When quarterbacks are disagreeing with roughing the passer calls, it’s probably a good sign that the rules have gone too far in their advantage.
Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson is the latest to question the number of roughing calls thus far this season.
“Of course, it helps me out as a quarterback,” Watson said Wednesday, via John McClain of the Houston Chronicle. “I’ve been playing this game for 12 to 14 years, and some of the calls are just crazy.”
NFL officials have called 34 roughing the passer penalties in three weeks, Kevin Seifert of ESPN reports. But the competition committee has the rule on its agenda for a regularly scheduled conference call next week, and the league’s former head of officials, Mike Pereira, expects a change in how roughing the passer is officiated.
“I’m cool with it because I want to be safe and sound, but at the same time, let’s play football,” Watson said. “It goes both ways. Some of the times, when the defensive guys are trying to hold up, they get hurt.
“I’m the quarterback, and I’m being honest with you, let the guys play and see how it goes.”
