Ravens safety Matt Elam was renowned in college for his jarring hits. At Florida, the GIFs of his explosive hits on opposing receivers, running backs and his own teammates were a running joke.
However, the rookie's hit below the waist on Packers receiver Randall Cobb was no laughing matter. Immediately after the hit, Aaron Rodgers marched over to Elam and mouthed off.
Via Pro Football Talk:
Asked about the matter on Monday, Harbaugh said Rodgers’ complaints are “pretty hard for me to understand.” Harbaugh noted that Cobb caught the ball over the middle and Elam was just doing his job by taking Cobb down.
“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,” Harbaugh said.
The fact is that defensive players have been warning offensive players all season that because of the NFL's draconian rules against hitting receivers above the waist, they'd be forced to go low in order to avoid suspensions and protect their pockets. Rodges stated that Elam had time to make a hit in the hitting zone, but if there's one thing we know Rodgers doesn't understand from his comfy flag-protected confines in the pocket, it's playing defense. Another is the rulebook.
For one, Rodgers needs to get a better understanding of the hitting zone. The knees are fair game.
