Getty Image / David Eulitt
Everyone is up in arms about the terrible roughing the passer calls in Week 5. The Atlanta Falcons were dealt a brutal hand in their game after a horrific flag was thrown after they sacked Tom Brady. Then it happened again between the Kansas City Chiefs and Las Vegas Raiders after Chris Jones sacked Derek Carr. Now, players on the Washington Commanders share their harsh criticisms of the NFL.
The Commanders Are Sick And Tired Of These Ridiculous Roughing The Passer Calls
According to Nicki Jhabvala, Taylor Heinicke (QB), Jonathan Allen (DT), Charles Leno(LT), and Montez Sweat (DE). Although the Commanders didn’t suffer from a horrible call such as this, the penalties have clearly rubbed everyone the wrong way.
Some strong reaction in the Commanders' locker room to the roughing calls across the NFL lately: pic.twitter.com/7asgmTAGWZ
— Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) October 11, 2022
All of their criticisms are valid. Charles Leno may offer the most intriguing perspective though, as he puts himself in the shoes of Chris Jones. Everything is a risk factor, but the league must find a balance to ensure the game is played correctly.
Additionally, Allen and Leno seem to believe this will all be behind us in the coming weeks. We hope they’re right. If these roughing-the-passer calls continue, NFL fans might just riot. That’s the last thing we want to have happen. Regardless, the Commanders are on the same page as the rest of us.
It’s hard to imagine Chris Jones being capable of doing anything else while sacking Derek Carr. Especially considering the ball came loose and the Chiefs big man grabbed it. For now, it appears the league isn’t going to make any drastic changes. So, hopefully, the Commanders and every other team in the league can avoid the horrific calls we’ve seen from the refs so far this year.