DETROIT — NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and league officials looked at Ndamukong Suh’s latest infamous act on the field from several angles, trying to understand why the Detroit Lions defensive tackle kicked Houston Texans quarterback Matt Schaub in the groin area.
“Intent is something that is very difficult for us to ever try to make a judgment on,” Goodell told reporters before speaking at a Lions charity event Tuesday night.
Goodell said he hasn’t spoken to Suh about what he did in last Thursday’s game, adding that the league’s football operations staff is in the process of speaking to him about it. Suh was on his chest after being taken down by an offensive lineman and extended his left foot to hit Schaub below the belt, dropping the QB to his knees doubled over in pain in the first quarter of Houston’s 34-31 overtime win.
“They’re still going through the process of whether it should be a fine,” Goodell said. “They’ll probably make that decision in the next couple days.”
In a few weeks, Goodell said the NFL’s competition committee will meet and might suggest changing a rule for the playoffs that hurt Detroit’s chances of beating the Texans last week.
“We may evaluate it as it relates to the postseason,” Goodell told reporters.
Officials didn’t blow their whistle when two Lions tackled Justin Forsett, allowing him to get up and run for an 81-yard touchdown in the third quarter. Detroit coach Jim Schwartz negated an automatic review by challenging the play.