Watch: Raiders' Peters saves TD with controversial dirty tackle

Green Bay Packers wide receiver Romeo Doubs (87) misses a pass as Las Vegas Raiders cornerback Marcus Peters (24) defends. Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

Watch: Raiders CB Marcus Peters saves TD with controversial dirty tackle

By Eric Smithling | Last updated 10/10/23

After getting beaten badly by wide receiver Christian Watson, Raiders cornerback Marcus Peters resorted to a cheap play to prevent a Packers touchdown.

Marcus Peters got called for a horse-collar penalty after this HUGE play from Christian Watson #GBvsLV pic.twitter.com/pSLSrzMDaI
— ESPN (@espn) October 10, 2023

Peters grabbed Watson by his collar and slung him to the ground, a clear personal foul horse-collar penalty.

Immediately afterward, Peters was criticized online for his controversial tackle.

If you horsecollar a guy with a clear path to the endzone that should be a touchdown
— Pete Blackburn (@PeteBlackburn) October 10, 2023

Horse collar inside the ten when you know it won't cost you 15 yards is just a dirty play.
— Bill Barnwell (@billbarnwell) October 10, 2023

Horse-collar tackles were eliminated in 2005 following a tackle by Cowboys defensive back Roy Williams on Eagles wide receiver Terrell Ownes in 2004, resulting in Owens sustaining a fractured fibula.

How the horse collar tackle was born!
This is the play that brought the horse collar tackle into the NFL. If I had rerouted @terrellowens like i was supposed to (sorry coach Parcells) this play never happens and @roywilliams31 doesnt have to make the tackle.#ThrowbackThursday pic.twitter.com/d21W3RiPPC
— Scott Shanle⁵⁸ (@scottshanle) April 16, 2020

Luckily, Watson wasn't injured because of Peters' dirty play. And as much as he should be criticized, Peters was rewarded for it after the Raiders held the Packers to a field goal.

The league should enforce a rule for player safety to prevent defenders from making an egregious tackle like the one Peters made. Watson had a clear path to the end zone and would have scored without the cheap tackle.

Unless the NFL does something, more defenders will pull a Peters when they get beat. When that happens and it results in a serious injury, the league will only have itself to blame.

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