What happened on Anfernee Jennings' roughing the passer penalty? Referee explains after Patriots' Week 15 loss to Cardinals
A controversial call took away a crucial turnover for the New England Patriots in a key moment. In the third quarter Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray ran out of the pocket and attempted to make a play on a third down attempt. However, his bad pass was picked off by Patriots cornerback Jonathan Jones. This […]
A controversial call took away a crucial turnover for the New England Patriots in a key moment.
In the third quarter Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray ran out of the pocket and attempted to make a play on a third down attempt. However, his bad pass was picked off by Patriots cornerback Jonathan Jones.
This would have given New England the ball on the Cardinals 18-yard line, but instead, Arizona not only got to keep the ball, but also got a new set of downs.
As Murray was throwing the ball, it looked like Anfernee Jennings was attempting to block the pass. But, as the pass floated in the air, Jennings was already committed to the play and Murray ducked his head which resulted in a tough hit.
After the game, referee Ron Torbert was asked about this and stood by the crew's call.
Here’s the full pool report conducted with PFWA representative Mike Reiss:
What did you see on the field that led to the flag for roughing the passer (third quarter, 3rd-and-6, Arizona 8-yard line).
Torbert: “The flag came from the umpire’s position. The umpire saw a hit to the quarterback’s helmet just after he had thrown the ball.”
How does the quarterback scrambling as a runner as he approaches the line of scrimmage before throwing the ball affect the protection provided to the quarterback under the roughing the passer rule?
Torbert: “This does not impact the protection that he gets from forcible hits to the helmet. Although he is scrambling and working the pocket, he still gets the same protection from forcible hits to the helmet that he would if he were standing in the pocket.”
If in a situation like that, a quarterback maybe lowers his head after throwing the ball before contact was made by the defense, how would that affect the protection to quarterbacks under the roughing the passer rule?
Torbert: “By rule, that action does not impact the protection that he gets from forcible hits to the helmet. We would have to see that action if it happens. That in itself does not change the protection that he gets from forcible hits to the helmet. “
For a defensive player who would ask what he would have to do to not be penalized in that situation, is the answer as simple as there cannot be forcible contact to the helmet?
Torbert: “In that particular situation, given that’s what we called, that would be the answer. That is the reason that the flag was thrown, because of the forcible contact to the quarterback’s head and neck area.”
