Clay Matthews' hit on Alex Smith brought the rule into the spotlight once again this weekGETTY IMAGES
The NFL Competition Committee "doesn't intend to change the wording" of the roughing-the-passer rule when members "speak next week on their regularly scheduled conference call," according to sources cited by Mark Maske of the WASHINGTON POST. However, sources said that there is "strong sentiment among those on the committee that the rule should be applied differently by the on-the-field officials" for the remainder of the season. One source said they are "not sure we can do anything this year" regarding the rule. Another source said that "no formal instructions to the on-field officials are likely to be made," but it is expected the rule will be "called differently in the future, with the shift in emphasis becoming clear through officiating videos distributed by the league" (WASHINGTONPOST.com, 9/24). Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio said the NFL "wants to ensure, the best they can, that the best quarterbacks will be available to play." But the "bigger goal" is to "ensure that people are engaged in the product, tuning into the broadcast and ultimately pushing up the ratings, pushing up the revenue" ("PFT," NBCSN, 9/25).
NOT A "NEW" RULE: Cowboys COO, Exec VP & Dir of Player Personnel Stephen Jones, who is on the competition committee, said that the group would "continue to evaluate the rule." Jones said, "We'll continue to look at this and for ways to find the happy medium that we can protect our players." Jones said of Cowboys DE Tyrone Crawford being called for a controversial roughing-the-passer against the Seahawks on Sunday, "That was a tough call. That was not roughing the passer under the existing rules. That was just not roughing the passer." Fox' Troy Aikman said during Cowboys-Seahawks, "I don't agree with it, but I'm tired of talking about it. And these are plays that are changing outcomes of games" (DALLASNEWS.com, 9/24). FS1's Shannon Sharpe said of the calls, "That's the rule. They're not turning back" ("Undisputed," FS1, 9/24).
THREAT TO THE GAME: USA TODAY's Mike Jones writes the rule is "yet another frustrating episode and apparent threat to both the purity of the game and credibility of the NFL." The language in the rule was "actually put into place" in '95, but it is only now that the competition committee has "stressed the need to actually enforce this rule." One of the consequences of the increase in those penalties is that other players are "under the impression that NFL brass cares only about protecting quarterbacks." Dolphins coach Adam Gase "made a concerning suggestion" when he said that DE William Hayes suffered a torn ACL after he "tried to avoid landing with his body weight" on Raiders QB Derek Carr. Responding to that news, 49ers CB Richard Sherman tweeted, "(The NFL) don't care about the rest of us getting hurt. Long as the QB is safe" (USA TODAY, 9/25). FS1's Jason Whitlock said the league "has to do something" about the penalties, as they are "losing their core supporters" ("Speak for Yourself," FS1, 9/24). Former NFLer Joe Thomas: "NFL fans as a whole are getting roughing-the-passer fatigue, and they're becoming apathetic about it. That's the last thing you want when you're in the entertainment business" ("Golic & Wingo," ESPN Radio, 9/25).
VIOLENT DELIGHTS, VIOLENT ENDS: In DC, Barry Svrluga writes the truth is that "we don't know what football is right now -- other than hazardous to your health." It is the NFL's "job to keep its players safe in an inherently unsafe environment." In its attempt to "do the impossible, it has legislated regular old football plays right out of football" (WASHINGTON POST, 9/25). THE MMQB's Albert Breer asked, "Who'd have guessed that the body weight rule would be a much bigger problem for the NFL than the helmet rule, three weeks into the new season?" (SI.com, 9/24).
