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Kyle Allen knocked out on vicious hit, but Alex Smith stays in after Allen cleared to return
Washington Football Team quarterback Kyle Allen was knocked out of his first start with his new franchise by a vicious helmet-to-helmet hit in the second quarter against the Los Angeles Rams.
The hit on Allen came from the Rams’ Jalen Ramsey, who lowered his helmet on contact and earned a 15-yard flag on the play.
If there was a silver lining on the play, it’s that Alex Smith’s miraculous comeback came full circle after Allen left the game.
Allen was cleared to return, but Smith stayed in the game at the start of the second half.
Comeback Player of the Year wrapped up?
Smith last took an NFL field 693 days ago, when he suffered a brutal leg injury that many assumed would be a career ender back in Week 11 of the 2018 season. After missing all of the 2019 season and not seeing action in the first four games of 2020, Smith took the field in relief of Allen.
His first play? A 6-yard completion to J.D. McKissic. Incredible.
Still, there was a breath-holding moment when Smith was sacked on his third play of action by none other than Aaron Donald. The Rams’ Defensive Player of the Year candidate jumped on Smith’s back and took him down for a 4-yard loss.
But Smith got back up and then completed four of his next five passes before halftime, for a total of 35 yards passing in the first half, as the Rams led, 20-10, at intermission.
We might have our Comeback Player of the Year Award wrapped up already.
Donald got Smith for another sack in the third quarter, but Donald appeared to hold back a bit.
Aaron Donald with another third-down sack. Also note the way he sort of held Smith up while locking down his arms as the play blows dead. Classy.
— Jourdan Rodrigue (@JourdanRodrigue) October 11, 2020
Allen had earned his first start with Washington after Dwayne Haskins was benched this past week — and then later sent home for what reportedly was deemed a “stomach virus.” Allen ran for a score and completed 9 of 13 passes for 74 yards before leaving the game.
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