Atlanta Falcons cornerback Dunta Robinson on what he saw while lining up for that penalized hit on Philadelphia Eagles receiver Jeremy Maclin:
I saw a guy catch the ball and I saw him turn upfield. It's my job to get him on the ground. This is a physical game. It's not about being dirty. I'm not a dirty player. I've never been labeled a dirty player, but I do play hard. It's just about getting guys on the ground. It's a rough game. You just play until the whistle blows. I definitely didn't think it was an illegal or a dirty hit.
In response to a question on whether he's gaining a reputation as a player who commits these types of hits:
I'm just playing football. I'm not thinking about things like that. I'm not thinking [I want to] knock myself out or other guys out. Just go out there and play hard. I've been a hitter since I was seven years old. In Pop Warner I was knocking guys out of football games. It's not about being dirty.
Unfortunately, Robinson was labeled a dirty player even before Sunday night, fairly or not. While I don't suspect he intends to hurt anybody, he's got to get his tackling form cleaned up.
For reaction, head to Falcons blog The Falcoholic and Eagles blog Bleeding Green Nation.