SPORTS

Caldwell won't say if Beckham hit on Davis was dirty

James Hawkins
The Detroit News
Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. comes over and shakes Lions rookie linebacker Jarrad Davis hand after Davis was hit hard and left the field, not returning to the game, in the fourth quarter.

Allen Park — Was Odell Beckham Jr.’s block a dirty play?

Well, Lions coach Jim Caldwell declined to say.

During the fourth quarter of Monday night’s 24-10 win over the New York Giants, the star receiver threw a blindside block in the back that sent rookie linebacker Jarrad Davis crashing headfirst into running back Paul Perkins and knocking him out of the game.

After lying on the ground clutching his head for several moments, Davis, Detroit's first-round draft pick and starting middle linebacker, was helped to the sideline and evaluated for a concussion before he was taken to the locker room.

When asked what he thought of the play in question Tuesday, Caldwell said, “I’m not certain what you’re asking me. It was a block.”

So it was a legal play then?

“There was no flag thrown,” Caldwell responded.

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Was it a dirty play?

“There was no flag thrown,” Caldwell reiterated. “I believe that the officials do an outstanding job, actually. When you go into a ballgame, players make the most mistakes, coaches make the second most, and then officials make the fewest, so they do the best they can.”

Caldwell also declined to say whether the team plans to submit the play to the league for review and possible discipline.

“We don’t talk about what we send in, what we don’t send in,” he said. “That’s inappropriate and also it’s ill-advised from the league.”

Davis finished the game with six tackles and a sack, and his status for Sunday’s Week 3 matchup against the Atlanta Falcons is unclear. Caldwell wouldn't say whether Davis is still in concussion protocol.

“You’ll get a chance to take a look at the report tomorrow,” he said.

Caldwell also declined to provide updates on running backs Dwayne Washington and Ameer Abdullah and safety Tavon Wilson, who all failed to finish Monday’s contest. Washington suffered a quad injury and Wilson was sidelined following a shoulder injury, while Abdullah pulled up lame on his final run in the fourth quarter but said he was fine after the game.

“The fortunate thing is you guys won’t have to wait as long to see the report, you only got one day,” Caldwell said.

jhawkins@detroitnews.com

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