The NFL feels like a different world in the last two weeks, especially when it comes to rushing the passer.
Quarterback has always been a protected position on the field, frequently benefiting from rules and the current structure of today’s game. But following Miami Dolphins’ quarterback Tua Tagovailoa’s concussion vs. the Bengals on Thursday Night Football led to him being taken off the field with a stretcher, quarterbacks have seemingly drawn more flags than ever.
In Week 5 alone, there were three different egregious instances of a defender drawing a roughing the passer flag from officials after what otherwise looked like a run-of-the-mill sack.
“Multiple league and officiating sources said Tuesday there has been no edict to further protect quarterbacks following the Tagovailoa incident,” ESPN reported this week. ESPN officiating analyst John Parry, a retired referee who maintains close ties with the league’s officiating department, said: “There has been no directive to change anything.”
While it doesn’t appear the NFL has consciously directed its officials to be quicker on the draw when it comes to contacting quarterbacks, that doesn’t mean teams aren’t having talks about it themselves.
For Jacksonville Jaguars defensive coordinator Mike Caldwell, the conversation is a blunt one. Life isn’t easy for a defender, but the rules are the rules.
“You have the rules, you just have to abide by them. They’re not changing, you just have to understand that in that situation you can’t throw him down,” Caldwell said on Thursday. “You can’t pull them down, horsecollar him in the pocket, but there are certain ways you have to land on a quarterback or try not to land on a quarterback. We’ve gone over that and they understand it. It’s tough for a defensive player, but that’s what we’ve got to do—abide by the rules.”
“You always try to learn from other teams. We talk about those situations and other situations that come up, so that’s been talked about, but from day one, they understand that the quarterback is protected in certain ways, and they have to understand that.”
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Caldwell and the Jaguars just know how impactful a penalty can be. Just this past weekend, the Jaguars were on the losing end of an unnecessary roughness penalty on 3rd-and-20 that resulted in a Houston Texans first down.
This penalty was different, of course; Travon Walker hit Davis Mills after a play was blown dead, violently tossing him to the ground. But it is an example of how a penalty on a hit on a quarterback can lead to a game being flipped upside down.
“Really, I just met him on the field and asked him what happened. I told him, in that situation, that’s unacceptable,” Caldwell said. “You can’t do it. He’s a competitor, great kid. I think he didn’t hear the whistle, and he got his hands on the quarterback, and you can’t throw him down, so we’ll move on from that. He’ll learn from it.”
But there is also the other school of thought when it comes to the NFL’s recent treatments of quarterbacks and defenders. While it would be prudent for defenders to know the trending direction of calls, it also makes sense not to fill their head with any doubt or overthinking in a fast game that relies on instincts and quick decision-making.
“No, I don’t have that conversation, I just want our guys to play hard, obviously play within the rules but play hard, play fast,” Doug Pederson said on Wednesday.
“It’s a physical football game and things are going to happen. Calls are going to happen that we may agree or not agree with. I don’t want to put that in our players’ minds or in their heads. You still want them to play fast.”
For a Jaguars team that is looking for its pass-rush to bounce back against the Colts this weekend against a leaky offensive line, don’t be surprised if there are any close calls that leave it up to a referee’s interpretation.
But, as Caldwell said, it is important to remember context — especially when the same calls can work in favor of each team.
“That’s every rule, depending on what side you’re on. If it’s your quarterback, you want him to have as much protection as possible. If you’re going after the quarterback, you want to go get him,” Caldwell said.
“It’s interpretation by the referees, and it’s a tough job that they have to do. We have to understand what we can do, how we can help our team. Just teach them the rules, let them understand what they can and can’t do and go from there.”
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