Aug 24, 2015; Tampa, FL, USA; Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Adam Jones (24) works out prior to the game at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
On Sunday, the Cincinnati Bengals put the beat down on the Oakland Raiders, winning their Week 1 matchup to the tune of a 33-13 blowout. Cincinnati was impressive in its victory, not allowing Oakland to reach Bengals territory until the fourth quarter.
The Bengals did a great job eliminating big plays; the Raiders’ longest pass came by a 24-yard grab by rookie Amari Cooper; on the play, Cooper made a nice cut, juking out Bengals corner Adam “Pacman” Jones and leaving him in the dirt as Cooper continued the play downfield. (You can find a video of that play here).
One could think that Pacman’s frustration after being torched on this play could play out later in the game, and of course, it did.
Pacman Jones let his anger get the best of him, as he’s done so numerous times in the past, cheap-shotting Amari Cooper after another long play downfield later on in the game. After the play was over, Jones came up to Cooper–who was lying down on the ground, removed his helmet, and bashed Cooper’s head into the helmet.
VIDEO: Adam “Pacman” Jones slams Amari Cooper’s head onto helmet, doesn’t get ejected http://t.co/IiINRJVB31 pic.twitter.com/SbjQs43EQn
— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) September 13, 2015
Pacman Jones ripping off Amari Cooper's helmet and slamming his head against it. Wow. https://t.co/zjMxgugZlh
— Dane Brugler (@dpbrugler) September 13, 2015
You can watch the full-length video and the rest of Bengals beat writer Coley Harvey’s analysis on the play here.
This was a dirty play that reminded Bengals fans–and people who like to get under Bengals fans’ skin–of the 2006 Bengals team, a group in which nine players were arrested through the course of just nine months, prompting memes and collages like this one.
This morning, the NFL announced that Jones will not receive a suspension; this could perhaps be because the league is hesitant to hand out suspensions after a certain player’s suspension was overturned by the Supreme Court. Adam Jones should consider himself lucky.
Amari Cooper maturely responded to Pacman’s short-minded actions, noting that he doesn’t think that Jones should be suspended. In an interview with CSN Bay Area, Cooper stated that the two players “were just playing physical” and that he “didn’t even know hit head on the helmet.”
Jones’ on-field antics scared Bengals fans on Sunday in a game that was otherwise a huge success. While it would have been nice to see Darqueze Dennard in the starting lineup, the Bengals will be lucky to have Jones on the field next week as they will face the San Diego Chargers back at Paul Brown Stadium; Jones had a fantastic performance that almost earned him Week 1 MVP consideration; it’s a shame that this is the only play of the game that people will remember.
Do you think this was a dirty play? Let me know on Twitter at @CHoweSports or leave your thoughts in the comment section below.