Javon Bullard faces league discipline after a brutal late hit sidelined the Vikings’ new quarterback, highlighting a disciplined-starved performance that proved costly for Green Bay’s defense.
The Minnesota Vikings experiment with Kyler Murray didn't last the first quarter before the quarterback suffered an unfortunate injury in Week 1 against the Green Bay Packers.
Packers safety Javon Bullard was flagged for a personal foul when he hit Murray, who was sliding down after scrambling for a two-yard run on 3rd and 7. Per Kevin Seifert of ESPN, the play by Bullard was an "illegal hit."
"A scary and illegal hit on Kyler Murray, whose helmet flew off when he was hit on the ground," Seifert posted on X. "The personal foul is on Javon Bullard.
"Vikings players immediately began waving for help. Murray is walking off the field, but he'll go straight to the blue tent. Carson Wentz up."
In addition to giving Minnesota a free first down and 15 yards (which would aid the Vikings in scoring a field goal, their first points of the game), Bullard could face NFL wrath in the form of a fine.
Bullard could face a fine for one of the following categories: $11,941 for a late hit, $17,911 for a hit on a defenseless player, $23,822 for impermissible use of the helmet/launching.
The Packers were penalized 12 times for 98 yards on Sunday compared to the Vikings’ 3 flags for 15 yards.
Packers liner back Edgerrin Cooper told reporters after the game that the penalties hurt the team's chances of beating the Vikings. While Green Bay might not have appreciated all of those calls, the Packers can't leave the game in the hands of the officials.
"It was huge," said Cooper, via the Packers' website. "We can't put stuff like that in the refs' hands.”
"We gotta find a way to be disciplined and play sound football and avoid getting those things. As much as anyone would want to argue either way, we put it in their hands, and that's on us."
The Packers have a lot to clean up before they play the New York Jets in Week 2.
Green Bay played sloppy in the second half, but they should have shown more discipline throughout the game, including how they decided to go after a quarterback sliding to the ground.
