Questionable roughing the passer calls raise more questions

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Can’t contact this.

Falcons defensive deal with Grady Jarrett came upon the exhausting means when he sacked Tom Brady and obtained flagged for roughing the passer within the fourth quarter of Atlanta’s 21-15 loss at Tampa Bay on Sunday.

The questionable penalty that benefited Brady and the Buccaneers raised extra considerations about interpretations of the rule. It was the second straight week referee Jerome Boger made the crucial name late within the recreation on a play that didn’t appear to warrant a flag.

Final week, it helped the Buffalo Payments on a drive that ended with Tyler Bass kicking a 21-yard area purpose as time expired to beat the Baltimore Ravens 23-20.

This time, it allowed the Buccaneers to increase the ultimate drive and finally run out the clock.

Defending quarterbacks has all the time been a degree of emphasis for the NFL. That was magnified after Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was taken off the sphere on a stretcher following a violent hit in a recreation in opposition to Cincinnati on Sept. 29. Tagovailoa sustained a concussion when 6-foot-3, 340-pound Bengals defensive deal with Josh Tupou threw him backward, slamming his head into the turf.

Tupou wasn’t penalized for sacking Tagovailoa. Neither Josh Allen nor Brady had been injured on the hits Boger referred to as roughing.

“What I had was the defender grabbed the quarterback whereas he was nonetheless within the pocket, and unnecessarily throwing him to the bottom,” Boger informed a pool reporter after the sport. “That’s what I used to be making my determination based mostly upon.”

Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles, in fact, understood the choice.

“I noticed that one being referred to as. I noticed it in opposition to Tua when he obtained hit, and within the London recreation this morning,” Bowles mentioned. “I believe they’re beginning to crack down on a number of the issues, slinging backs. I don’t know. Proper now, the best way they’re calling (it), I believe lots of people would’ve gotten that decision.”

Within the NFL rulebook, it states: “Any bodily acts in opposition to a participant who’s in a passing posture (i.e. earlier than, throughout, or after a move) which, within the referee’s judgment, are unwarranted by the circumstances of the play will probably be referred to as as fouls.”

The rulebook additionally notes: “When doubtful a few roughness name or probably harmful tactic in opposition to the quarterback, the referee ought to all the time name roughing the passer.”

Many analysts, together with former quarterbacks, disagreed with Boger’s name.

“The league workplace has to get that fastened,” Corridor of Fame coach Tony Dungy mentioned on NBC’s “Soccer Night time in America” pregame present. “In the event you can’t deal with the quarterback, it’s going to be unimaginable to play protection.”

Robert Griffin III tweeted: “The Falcons obtained ROBBED. Hitting the QB exhausting doesn’t equal Roughing the Passer even when it’s Tom Brady.”

Regardless of the notion that the 45-year-old Brady will get particular therapy, the seven-time Tremendous Bowl champion ranks forty first with .14 roughing calls per recreation since 2009. This was the primary time Brady was the beneficiary of a roughing penalty this season. He solely obtained one final 12 months.

Jarrett was visibly upset in regards to the penalty and refused to speak to reporters after the sport. Falcons coach Arthur Smith wouldn’t criticize the officers.

“Clearly from my vantage level, it appeared prefer it was a foul name,” Falcons cornerback Casey Hayward Jr. mentioned. “However that’s why you place the refs on the market to make these calls. They pay these guys to make these calls. It appeared dangerous (from) my standpoint – however like I mentioned – I used to be on the again finish. They put these guys there to make these calls.”

No one needs to see any participant endure a success just like the one which despatched Tagovailoa to the hospital. However there’s a distinction between defending quarterbacks and punishing defenders for enjoying soccer.

Discovering a steadiness is the NFL’s dilemma.

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Observe Rob Maaddi on Twitter at https://twitter.com/robmaaddi

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