The NFL has found a new way to agitate its fans and its players by stubbornly enforcing the updated roughing the passer rule that has left many scratching their heads and raising their eyebrows, including Houston Texans star defensive end JJ Watt.
Roughing the Passer calls are absolutely out of control.
— JJ Watt (@JJWatt) September 25, 2018
Watt sent that tweet out Monday night, so we’re going to assume that he was watching the match between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers when he decided to speak out about the epidemic of roughing the passer calls this season.
And it’s probably this ridiculous penalty called on Bucs defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul while trying to invade Ben Roethlisberger in the Steelers’ pocket that prompted JJ Watt to hop on his phone and express his view.
https://twitter.com/CaseyBake16/status/1044398149597638656
It’s not the only roughing the passer infraction that was called in the Steelers-Bucs game, though, as there were already four entering the fourth quarter of the contest, per ESPN Stats & Info.
There have been 4 roughing the passer penalties called tonight. The most roughing the passer penalties called in a single game since 2001 is 4:
– Nov. 26, 2017: Cardinals (3) and Jaguars (1)
– Nov. 8, 2015: Titans (3) and Saints (1)
– Dec. 3, 2006: Cardinals (3) and Rams (1)— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) September 25, 2018
Watt should – and rightfully so – be paying attention to this alarming trend, as his effectiveness on the field is mostly based on his ability to take down opposing quarterbacks.
Green Bay Packers linebacker Clay Matthews recently spoke critically of the new rule, which had greatly altered the way defensive players approach their jobs.
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