Texans LB Azeez Al-Shaair Defends Controversial Hit on Sam Darnold

"It really was me running with my receiver, him running. I pushed off of the receiver, right to the tackle. He lowers his shoulder," Al-Shaair detailed.

"We both just kind of hit each other. I'm driving him. He's trying to drive his legs. Still no whistle, but my head is in his chest. So, I don't know really where I'm at on the field. There's still no whistle. They never blew the whistle until after I dropped him on the ground."

Playing to the whistle is something Al-Shaair is convinced turned into a pretty grey area during MNF, and being in the heat of the moment is always pretty far removed from sitting up in the stands.

Straying into the no man's land of socking it to Darnold looked plain to see on TV, but Al-Shaair feels the guidance from the officiating crew was sorely missing on this particular occasion.

"It's just confusing because that happened a whole bunch today," Al-Shaair declared on Monday. "And I don't - I guess, normally, that you're able to kind of play a little bit longer with the whistle. But it’s just awkward- if the guy stopped, then blow the whistle. So, I just- it was weird."

If Al-Shaair is looking for someone to back up his own assertions– Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans also believes that the zebras didn't cover themselves in much glory on this occasion.

"I think that happened a few times in the game," Ryans insisted, via KPRC2 reporter Aaron Wilson. "Definitely agree there. Plays weren't stopped when they should have been stopped."

Ultimately, the stance both Al-Shaair and Ryans are taking won’t amount to muc,, especially when the league office brings the hammer down.

Of course, everybody these days is well aware how NFL quarterbacks will be a greatly protected species until the end of time; so the penny really should have dropped with Al-Shaair by now.

Simply playing far greater degrees of smart and intelligent football should indeed be at the very top of the to-do-lists of Ryans and Co. this week, but just maybe the riot act should be read out also behind closed doors?

Fundamentally, a far better balance needs to be found when setting a tone, but that's something which the ultra physical Al-Shaair has always struggled with, to be fair.

When you boil it down, Al-Shaair's own notorious reputation throughout the league undoubtedly now precedes him, and that's not going to change anytime soon.

After all, actions have consequences.