Whereas this Monday Night Football matchup was supposed to be a clash between Josh Allen and Aaron Rodgers, it instead turned into a frustrating game filled with flags and whistles.
Advertisement
Consequently, the officiating crew led by Adrian Hill faced sharp criticism for their penalty calls as the Buffalo Bills battled against the Jets. Rodgers, like many fans and players, wasn’t too happy after the game and didn’t hesitate to voice his discontent.
A total of 22 penalties, 11 on each side, for a total of 204 yards were thrown in Monday’s games. The referee calls, particularly A.J. Epenesa’s roughing the passer penalty that extended the Jets’ drive, left fans and analysts baffled.
Equally perplexed, the Jets quarterback asserted on The Pat McAfee Show that sometimes, in the name of player safety, measures can go too far.
“I’ve made a joke about how the league in some ways is getting rid of some of the violence. Some of it’s good—like the defensive player protections—but as a throwback player, I don’t want that call on EPA…It wasn’t an egregious sack; it wasn’t major contact.”
Having previously influenced a rule change, Rodgers explained how moves like the ‘Brady rule,’ which prohibits players from “lunging” at a quarterback’s legs from the ground, have altered the game for the better. However, the four-time MVP feels that the regulations have become increasingly tighter with time to the point where they are not allowing players to play the sport properly.
While establishing that he respects Hill and the white cap crew in their efforts to “protect the quarterback,” Rodgers questioned where the line should be drawn. As someone who has played through and witnessed the evolution of the game’s physicality, Rodgers doesn’t see the need for flags on borderline hits that fall short of egregious fouls.
Referencing Randy Marsh’s over-the-top portrayal of football safety on the show South Park, Rodgers said, “When we go too far with any of these rules, we enter the realm of Sarcastaball. Randy Marsh might be proud, but that’s not really [what] I want to see.”
Even the Buffalo Bills players weren’t too impressed by their 23-20 win over the Jets due to the janky game. Offensive tackle Spencer Brown, who was penalized thrice in the game, said, per WGRZ’s Jon Scott, “I think it’s pretty insane that guys can’t go out there and play football like we were told to when we were little kids.”
While Rodgers’ opinion echoed those of the fans and even the Bills’ offensive tackle, a former NFL cornerback feels that the Jets signal-caller might be looking at an impending fine with his remarks.
Rodgers might face a fine
Former Patriots star Devin McCourty feels that while Rodgers may have been expressing an honest opinion, he wouldn’t be surprised if Rodgers is fined by the league for criticizing the officiating. It’s largely due to his name and the influence the former Super Bowl champion holds in the league, which might prompt the league to take strict action and make an example out of him.
“I would be surprised if he doesn’t get fined simply because of who he is, the magnitude of it being Aaron Rodgers,” said McCourty on Pro Football Talk.
Having played in the league for 13 seasons, McCourty empathized with the teams in their frustration with being restricted on the field. However, the former CB also feels that the players should accept the rules and play accordingly, rather than complaining.
Referring to Tyrion Smith’s holding penalty, which nullified a touchdown for the Jets, he said:
“And we can always say it, those plays happen all the time and every play in the NFL there’s somebody being held. But when it gets called, you can’t complain about it because it was a holding penalty.”
Every year, the league brings about rule revisions in an attempt to balance player safety with preserving the essence of football. However, fans and players are finding it hard to adapt to the new version of the sport. With Rodgers not mincing his words to express his frustration, it will be interesting to see if the league takes action against the quarterback.
