The Bengals boast one of the top defenses in the league, and one of the best players on that defense is weakside linebacker Vontaze Burfict. In Sunday’s 37 – 37 tie with the Panthers, Burfict stood out not for his talent, but rather his dirty play.

Burfict made a pair of tackles that drew criticism for how active he remained physically after the play was over. In the third quarter Cam Newton ran in a touchdown as he was tackled by Burfict, and while both were on the ground Burfict grabs Newton’s foot and twists it backwards. In the fourth quarter, tight end Greg Olsen gets the same treatment from Burfict after he catches a touchdown pass: Burfict and Olsen are on the ground, the play is over, and Burfict remains holding onto Olsen’s foot and pulls it up and away.

Both Newton and Olsen started the game nursing ankle injuries, and they suspect Burfict was aware of this and targeted them.

“I think instances like that, that are so clearly premeditated that he had in his mind if those opportunities, that he was going to try to attack not only guys’ legs, but guys who were coming off ankle problems specifically, there’s no room for it,” Olsen said. “Punishment needs to go beyond a fine. At some point, if the NFL wants to really say they care about guys’ safety, they’ve got to start putting guys out for weeks. Me and Cam are lucky we aren’t out for weeks. If you’re going to start putting guys on other teams out, then the ramifications need to equal that.”

Burfict did not receive penalties for those two ankle-twisting incidents, but he was flagged for a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty after hitting a defenseless Kelvin Benjamin.

The NFL is currently reviewing these accusations, and the video evidence is indeed damning. Burfict could very well be facing a hefty fine and maybe even, as Olsen requested, a suspension for his extracurricular activities.