It sounds like what Nicks is saying is what we heard a lot of people saying on Monday night: According to NFL rules, which place a high priority on protecting defenseless players, the hit was a penalty. But it’s also hard to ask a defensive back not to lay a hard hit when he’s trying to break up a pass to a receiver going over the middle.

Abdul-Quddus didn’t look like he was trying to injure Nicks, but he did break the rules. And he’ll surely be fined for it.