The NFL had an early kickoff on Sunday with the New York Jets and Atlanta Falcons playing in England, and the officiating crew wasted no time making a controversial call.
Jets linebacker Quincy Williams was flagged for roughing the passer on third down early in the first quarter. The call was a big one, as New York had forced an incomplete pass and the Falcons were about to punt. But was it a penalty? Here’s the video:
There’s no way that shoulda been a roughing the passer. #Jets #Falcons #NFL pic.twitter.com/SWECbLRdm5
— Daniel Fitzgerald (@nflpicksfitz) October 10, 2021
The hit was not late, nor did Williams lead with the crown of his helmet. He also didn’t hit Matt Ryan in the head or neck area. However, the official determined that Williams “stuffed” Ryan into the ground, which means he landed on top of him with most or all of his weight.
The “stuffing” rule is one that has not been popular since the NFL implemented it a few years ago. There have been multiple examples where hits that look perfectly clean wind up drawing a 15-yard flag. You can see one of the most controversial here.
