After the Cardinals were called for 10 penalties on Sunday -- and the Redskins were called for only one -- there’s been a lot of talk in Arizona this week about how mental mistakes cost the Cardinals in their 23-22 loss.
Cardinals defensive tackle Darnell Dockett, however, says that the Cardinals can’t be so concerned about avoiding penalties that they lose their toughness.
“We just have to be smart,” Dockett said. “I always emphasize to my team, ‘Don’t never be a punk. If somebody do something to you, you do something back.’ If you just continue to let them do it, then you’re going to have a long day.”
So Dockett thinks that retaliating when someone takes a shot at you is fine. You’ve just got to do it in a way that won’t result in a penalty.
“We’re not going to let nobody just push us in the helmet, push in the back, step on our hands and do crazy stuff,” Dockett said. “You have to respond sometimes but also you got to be smart about it.”
Be smart, but don’t be a punk. Words to live by.
