Tempers flared again in a Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Houston Texans game.
Jaguars linebacker Dennis Gardeck was flagged for unnecessary roughness in the second quarter of their game on Sept. 21 at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville after rushing to the defense of long snapper Ross Matiscik at the end of a Logan Cooke punt.
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Mastiscik, who was covering downfield, was hit from behind by Houston’s Jakob Johnson. Gardeck retaliated by shoving Johnson and the officials saw Gardeck’s hit, but not Johnson’s.
There was a scuffle along the Jaguars’ sideline but it was quickly cleared up. Two of the peacemakers were Jaguar safety Andrew Wingard and Houston linebacker E.J. Speed, who were seen walking away with their arms on each other’s shoulders.
Jacksonville Jaguars and Houston Texans players scufffle along the Jaguars sideline during the second quarter of their game on Sept. 21 at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville.
It would end up being meaningless, from an official standpoint. Houston’s M.J. Stewart had been called for holding on a 5-yard return by Jaylin Noel, and the penalties offset. Houston had good field position but was forced to punt.
Last year’s game in Jacksonville between the two teams saw Houston linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair get ejected after a late hit on Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence, with a subsequent brawl in which Jaguars cornerback Jarrian Jones was thrown out of the game.
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Azeez was greeted with scattered boos by Jaguars fans during the first half. They were especially loud in one end zone when he picked up an incomplete pass and dashed into the end zone, thinking it might be a loose ball.
Players from both teams also appeared to be jawing at each other during a time out late in the second quarter but there were no further incidents. The Jaguars led 7-3 at halftime.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jacksonville Jaguars, Houston Texans game gets chippy on punt return