Hebert tossed for one game over Daniels’ hit
Redbacks’ defender sanctioned by CFL for latest shot to an opponent’s head
In the immediate aftermath of the Calgary Stampeders’ game against the Ottawa Redblacks, DaVaris Daniels didn’t rush to judge Kyries Hebert.
The Redblacks DB had launched himself helmet-first towards Daniels’ head as the Stamps receiver came down with a second-half catch, but in the locker-room after the game Daniels was careful with his words about the hit.
On Friday morning, though, Daniels acknowledged that after watching a replay of the play, he didn’t like what he saw.
“I watched it last night, I got a chance to see it, and it looked pretty bad,” Daniels said. “I know from hearing from other guys that (Hebert) has a history of that. I don’t know, that’s for the league to take up.
“I don’t play that way and I don’t think anybody should play that way. ”
Late on Friday afternoon, the CFL made its decision and suspended Hebert for one game for the hit.
“We need to eliminate these types of hits,” said CFL Commissioner Randy Ambrosie. “A play like this puts unnecessary risk to a player’s safety and has no place in the game.”
Hebert was not ejected for the hit, but was flagged for unnecessary roughness.
In the eyes of the Stampeders, that wasn’t enough. “To me, that was an easy throw-out. We’re talking player safety and you don’t throw a guy out for that? I would expect a fine,” Stampeders head coach Dave Dickenson said Thursday.
“It’s not a player, it’s the league talking about player safety and he should have thrown him out.”
It’s not just the Stampeders who have called out the hit, either.
Winnipeg Blue Bombers running back Andrew Harris and Hamilton Tiger-Cats linebacker Simoni Lawrence also commented on Twitter.
“Everything they said we not allowed to do, he did it all in that play,” Lawrence wrote.
Hebert has been fined twice for hits to the heads of opponents. Last year, he was hit with the maximum fine after a hit to the head of Toronto Argonauts quarterback Cody Fajardo, and he was famously ejected and fined the maximum after a brutal headshot to then- Stamps running back Jon Cornish in 2014.
EXTRA TIME TO HEAL
Despite a monster game that saw him pick up a potentially victorysaving tackle on the one-yard line, Ciante Evans hobbled off the field with what appeared to be an injured ankle.
On Friday morning, Dickenson didn’t have an update on Evans’ condition, although he sounded optimistic.
“We’ve got the week off so we’re going to let him heal,” Dickenson said. “He had a couple things, we don’t think they’re too serious but we’ll have a better idea after the bye.”
Evans has been an all-star for the past two years and is arguably the best corner in the entire CFL, so Thursday’s performance wasn’t exactly a surprise.
But there has been something a little different about the 25-yearold this season.
He’s always been one of the quieter guys in the locker-room, but has seemed to come out of his shell this season.
After his big goal-line tackle, he even ran over towards the Redblacks bench and appeared to yell at his opponents.
“He’s a competitor,” said Stampeders defensive co-ordinator DeVone Claybrooks. “The quietness and the reservedness goes away when you’re between the white lines. To be a great DB you have to be a little cocky and you have to feel yourself a little bit, and that’s just what (you’re seeing).”
In terms of impressive performances from Stampeders defensive backs, it’s worth noting that Patrick Levels rose to the occasion on Thursday night.
Levels traditionally plays on the outside at corner, but was moved inside just before gametime to play at the SAM position, where he’s essentially half-a-linebacker and half-a-DB.
It’s not an easy position, but Levels adapted as best he could.
On Friday, Dickenson said Levels had probably only ever practised one full day at SAM.
Whether he was perfect or not — and he did have a fumble recovery — Level deserves credit for his adaptability.