With 1:51 remaining in the 1st half of the Panthers’ 30-14 loss to the Dallas Cowboys safety Xavier Woods was flagged for what appeared to be a clean hit on wide receiver CeeDee Lamb.
Despite protest the penalty stood – keeping the chains moving for the Cowboys.
“They explained it as a hit on a defenseless receiver,” Canales said when I asked him what the officials’ explanation for the flag was. “We were fighting like crazy to say it wasn’t to his head or neck area and from their vantage point that’s kind of what they saw. That’s what they flagged. It was a really hard hit.”
After the game Lamb insinuated that Woods was targeting his previously injured shoulder.
“I feel like it’s a well-known thing that my shoulder’s hurting, so I feel like these guys are trying to put their best hit on me,” CeeDee said. “They have to come a little bit harder than that. I know I got hit by Xavier Woods and I played on this team with him for a couple of years, so I know what he’s capable of.”
Woods did not speak to media after the game.
