In what has already been a controversial season for the NFL, several fans, former players, analysts and current players have criticized the increase of roughing the passer penalties called during the first three weeks of play.
In this period, there have been 34 penalties called, compared to 16 at the three week mark last season.
The league’s official definition for the roughing the passer penalty is shown here:
“A rushing defender is prohibited from committing such intimidating and punishing acts as ‘stuffing’ a passer into the ground or unnecessarily wrestling or driving him down after the passer has thrown the ball, even if the rusher makes his initial contact with the passer within the one-step limitation provided for in (a) above.”
Players are also not allowed to tackle a passer below the waist or make helmet to helmet contact. This new section was added to the rule before the start of this season:
“When tackling a passer who is in a defenseless posture (e.g., during or just after throwing a pass), a defensive player must not unnecessarily or violently throw him down or land on top of him with all or most of the defender’s weight. Instead, the defensive player must strive to wrap up the passer with the defensive player’s arms and not land on the passer with all or most of his body weight.”
Said section has been the point of controversy for many defensive players, as they have struggled to stop their momentum or roll off the quarterback in mid-air at a sprinting pace.
The most prolific of these is Packers linebacker Clay Matthews, who has been called for three of these fouls in three games. He has been given four roughing the passer calls from 2009-2017.
After facing penalties for hitting two game changing sacks on Vikings QB Kirk Cousins in week 2 and one on Alex Smith, QB for the Redskins in week 3, Matthews has called the league “soft,” with many other players and fans agreeing with him.
He expanded on the hit on Smith in an interview with ESPN: “Obviously when you’re tackling a guy from the front, you’re going to land on him,” Matthews said. “I understand the spirit of the rule, but when you have a hit like that, that’s a football play.”
Earlier in the week it was reported that some members of the NFL competition committee were “uncomfortable” with the rule as it is and wished to discuss potential changes over a conference call.
However, the NFL released a statement on Thursday that stated that no new discussion on the rule would happen within the season, and it included a video showing proper and improper ways to tackle the quarterback.
Defenders and quarterbacks have spoken out on the subject with Vikings safety Harrison Smith saying: “As defensive players, we’re not resistant to these [rule] changes. They just need to be … physically possible, I guess.”
Texans linebacker JJ Watt tweeted: “Roughing the Passer calls are absolutely out of control.”
Discussion on the issue continued when Dolphins defensive lineman William Hayes suffered a torn ACL. The team states that this happened due to Hayes trying to not fully land on Raiders QB Derek Carr.
Later, Carr said that he would have rather had Hayes land on him instead of making the move that caused the injury.
No matter what happens, expect to see continued discussion of these calls and more penalties being called as the NFL season rolls on.
Henry Wolski
Executive Editor