Las Vegas quarterback Derek Carr, left, is sacked by Kansas City’s Chris Jones during Monday’s game, a 30-29 win for Kansas City. Jones was called for roughing the passer, nullifying the fact he stripped the ball from Carr and gained possession. Ed Zurga/Associated Press
The NFL did not give officials a directive to emphasize roughing-the-passer penalties following Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa’s concussion, but the topic will be discussed next week when NFL owners meet in New York, a person with direct knowledge of the matter told The Associated Press.
The person, speaking on condition of anonymity because the conversations are internal, said the league isn’t planning to make any rule changes amid outrage over two disputed calls in Week 5. Roughing-the-passer penalties are down 45% from this point last year. Through Week 5 in 2021, 51 were called. Only 28 have been called this season, according to league stats.
The league’s Competition Committee – comprised of six team owners/executives and four head coaches – makes most of the recommendations for rule changes. Teams can also propose rule changes to be voted on by owners, which require 24 votes to pass.
Protecting quarterbacks is a priority for owners, who pay big bucks for the faces of their franchises. Twenty-five QBs are making at least $25 million this season. A questionable call against Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones – the second in two days – nearly cost Kansas City in its 30-29 comeback victory over the Las Vegas Raiders.
The Chiefs had just scored to trim their deficit to 17-7 when Jones stripped Raiders quarterback Derek Carr from behind just before halftime. The Pro Bowl defensive tackle landed on Carr while also coming up with the ball – replays showed it was clearly loose and that Jones cleanly recovered – but referee Carl Cheffers threw a flag for roughing the passer.
“The quarterback is in the pocket and he’s in a passing posture. He gets full protection of all the aspects of what we give the quarterback in a passing posture,” Cheffers told a pool reporter after the game. “My ruling was the defender landed on him with full body weight. The quarterback is protected from being tackled with full body weight.”
On Sunday, Falcons defensive tackle Grady Jarrett was flagged for a seemingly harmless sack on Tom Brady. The penalty gave the Buccaneers a first down and allowed them to run out the clock on a 21-15 victory.
The NFL rulebook notes: “When in doubt about a roughness call or potentially dangerous tactic against the quarterback, the referee should always call roughing the passer.”
Jones, who has been flagged for roughing the passer nine times in his career, has a solution.
“We’ve got to be able to review it in the booth, you know what I mean?” Jones said. “I think that’s the next step for the NFL as a whole. If we’re going to call it a penalty at that high (of rate), then we’ve got to be able to review it and make sure, because sometimes looks can be deceiving.”
RAIDERS: Las Vegas receiver Davante Adams could be suspended or fined for shoving a photographer to the ground as he left the field following Monday night’s loss at Kansas City.
A person familiar with the process told The Associated Press that the league is reviewing Adams’ actions following a 30-29 loss to the Chiefs, with possible punishment including a fine or suspension. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the league hadn’t made the review public.
Detectives from the Kansas City Police Department’s assault unit are investigating the incident and will work with prosecutors to determine whether charges are warranted, spokesman Sgt. Jake Becchina said. He did not provide a timetable, other than to say it could take more than a couple of days.
As Adams left the field, he pushed what appeared to be a member of a camera crew to the ground as he headed into the Arrowhead Stadium tunnel to the locker room. Becchina said the photographer went to the hospital for treatment for injuries that were not life-threatening.
COMMANDERS: Carson Wentz and Washington Coach Ron Rivera downplayed the starting quarterback’s shoulder injury that showed up on the injury report this week.
Wentz brushed off any concern about his right, throwing shoulder despite the injury report indicating he was a limited participant in practice each of the past two days. Washington plays Thursday night at Chicago looking to snap a four-game losing streak.
“I don’t know when (it occurred), and it feels pretty good,” Wentz said. “It feels pretty good. It was a Monday after a game, so I’m feeling pretty good.”
Rivera said Wentz reported the shoulder was sore Monday morning after the team’s loss to Tennessee on Sunday. He said Wentz took all his snaps in practice Tuesday.
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