Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones was frustrated in the moment when he was flagged for a questionable roughing the passer call on Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Derek Carr during his team’s 30-29 win on Monday night.
Jones doesn’t want that to happen to himself or any other defender again.
The NFL had a tough week specifically with these calls happening on multiple occasions prior to Jones’ situation in the first half. Jones has a solution for these calls that he says are "getting absurd."
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"I think roughing the passer, they had put such an emphasis on that, that we gotta be able to view it in the booth now," he said to reporters in the locker room. "I think that’s the next step as the NFL as a whole. If we’re gonna continue to call roughing the passer at that high of a velocity, then we gotta be able to view it in the booth to make sure because sometimes looks can be deceiving."
Jones got into the pocket and Carr didn’t see him from behind. The veteran tackle went for the ball first, and upon further replay, Jones seemed to have it secured as both players went to the ground.
But the issue that referees are paying attention to more this season is defenders landing on top of quarterbacks with their body weight. The initiative is trying to protect the quarterback.
Jones did land on top of Carr, but he was holding the ball and even seemed to use his left arm to try and keep some of his weight off the quarterback.
"From the ref’s point of view, it probably looked like that initially and when you look at the replay it’s a whole different thing," Jones said.
Jones also spoke on a situation that occurred between the Atlanta Falcons and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, when Grady Jarrett sacked Tom Brady until he didn’t.
Jarrett wrapped up Brady and twisted him to the turf, and though Brady actually caught some flack on social media because it looked like he tried to kick Jarrett after he got up, the Falcons were flagged for roughing the passer.
Jones’ situation didn’t cost him the game, but Jarrett’s did. It looked like a normal sack, but instead the Bucs didn’t have to punt and they iced the win with a Mike Evans first down catch.
"You take a look at Grady Jarrett’s situation. … What type of situation was it in the game? It was a 3rd down stop also," Jones said. "And if you take that into (consideration) if we’re able to view it in the booth and the referees can get a second look, because it’s happening so fast, maybe we can change that because now it’s getting absurd. Now, it’s causing teams games."
Chiefs head coach Andy Reid also gave his piece post-game, admitting that his sideline felt the exact same way he did when he leaned on the refs harshly after making the call.
"I thought he had the ball. That’s what I thought but that’s [the refs’] ob. They do that," Reid said.
"Listen, it’s an emotional game. What I thought wasn’t right, but it is what it is."
The Chiefs went on to beat the Raiders, coming back from a 17-point deficit to win, 30-29. It went from 14 to 17 after the Jones play, when the Raiders’ Daniel Carlson knocked through a field goal a few plays later.
