The NFL has new rules in place this season for what constitutes roughing the passer, and no one is having more trouble following them than Clay Matthews.
For the third week in a row, Matthews was flagged for unnecessary roughness for a hit on an opposing quarterback. Just like the play last weekend where he hit Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins, Matthews did not make helmet-to-helmet contact with Alex Smith or appear to do anything malicious. However, he did land on Smith with his body weight, which is now considered roughing the passer.
#Packers Clay Matthews now has 3 weeks in a row with roughing the passer called against him.pic.twitter.com/LSfPmHKMW3
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) September 23, 2018
Matthews immediately threw his arms out as if he knew a flag might be thrown, and he was understandably furious to see the laundry come out. No one was more angry than Packers coach Mike McCarthy, who was shown going ballistic on an official near the sideline.
After the Clay Matthews' roughing the passer call for the 3rd week in a row.#Packers coach Mike McCarthy lost it and went after the ref [no contact though]pic.twitter.com/ENqhknk7JW
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) September 23, 2018
Matthews’ hit on Cousins last week negated an interception that likely would have sealed a win for Green Bay, and many felt it was a perfectly clean football hit. The controversy was one of the biggest of the weekend, and the NFL will once again be facing questions after Matthews was flagged for his hit on Smith.
