Dolphins' Alonso: 'No way' I could've avoided late hit on Flacco

Miami Dolphins linebacker Kiko Alonso defended his late on hit on Joe Flacco after Thursday's game, saying there was "no way" he could've avoided hitting the sliding Baltimore Ravens quarterback.

"It was a bang-bang play," Alonso said, according to Adam H. Beasley of the Miami Herald. "I thought if maybe he slid a second sooner, I was anticipating him sliding, and not hit him. But I think it was a second late; that's why I hit him."

Flacco was knocked out of the game after sustaining a concussion from the hit, which caused a face-to-face shouting match between Alonso and head coach John Harbaugh and led to a tense rest of the game between both sides.

"That's the target," Alonso continued. "When a guy slides, and his target is very small, I just think it's like a second late, which is why I hit him, to be honest with you. At first I was anticipating him, I thought he was going to slide. And then, I had to hit him, because he slid too late. It was bang-bang. I don't know what else I could have done."

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Ndamukong Suh, who later in the game grabbed Ryan Mallett's throat after an offside penalty, defended his teammate.

"I know Kiko is not a dirty player," Suh said. "He just plays hard all the time."

A suspension could in the cards for Alonso, but he said he isn't concerned because "it's out of my hands."

"I definitely hope he is all right," Alonso said. "You hate to see that happen to people. I truly hope he is OK."