Interesting discussion with an ominous speculation on ESPN Sunday Countdown

[Barbershopman]

Through week 3, 33 roughing the passer penalties have been called. 48 games have been played which means less than one a game throughout the league , however there have been more called though 3 weeks than last year. While discussing this Sunday on NFL Countdown, it was pointed out that there is an emphasis to call these roughing the passer penalties even though early on, it seems like they are calling too many of them.

As a result, there was a funny situation in the Washington/Green Bay game when the Washington defender hitting Aaron Rodgers was apologizing to him for landing on him AS HE WAS SACKING HIM, he was flagged on the play. What was not so funny is when, while sacking David Carr, William Hayes tore his ACL while trying not to land on him. Carr said in a post game interview that he would have rather Hayes land on him. Hayes is lost for the season.

Now it's understandable, people are more likely to tune in and watch Brady, Rodgers, Rothleisberger and other elite quarterbacks rather than their backups because franchise quarterbacks are the face of the league, and that, the league says is the reason for the increase in these calls.

But I think it was Rex Ryan that offered an ominous alternate reason. He speculated that fantasy football pools are losing participants and money because elite quarterbacks are being injured and not available for fantasy football rosters.

That is a scary prospect to think that the most powerful league in the country is bowing to pressures put on them by fantasy football owners and players, don't you think?

Barbershopman

 

[oldgeezer]

My guess is Rex was being a wise ass.
The NFL definitely wants the stars on the field for TV ratings / money.
Not sure about fantasy football.

I predict the next thing that will happen is the refs trying to whistle the play dead for QB in the grasp immediately and try and prevent the QBs from being tackled at all. They already have quick whistles when the pocket collapses. They just need to figure out what to do when a single pass rusher breaks free and has a clean shot and tries to just make a reasonable tackle but can help but fall down with the QB he is tackling.

 

[Barbershopman]

I predict the next thing that will happen is the refs trying to whistle the play dead for QB in the grasp immediately and try and prevent the QBs from being tackled at all. They already have quick whistles when the pocket collapses. They just need to figure out what to do when a single pass rusher breaks free and has a clean shot and tries to just make a reasonable tackle but can help but fall down with the QB he is tackling.

They may see that the left tackle whiffed on the block and blow the whistle right there, and if the defender takes three more steps, throw the flag and call unsportsmanlike conduct, unless the defender calls out MOTHER MAY I?!!!

Barbershopman