Roberts low hit sack on Mac: penalty or not?

[JMC00]

he was going down based on momentum from being blocked

Did you even watch it? No he absolutely wasn't. He ran at least 5 steps after knocking down Stevenson, he wasn't blocked into him at all. He dove low, instead of coming in higher. He had more than enough time to come in higher, problem was if he did Jones would have had the ball out by the time he got there.

100% a penalty based on how it's written in the rulebook

 

[Pape]

In today's NFL it's a penalty all day long. Every time. Roberts had enough time to pull up. I get that's not how the game should be played... But is how it's played today due to the Palmer then Brady injuries.

 

[condon84]

Sucks for Roberts because he was just trying to instinctively make a play while he was falling down but under today's rules, that's a penalty.

Stevenson was absolutely useless yesterday.

 

[PP2]

That was an absolutely pathetic rep.

I remember seeing Jakob Johnson going ahead of him and filling the wrong hole (Roberts came through the other hole). I wonder if it was Stevenson's job to just release into the flat and be the option, but either way, not good situational awareness by him not reacting to a failing play.

 

[sb1]

Ticky tack call IMO. I wouldn't be happy if one of our guys was flagged for that kind of play.

 

[1960Pats]

My first reaction was bad call…he was going down based on momentum from being blocked. At the same time, it’s a dangerous play, so where do you draw the line on intent and safety?

No foaming-at-the-mouth homer takes please…curious what people think because it doesn’t get called often.

Roberts went through the "blocker" like he wasn't there and didn't fall down from momentum. He took a shot at Mac's knee but was trying to use the non-block as an excuse. I guess it worked with some of us but not the referee. It was a cheap shot by today's standards.

 

[BTTA]

Did you even watch it? No he absolutely wasn't. He ran at least 5 steps after knocking down Stevenson, he wasn't blocked into him at all. He dove low, instead of coming in higher. He had more than enough time to come in higher, problem was if he did Jones would have had the ball out by the time he got there.

100% a penalty based on how it's written in the rulebook

Agree. His problem was that there wasn't time to take the extra step required to make a legal play, so he made an illegal one.
QB's are too important to the competitive, qualitative, and financial success of the NFL. There needs to be rules like this to keep them on the field as much as possible. Old school, tough guy mentality about this is just wrong.

 

[Keyser Söze]

It’s pathetic that goes for a penalty in today’s NFL.

 

[Triumph]

In the beginning of the season every little thing is called. Bad call.

On a different note. Who did Roberts run over? White or Stevenson?

 

[MahomestoKelce]

Not sure if this specific call was lousy or not. But in general the league is too kind to the QB's. Yes I realize the QB's are what generates revenue. But I just wish the rules were 50/50 towards offense and defense.

 

[sb1]

Not sure if this specific call was lousy or not. But in general the league is too kind to the QB's. Yes I realize the QB's are what generates revenue. But I just wish the rules were 50/50 towards offense and defense.

Most of us do but I don't think the league will ever go back to those days.

 

[MahomestoKelce]

Most of us do but I don't think the league will ever go back to those days.

Probably not.

And it's unfortunate

 

[JMC00]

The people saying it wasn't a penalty also probably think it was right that there wasn't a flag the play before when Harris had his helmet ripped off or a flag for Roberts punching the back of Harris helmet while he was on the ground on another play

Flores got that team playing dirty

 

[Ring 6]

This is one of those rules that isn’t based upon intent or fault. The fact that he was going to the ground as he approached the QB makes it logically seem like it shouldn’t be a penalty because how else can he hit the qb? But within the rule he shouldn’t avoid the hit. The blocked into exception is only for unavoidable contact.
Definitely an overofficious rule, and definitely one that penalizes the instinct any player would have but that was a penalty by that rule.
Disliking the call means disliking the rule.

 

[Rob0729]

The way it is called in the NFL, it is a penalty. You wrap a QB under the knees whether you are falling down or diving for his knees, they are going to call it every time.

I don't necessarily agree with the call, but to the OP's question, that is going to be called as roughing the passer 99 times out of a 100. So yes it was the proper penalty.

 

[Rob0729]

BTW, I don't think it was a controversial call at all as tweet says. If he was being blocked into Jones and they called it, it would be one thing. But that wasn't the case, That is a play the refs would consistently call roughing the passer. The fact of the NFL is the league babies the QB.

 

[amfootball]

I believe the rule is waved it the ref believes the rusher was blocked into the QB or had no other play but to grab him low. I believe he had no other option because he was on the ground and it was a terrible call. I am happy we got it though. LOL!

 

[nowayback]

penalty, throw him out of game, 3 game suspension .

 

[JMC00]

I believe the rule is waved it the ref believes the rusher was blocked into the QB or had no other play but to grab him low. I believe he had no other option because he was on the ground and it was a terrible call. I am happy we got it though. LOL!

Another person who clearly hasn't watched the play. Go ahead and post the screenshot from the clip posted in the op of him on the ground before he made contact with Jones. Go ahead i'll wait..........

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

The people saying it wasn't a penalty also probably think it was right that there wasn't a flag the play before when Harris had his helmet ripped off or a flag for Roberts punching the back of Harris helmet while he was on the ground on another play

Flores got that team playing dirty

Again, no need for foaming-at-the-mouth homerism.