For the third week in a row, Clay Matthews was flagged for another controversial roughing the passer in the Packers game against the Redskins.
No way this is roughing the passer. Terrible call. pic.twitter.com/WUqPoWqxMd
— Mark Bullock (@MarkBullockNFL) September 23, 2018
The NFL took to Twitter to immediately support the call on the field by saying that Matthews by stating that Matthews landed “with all or most of his weight”
This is a foul for roughing the passer – the defender lands “with all or most of the defender’s weight” on the passer. Rule 12, Section 2, Article 9(b): https://t.co/s9YKN8NLuT #GBvsWAS pic.twitter.com/ei2QZkvvzx
— NFL Football Operations (@NFLFootballOps) September 23, 2018
Packers coach Mike McCarthy was clearly not happy with the call as he ripped the refs on the field and also took shots at the rule during the team’s postgame press conference.
Mike McCarthy ready to put his whole body weight on this official. #Packers pic.twitter.com/uP0nKtFyKu
— Jeff Eisenband (@JeffEisenband) September 23, 2018
“In Clay’s particular case, I thought Clay did exactly what he was supposed to do there,” McCarthy told reporters after the game. “So how it’s being officiated, those are questions for other people. He hit him with his shoulder. He’s coming full speed off of the block. He braced himself. I was fine with what Clay did.”
Clay Matthews was asked about he feels about the new “bodyweight” rules and he didn’t hold back in blasting the league for “getting soft”
Clay Matthews says something has to change with the way the NFL is calling penalties on defenders for hits in the QBs. pic.twitter.com/AkFLQ28RlB
— JosinaAnderson (@JosinaAnderson) September 23, 2018
Obviously I don’t agree wit it again. I understand the spirit of the rule but when you have a hit like that, That’s a football play … Unfortunately the league is going in a direction that a lot of people don’t like. You know I think they’re getting soft, the only thing they do hard is levy fines on guys like me who play the game hard.