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By Trevor Squire
Contributing Sports Writer
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The Houston Texans' rout of the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC wild-card round didn't come without its collateral damage.
Amid a fourth-quarter outburst that saw the Texans score 23 points en route to a 30-6 victory on Monday, Aaron Rodgers took a hit that could land Texans Pro Bowl edge rusher Will Anderson Jr. in trouble with the league.
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Early in the final quarter, Anderson sacked Rodgers to force a fumble that resulted in a Sheldon Rankins touchdown and a double-digit lead. The play proved to be the catalyst for a runaway victory in the fourth quarter, but taking a further look at the replay, Anderson appears to have made contact with Rodgers' helmet while the Steelers quarterback was in the pocket.
Anderson's hit on Rodgers falls under the description for unnecessary roughing, roughing the passer, which could result in Anderson facing a hefty fine from the league.
Anderson's hit could fall subject to fines under the NFL's player safety protocols, which would result in a fine of up to $17,389 for first-time offenses. The NFL announces its fines on Saturday as part of its gameday accountability program.
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Anderson can appeal the potential fine and has had some success doing so in the past.
Last year, Anderson criticized officials, saying, "We knew it was going to us versus the refs," in respect to the Texans' playoff loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. He was fined $25,000 for the comment, but he won his appeal to have the fine rescinded.
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No matter the league's ruling on Saturday, it should not interfere with Anderson's availability for Houston's divisional round matchup with the New England Patriots on Sunday.
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