The Green Bay Packers tied the Minnesota Vikings 29-29 in their big Week 2 matchup. But they could have come up with the win had star linebacker Clay Matthews not been called for a key roughing-the-passer penalty in the final 2 minutes of the game.
The call stripped the Packers of an interception made by rookie quarterback Jaire Alexander. The call drastically changed the end result of the game, as the Packers were up 29-21 in the closing minutes. The call gave the Vikings a shot to surge downfield and score, which eventually sent the game into overtime.
After the game, Matthews vented his frustration with the call and about how officials have been calling roughing the passer penalties.
From Rob Demovsky of ESPN:
“I have so many emotions running through as far as what a terrible call it was,” Matthews said. “At the same time, I don't know what else to do. I don't know. You let me know. You tell me. Did I put pressure on him? I thought I hit him within his waist to chest, I got my head across, put my hands down. To call it at that point in the game is unbelievable.”
Matthews was penalized for putting his body weight on Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins while he made a throw deep downfield. This new rule was put in place this year to protect quarterbacks, after Aaron Rodgers broke his collarbone on a similar play against the Vikings last year. This new call is making it difficult for defenders to lay big hits on the opposing team's quarterback.
“You see how it changed the game. I know there's an emphasis on protecting quarterbacks, but it's gotten out of control. I don't know what else to do. It's frustrating because Jaire's interception, that's game [over], right? Instead, they go down and score, overtime, this and that,” said Matthews.
Rodgers was dealing with a bruised knee from last week, but he was able to tough it out in Week 2 to give his team a chance to win it. Officials will continue to navigate the murky waters of this new call. The film will show if Matthews was in fact in the wrong.
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