Packers LB Clay Matthews has been flagged for roughing-the-passer in all three games this seasonGETTY IMAGES
The roughing-the-passer calls that have "roiled the NFL this season aren't making the competition committee happy either," as several members of the committee are "uncomfortable with the calls so far," according to Judy Battista of NFL.com. Members of the committee are "unsure if anything will change with the rule emphasis or the way it is being officiated this season" since the league "could be reluctant to pull back on a rule with its base in player safety" (NFL.com, 9/25). Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones said that future pro football "should distinguish itself from college and high school football because the players are being paid to incur risk and it’s where the men are playing." Speaking yesterday on Dallas-based KRLD-FM, Jones said, “Everybody is really being paid to go out and you’re paid a lot of money to go out and incur those types of situations that have more risk in them. It’s real important that pro football distinguish itself as a very physical game relative to the game in college, relative to the game in high school and amateur." Cowboys COO, Exec VP & Dir of Player Personnel Stephen Jones is on the competition committee (Ft. Worth STAR-TELEGRAM, 9/26). In DC, Kareem Copeland writes the NFL’s emphasis on roughing-the-passer penalties "doesn’t seem to be going anywhere soon." Redskins S D.J. Swearinger said, "It’s going to win and lose games for people. It’s not fair for defenders. It’s not fair for this league. It’s not fair for football, in general. That’s not how you play football. The game wasn’t designed to play tag" (WASHINGTONPOST.com, 9/25).
FOR THE GOOD OF THE GAME? ESPN's Tom Waddle said NFL execs can "hide behind the guise of improved player safety, but this is a joke." Waddle: "Some of the things that they are throwing flags for are just simple violations of common sense. My hope is that they will see the error of their ways, make an adjustment and we're not talking about this four weeks from now” ("Get Up," ESPN, 9/26). ESPN’s Clinton Yates said, “What we’re seeing is not the brand of football people are coming for. … It's not fun to watch and that's an issue for Goodell.” The Boston Globe’s Bob Ryan: “They've put themselves in an untenable position. The pass rushers cannot win and the referees cannot win” (“Around the Horn,” ESPN, 9/25). In San Jose, Gary Peterson writes, "Show of hands: Who is enjoying the NFL’s new player-safety rules? Hello? Anyone? I know you’re out there" (MERCURYNEWS.com, 9/25). But in DC, Thom Loverro asks, "What do you think is motivating the league to make these changes? Goodwill? Compassion?" The NFL is "worried about the damage to their product caused by the damage on the field." It is possible that the players "would have the same concerns." The NFL has "decided that it is good business for quarterbacks in this league to stay safe." If it is "good business for the NFL, isn’t it good business" for the NFLPA, whose duties "do actually include protecting the health and welfare of its players -- and future earnings for those members to come?" (WASHINGTON TIMES, 9/26).
WAKE-UP CALL: NBC Sports Bay Area's Ray Ratto said he is "delighted" the controversy around roughing-the-passer calls is "blowing up the way that it is." Ratto hopes the issue remains "so that at some point somebody will sit down down and go, 'We have to fix all of this, not just the roughing-the-passer problem,' because there's a whole lot of things about the rule book that make no sense and have no value" ("The Happy Hour," NBC Sports Bay Area, 9/25).
