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Seahawks' Sherman: Hit on kicker 'wasn't a dirty play'

Tim Heitman / USA TODAY Sports

Richard Sherman drew the ire of the Buffalo Bills on Monday night after he crashed into kicker Dan Carpenter on a field-goal attempt.

The Seattle Seahawks cornerback was determined to be offside on the play and was whistled for it, but he continued to dive to block the kick attempt and crashed into Carpenter's legs.

Sherman was not flagged for unnecessary roughness on the play, though senior VP of officiating Dean Blandino said he should have been given a 15-yard penalty.

The outspoken corner defended the play after the game.

"(The refs) didn't say anything. It wasn't a dirty play," he said postgame.

"I'm a pro, I've been in this league long enough. I know how hard it is to play. When you go for a block, that's what you do, you go for a block. They said I was offsides, you still stop the play. You're not gonna let him just kick the ball freely, let him have a free play. He could have made the decision not to kick the ball. He saw the flag before I did. He has a better vantage point than me on this play. It is what it is."

The Bills sideline was seen shouting at Sherman at the end of the half, which led Sherman to stare down Bills coach Rex Ryan after a third-quarter interception.

"I didn't hear what he said," Sherman said. "I'm sure he said something, you'd have to ask him. I didn't hear him. Our stadium is too loud, and they were going crazy right there. I didn't say anything, I just looked at him."

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