Josh Allen put together a strong performance in the Buffalo Bills' 36-10 win over the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, throwing for 289 yards and two touchdowns while adding another score on the ground. But his afternoon got off to a rough start.
During Buffalo's opening possession, Ravens linebacker Roquan Smith appeared to grab the quarterback's facemask and apply significant force to his head and neck. The incident looked even more brutal on replay, and podcaster Evan Hand believes the league should take a closer look.
The Bills moved the ball well on their opening possession, reaching the doorstep of the end zone. Buffalo then turned to its signature quarterback sneak, with Allen lining up directly behind the center and trying to power through Baltimore's defensive front.
The Ravens stopped Allen on third down, but the quarterback got another chance on the following snap and crossed the goal line. As he pushed forward, Smith appeared to grab Allen's facemask and twist his head and neck with considerable force. Surprisingly, the officials did not throw a flag.
Speaking about the incident, podcaster Evan Hand expressed disbelief.
"The NFL's got to look into this man after this play right here," Hand said . "And scientists need to look into Josh Allen's neck to see how the hell he didn't get decapitated here."
Hand added that he initially thought Smith might have gotten caught up in the physical nature of the quarterback sneak. But the replays from separate angles changed his mind.
"I wanted to play devil's advocate a little bit, right? I'm like, 'Okay, you know, I've played football before. Maybe he just got caught up in the play.' [Smith] was grabbing onto something and pulling it… He's being aggressive. Sure, fine… Then I saw the other two angles. No, this was intentional.
"Roquan was doing everything in his power to stop this run. He grabs [Allen's] face mask and again turns him out."
Hand also pointed to Smith's previous facemask incident involving New Orleans Saints quarterback Tyler Shough, arguing that the Ravens linebacker has a history of similar plays.
IMPROVE YOUR TEAM: PFN's Free Fantasy Trade Calculator
"It's not even the first time that Roquan Smith has tried to take an opposing quarterback's head and put it on his mantle up by his fireplace, as he tried to do with Tyler Shough before, too," the podcaster noted. "You might be receiving a letter from the league here this week."
Smith has been fined multiple times during his career for player-safety violations. His facemask penalty against Shough previously cost him $11,941.
BE THE GM OF YOUR FAVORITE TEAM: PFN's Free NFL Mock Draft Simulator
Officials did not flag Smith during the game against New Orleans either, but the league issued a fine after reviewing the play.
Smith has never been suspended or ejected from a game, but the latest incident involving Allen has brought renewed scrutiny to his physical style of play.
Smith still had a productive day against Buffalo, finishing with 11 total tackles and a forced fumble. He currently ranks No. 15 in the league with a PFN LB Impact Score of 82.5.
This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network .
