received updates from FOX’s Pam Oliver.
The team has also ruled out running back Jeremiyah Love after he aggravated his left ankle injury. For Kendrick Bourne, too, it’s an ankle injury that led Arizona to make that tough call.
It’s now time to see whether the NFL can do some damage control by punishing Overshown.