Titans Michael Griffin suspended for 1 game due to hit to head against Raiders

The NFL has announced that Tennessee Titans safety Michael Griffin for a hit to the head on Oakland Raiders tight end Mychal Rivera Sunday.  The Titans ultimately went on to win the game.  Rivera suffered a concussion on the play when his helmet came off and his head ended up bouncing off of the ground, which was apparent as soon as it happened.

This hit is what the NFL is terrified of in a nut shell.  Not only was the hit an example of what the NFL wants to get rid of and should, but this hit was scary on television.  His unshielded head bounced off of the ground and it was clear immediately that he was in trouble.  The cameras caught the look on Rivera’s face when his head hit the ground.  Rivera looked like a boxer who was out on his feet in the ring.

There was nothing redeemable about this play and nothing anyone could point to that made this a quality football play.  That does not mean Griffin was trying to cause the injury and some of it could have been a case of terrible luck, but the way he approached the tackle was not right and it led to a disaster on the field and a scary sight for his family, fans and the NFL as a whole.

The Raiders go on the road this week to play the Dallas Cowboys.  The Titans travel to Lucas Oil Stadium to take on the Indianapolis Colts in a rematch from two weeks ago, which featured a similar situation with Erik Walden.