The Green Bay Packers have lost Randall Cobb for what the team is calling "multiple weeks." The wide receiver suffered a knee injury against the Baltimore Ravens and the controversy around the hit continues to rise. After Aaron Rodgers expressed his anger towards Matt Elam for placing the hit in the first place, John Harbaugh is now firing back in defense of his players.
The hit in question took place on Sunday as safety Elam dove towards the knees of Cobb. The wide receiver was carted off the field after gripping his right knee. Afterwards, Rodgers was seen sharing a few words with the rookie safety, expressing his belief that it was a dirty and intentional hit.
"I just felt like, from my vantage point, he had plenty of time to not take out a guy's legs in that situation," Rodgers said, via Fox Sports. "I think he could have hit him in the proper hitting zone, and that's what I told him. The other safety came over and actually made a very knowledgeable point, which I appreciated a little intelligent answer back and forth about some of the issues defensive players have to deal with (hitting in) the target area. I totally understand that and get that."
Elam was not penalized for the hit he placed on Cobb. The refs apparently felt like he was in the proper hitting zone with Cobb. As a result, the rookie will not be fined no matter what Rodgers believes. Harbaugh is defending the hit, not understanding what the Packers quarterback is saying.
"To say that it could have been more artistically palatable, is pretty hard for me to understand," Harbaugh said, via the Ravens' official website. "That's a fast route. They ran a pretty good route there. Aaron made a good, quick throw in there and Matt is doing the best he can to try to stop that play. So I have no idea what he's talking about."
Players have been very vocal about the desire to take on a helmet-to-helmet hit rather than a hit at their knees. The NFL continues to push the end of head-to-head contact, but several players do not want their legs as the top targets for defenders. Recently, tight end Tony Gonzalez expressed his desire for hits at the knees to be band over a helmet-to-helmet hit. He believes hits at the knees guarantees injuries rather than hits at the head.
