What did Vic Fangio really think of the personal foul on Reed Blankenship? originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
Two weeks ago, Vic Fangio praised the officials working the Eagles-Panthers game for not calling a personal foul on CJ Gardner-Johnson after a vicious – but clean – hit on Xavier Legette.
“That was a big hit that was 100 percent legal,” Fangio said. “Kudos to the officiating for not getting caught in a big hit and just automatically throwing a flag.
“I know this was a few years ago, but when I was in San Francisco we had some big security checkpoints and they got busted six or seven times because of mishits and unnecessary roughness. And they all came back (from the league) as bad decisions. So I think the service has improved in that area.”
Fangio might want to amend that comment.
On Sunday, another big safety – Reed Blankenship – was flagged for a personal foul after a perfectly clean and legal hit on Steelers quarterback Justin Fields following an eight-yard run during the second quarter (on the only short Fields played in the game ). ).
Fields went into a slide after Blankenship moved up to tackle him, and in such a high-octane game there was no more opportunity for the Eagles’ 3rd-year safety to avoid fields.
That 15-yard penalty gave the Steelers a first down at the Eagles’ 30-yard line on their only touchdown drive in a game the Eagles ultimately won 27–13. It was actually the Steelers’ 3rd-longest play of the game.
Fangio never hesitates to express his opinion and on Tuesday he made it clear what he thought of the call.
“I didn’t think that was a good call,” he said. “It was a very late slide. I didn’t see any cruel contact. You know, I just didn’t see that. But again, it’s up to the officials on the field.”
That was only Blankenship’s second penalty this year and only the fifth of his career. As a rookie, he was called for roughing the kicker on Tress Way in the second game at Washington and an unnecessary roughness on Christian Watson after replacing Gardner-Johnson against the Packers. His only other career penalties were a horse tackle on Puka Nacua in last year’s win over the Rams and a pass interference on Mike Evans in the loss to the Bucs.
That’s five penalties in 2,164 career snaps.
Fangio is convinced there must be four.
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