Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair made headlines for all the wrong reasons during Week 13’s showdown with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Midway through the contest, quarterback Trevor Lawrence escaped the pocket and slid after a short gain. Long after Lawrence gave himself up, Al-Shaair delivered a dirty hit, knocking the quarterback out of the game and earning an ejection of his own. Following a short fight between the two teams, Al-Shaair was escorted from the game and it could be a while before we see the veteran again.
Trevor Lawrence was injured on this play.
LB Azeez Al-Shaair was ejected.
— NFL NEWS (@fantasynflnews.bsky.social) December 1, 2024 at 2:17 PM
Azeez Al-Shaair will face some discipline for his actions, but his punishment could be more severe than most. This is not the linebacker’s first late hit or questionable play, as the six-year veteran has an extensive list of borderline dirty plays. Given the increased focus on player safety and Al-Shaair’s track record, the league could suspend him for multiple games, which could benefit teams like the Miami Dolphins, Kansas City Chiefs, and Baltimore Ravens.
Azeez Al-Shaair try not to be a dirty player challenge (impossible) pic.twitter.com/PI30RkpMr7
— NFL Memes (@NFL_Memes) December 2, 2024
Upcoming Opponents Could Benefit From Azeez Al-Shaair Suspension
At 8-5, the Houston Texans sit comfortably atop the AFC South as one of the better teams in the conference. While quarterback C.J. Stroud hasn’t matched his rookie production, the rest of the roster is talented enough to make this team one of the league’s more dangerous units. Azeez Al-Shaair has not been a superstar, but the free agent signee has been a key part of the defense. Making 10 starts, the linebacker has recorded two sacks, 68 tackles, seven tackles-for-loss, seven quarterback hits, and a 73.9 PFF grade.
Houston finished their schedule with contests against the Miami Dolphins, Kansas City Chiefs, Baltimore Ravens, and Tennessee Titans. While they should be able to take care of business against the Titans, Al-Shaair’s absence could play a large role in the other three games. After a slow start to the season, the Miami Dolphins reinvented their offense and are in the thick of the Wild Card hunt. Stopping Jonnu Smith and running back DeVon Achane is difficult for any defense, but doing it without Azeez Al-Shaair will make the task that much harder.
Seeding Implications
The Kansas City Chiefs are not as good as their 11-1 record suggests, but that won’t stop them from trying to claim the top seed in the AFC. Sitting one game above the Buffalo Bills, Kansas City cannot afford to lose another regular season contest. Buffalo will earn the higher seed if both teams finish with the same record thanks to their head-to-head contest, so the Texans game could have forced them to play in the Wild Card round. However, with Al-Shaair sidelined, Kansas City should have an easier time maintaining homefield advantage throughout the playoffs, especially with Marquise Brown returning from injury.
The Ravens, meanwhile, face an uphill battle to win the AFC North. While they will make the playoffs, their loss to the Eagles all but ensures they won’t host a postseason contest. Now sitting two games behind the Steelers, they must win out and hope Pittsburgh loses at least one game to have any shot at the divisional crown. This team isn’t going down without a fight, and battling Houston without Al-Shaair will make Derrick Henry that much more unstoppable.
Main Photo: Corey Perrine – USA Today Sports
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