GREEN BAY, Wis. -- On his first-ever rushing attempt at Lambeau Field, Green Bay Packers rookie running back Eddie Lacy suffered a concussion.
Lacy rushed for 10 yards on the play before a helmet-to-helmet collision with Washington Redskins safety Brandon Meriweather. There was no penalty on the play.
Lacy walked to the locker room with the Packers' training staff and was officially ruled out for the remainder of the game with a concussion.
"I really didn't have a clean look at the contact with (Meriweather) and Eddie," coach Mike McCarthy said after the game.
Former NFL head of officials Mike Pereira explained his take on the play in a FOX Sports article.
"At first glance, I wasn't sure if this was not the new crown of the helmet rule, and after watching the replays, I'm still not sure," Pereira wrote. "The rule is designed for two guys lining up each other. Meriweather is coming from the side, however, the rule is designed for the tackler and the rusher going directly at each other.
"The question is going to be weather Meriweather "lined him up'" with a direct shot. It's going to take some examination by the league to determine whether they feel this was a foul, but the intent of the rule would seemingly make this be a foul they want called."
Lacy was replaced in the game by James Starks, who performed very well and became the first Green Bay running back in 44 regular-season games to rush for more than 100 yards.
Early in the second quarter, Meriweather left the game after making another apparent helmet-to-helmet hit on Green Bay's backup RB James Starks near the sideline. This time, Meriweather got the worst of it and was down on the field for several minutes. Meriweather eventually got up under his own power and walked off the field to the applause of Packers players and fans. Meriweather will miss the rest of the game with a concussion.
"The one on Starks, it looked like (Meriweather) got himself in a bad position," McCarthy said. "I don't know what the outcome was. Hopefully he's OK."
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