Bengals coach defends Logan Wilson over Ravens injuries.

Cincy, Ohio Following his investigation of his tackle of Baltimore tight end Mark Andrews and other plays that caused injury to Ravens players on Thursday night, Bengals coach Zac Taylor fiercely defended linebacker Logan Wilson on Friday.

Taylor objected to the way Wilson was described in the moments following the match.

“It’s kind of been brought to my attention, the narrative that’s out there right now, which I think is completely reckless,” Taylor stated. “He approaches the game correctly. I believe that some have assumed too much when they categorize him.

“Seeing that, given what I know of the guy, is frustrating. And I’m aware that he’s making an effort to play the game fairly.”

Wilson looked to use the “hip-drop” move—where a player drops to the ground to use more force to stop an opponent—to bring Andrews down. All this year, people have been talking about the relocation, which is lawful.

The NFL Players Association asked the league’s competition committee not to ban the hip-drop in a statement they made in March, citing the fact that it would be “unfair to players and unrealistic to implement.”

A well-known league executive revealed statistics at the NFL owners meetings in October that indicated the hip-drop carries a 25-fold higher risk of injury than a typical tackle. The vice president of health and safety for the NFL, Jeff Miller, likened it to a horse collar.

“It’s an unforgiving behavior and one we need to try to define and get it out of the game,” Miller stated.

After the game on Thursday night, Ravens coach John Harbaugh told reporters that Wilson’s play was “definitely a hip-drop tackle.”

Andrews, who most certainly sustained a season-ending left ankle injury during the play, prompted criticism from Harbaugh.

Harbaugh remarked, “That’s a tough tackle.” “Was it even necessary in that situation?”

Reporters were not given access to Wilson following the game, which the Ravens won 34-20.

Taylor was going to get up to depart the dais in the Bengals’ news conference room on Friday when he took a seat again to make a remark regarding Wilson in light of the criticism the fourth-year player has seen.

“It’s unfortunate any time a player gets injured,” Taylor stated. “Nevertheless, he’s a guy I’m happy to coach and glad to have on this team.” It’s a little annoying and exasperating to read the story about him. That is just untrue. He is a man who merely wants to see the team succeed.”

Although he detested Andrews’ injuries, Ravens linebacker Patrick Queen defended the hip-drop.

We play football at the end of the day, Queen said. “Our sport involves tackling. A hip-drop tackle isn’t always a bad thing, in my opinion. What more would you like us to discuss? Simply allow the man to pass you by?”

Following Wilson’s tackle on Andrews, the tight end went to one knee while the Baltimore medical team attended to him. The home crowd at M&T Bank Stadium gave him a standing ovation as he eventually left the field.

The linebacker for Cincinnati was also a part of previous plays that ended in injuries. After chasing down Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson following a protracted scramble, Wilson tackled Jackson on Baltimore’s sideline at the end of the first quarter. Jackson completed the game without missing a snap after being assessed by the team’s medical personnel. In the fourth quarter, Wilson chased down wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. of the Ravens, and he did not return to the game.

Harbaugh hinted that the Ravens would request that Wilson’s tackle of Jackson be reviewed by the league office.

“The other one on the sideline,” was Harbaugh’s comment regarding that particular play. “There are always plays you send into the league to have them look at and have them interpret for you.”