In the third quarter of Week 14’s Sunday Night Football game between the Miami Dolphins and Los Angeles Chargers, a controversial roughing the passer penalty on the Dolphins has caught the NFL world’s attention.
The play in question occurred in the third quarter when the Dolphins desperately needed a big play on defense. They thought they got one.
Miami seemingly got off the field on defense with a huge sack of quarterback Justin Herbert. However, the officials threw the penalty flag for roughing the passer on Dolphins pass rusher Jaelan Phillips for the hit.
We'll be diplomatic and call this a questionable roughing the passer penalty. pic.twitter.com/JQLkX4XBBY
— The Comeback (@thecomeback) December 12, 2022
The argument for the call is likely that Phillips came down with his full body weight, but it certainly seems like a very weak call. The NFL world took to social media to largely blast the officials in the game for the call.
Roughing the passer???? Did he not lay him down gently enough???
— Emmanuel Acho (@EmmanuelAcho) December 12, 2022
That's the worst roughing the passer call in a long line of roughing the passers
— Adam Beasley (@AdamHBeasley) December 12, 2022
Absurd roughing the passer call.
Absurd.
— JJ Watt (@JJWatt) December 12, 2022
I’m glad I don’t coach defense!!! If that’s roughing the passer then I don’t know how to teach sacking the QB. 🤷🏾♂️ #dolphinsvschargers
— Coach Willie Simmons (@HCWillieSimmons) December 12, 2022
That roughing the passer call against the #Dolphins was one of the worst calls I have ever seen in an #NFL game. They need to allow challenges for penalties.
— Peter Schiff (@PeterSchiff) December 12, 2022
might as well just start driving QBs into the ground if you can get called when you brace yourself on the fall https://t.co/y94pV3GcVN
— Arif Hasan, but NFL 🏈 (@ArifHasanNFL) December 12, 2022
Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniels certainly did not agree with the call, simply laughing about how bad the call was.
Mike McDaniel's reaction to the roughing the passer call. 😅#FinsUp | #BoltUp pic.twitter.com/de9jeNq76y
— Sunday Night Football on NBC (@SNFonNBC) December 12, 2022
There truly isn’t too much more that Phillips could have done in this situation, as he clearly tried to brace himself for his own fall as well as Herbert’s.
Luckily for the Dolphins, the Chargers would go on to punt later on in the drive anyways, but it is certainly one of the more blatant misses from the referees that we have seen in quite some time.
[Photo Credit: NBC]
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