Seahawks’ Michael Bennett says push in the back caused low hit on Cowboys quarterback

Michael Bennett was called for a penalty on the Cowboys' final drive Sunday, advancing Dallas closer to a potential game-winning field goal attempt.

BY ERIC MANDEL

Nov 2, 2015, 10:00 AM Updated: 11:14 am

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Seahawks DE Michael Bennett has been vocal about the NFL being overly protective of quarterbacks. (AP)

(AP)

Defensive lineman Michael Bennett leads the Seahawks in sacks, but he might also be tops in head-scratching plays during critical moments.

That held true again Sunday on a roughing the passer penalty he received with less than a minute left in the fourth quarter Sunday. But from Bennett’s perspective, it was just another example of the league being unnecessarily protective.

“The guy pushed me in the back and they said that I hit [Cowboys quarterback Matt Cassel] in the leg,” Bennett said after Seattle’s win. “You saw that? So I don’t know why they called that on me. They want to fine me.”

Bennett has been fined on multiple occasions over the past two seasons, including a $20,000 fine for an unnecessary roughness penalty on an interception against Cincinnati. Bennett has been vocal about his stance that the NFL coddles quarterbacks more than any other position.

Sunday’s penalty came on first down on the Cowboys’ final drive, advancing Dallas closer to what could have been a game-winning field-goal attempt. The penalty came one drive after Bennett’s sparkling defensive play on third-and-2, where he jumped through a gap to drop running back Darren McFadden for a loss, forcing a punt and setting the Seahawks up for a 17-play, 79-yard drive for the go-ahead field goal.

“I just saw the way the tackle was leaning and I was like, ‘Man, this is a do-or-die play, let me shoot you my gun,'” Bennett said of the tackle for the loss. “And I just shot my gun on that play.”

The Seahawks defense has kept the opposing offense out of the end zone on four of the team’s seven games, an accomplishment Bennett was proud to point out.

“We played great defense today,” he said. “We didn’t give up any touchdowns, didn’t give up many yards. Just played a great game.”