Tag: Penalty

Replay assists could be used for more calls in 2025

Hits on running quarterbacks have been controversial this playoffs. Replay assist may be coming to save the day in 2025

A big controversy during the season, and the playoffs specifically, has been hits to the quarterback when running. Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes was the benefactor of a controversial unnecessary roughness penalty that could lead to a rule change this offseason.

The quarterback is going to be protected by the NFL, and we all know that. The increase of mobile quarterbacks has extended that protection outside of the pocket. While there’s nothing wrong with protecting players, quarterbacks tend to receive a level of protection that is compromising to defenders.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported the NFL is considering adding plays involving quarterback slides to the list of plays replay assist can be used with. There are multiple close calls that include late slides and questionable contact points.

Referees are seemingly inclined to give the benefit of the doubt to the quarterback in these situations. Adding replay assist takes any doubt out of it. The Texans versus Chiefs game showed how impactful these calls can be.

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Twitter did not like the Brandon Jones penalty vs. Bills

Do you think Broncos DB Brandon Jones deserved a 15-yard penalty for his hit on Bills RB Ray Davis on Sunday?

Denver Broncos fans were not pleased with the officiating during Sunday’s playoff game against the Buffalo Bills.

Broncos returner Marvin Mims was surprisingly penalized for pushing a player who stood over him after a play, and Ty Johnson’s touchdown catch was disputed by fans. NFL referee Bill Vinovich also went to the sideline during a break and he appeared to apologize to Bills quarterback Josh Allen for a missed call.

Those incidents were not well-received by fans in Denver, and safety Brandon Jones’ unnecessary roughness penalty also seemed harsh.

Buffalo was leading 13-7 when Allen threw a pass to running back Ray Davis in the third quarter. Just after Davis failed to catch the ball, he was hit hard by Jones. Here’s the play:

Jones appeared to attempt turn his body to avoid a head-to-head collision, but he still received a 15-yard penalty. It appeared that Jones intended for a shoulder-to-shoulder hit, but his helmet did make contact with Davis’ helmet.

Fans did not appreciate the penalty.

“Legitimate question. What should Brandon Jones had done differently?” one fan asked on Twitter/X.

Another fan chimed in: “Basically the only way Jones doesn’t get a penalty here is going at the receiver straight up with his arms stretched out and tackling him with his chest. And even then I’m not 100% sure they don’t call a defenseless receiver penalty. Basically you have to avoid hitting him smh.”

Some fans suggested that it was a makeup call after Vinovich had previously apologized to Allen. Other fans noted that Allen shouldn’t have put Davis in that situation with that throw.

Davis left the game with an injury but was said to be OK afterward.

Instead of facing 3rd-and-13 at their own 38-yard line following an incompletion, the Bills were given a first down at Denver’s 47-yard after the penalty. Buffalo went on to score a touchdown on that drive and eventually won 31-7.

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Twitter reacts to ridiculous penalty called on Broncos WR Marvin Mims

No idea why this was a penalty on Marvin Mims???

Late in the second quarter of Sunday’s playoff game against the Buffalo Bills, Denver Broncos wide receiver Marvin Mims took a huge hit on a punt return, then a Bills player stood over him. Mims retaliated by pushing a player, causing a scuffle. The officials then penalized Mims for unnecessary roughness.

Here’s a sampling of how Twitter/X reacted to the strange penalty:

The Broncos currently trail the Bills 10-7 at halftime in Buffalo.

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Chiefs legend Tony Gonzalez offers to pay the fine for Travis Kelce’s penalized touchdown celebration

Kansas City #Chiefs legend Tony Gonzalez offers to pay the fine for Travis Kelce’s penalized touchdown celebration | @EdEastonJr

The Kansas City Chiefs can catch up on rest this weekend after sweeping a challenging schedule of three games in eleven days. Travis Kelce has plenty to celebrate after securing several milestones in the Week 17 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Kelce caught his 1,000th career pass and became the franchise’s all-time touchdown receptions leader in the eventful game. He tallied eight catches for 84 yards and a touchdown during the Christmas Day victory, capping it with a tribute goalpost touchdown in honor of Tony Gonzalez, who he surpassed for the record.

The Chiefs legend and current analyst for Prime Video’s Thursday Night Football coverage shared a pre-recorded video congratulating Kelce for breaking his franchise record.

“You know I had to show love to the greatest of all time,” posted Kelce on X. “You did mention you’d help me with the fine tho.”

Kelce’s penalty for his tribute celebration cost the Chiefs some yards on the extra-point attempt, but Harrison Butker was still able to convert successfully.

Justin Strnad, Tremon Smith plead their cases after ‘TNF’ penalties

“I don’t know what else I’m supposed to do,” Broncos LB Justin Strnad said when asked about the Justin Herbert slide.

The Denver Broncos were penalized seven times for 61 yards in a 34-27 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers on Thursday Night Football in Week 16.

One of the most crucial fouls came from linebacker Justin Strnad, who was penalized for “barely” hitting sliding Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert on a third down in the third quarter. Instead of facing 4th-and-6 from Denver’s 11-yard line, L.A. was gifted a 1st-and-goal from the five-yard line.

The Chargers went on to score a touchdown. Assuming they would have kicked a field goal on fourth down if not for the penalty, that foul was a four-point swing.

After the game, Strnad initially said he had “no comment” on the play before later saying, “I don’t think it was a penalty.”

When asked if he made contact with Herbert, the linebacker had this response: “I think I like barely hit him. I mean, he’s a huge quarterback, I’m getting ready to tackle him, he slides last second. I don’t know what else I’m supposed to do.”

This is the play in question:

Broncos cornerback Tremon Smith also had a crucial penalty that cost the team points. Just before halftime, Smith made contact with a returner who had called fair catch. The resulting 15-yard penalty gifted the Chargers a fair catch free kick, a three-point swing.

Smith admitted it was a “dumb penalty,” but he also implied that the returner manipulated the situation.

“The returner did a good job of selling it, just running into me even though he wasn’t going to catch the ball,” Smith said. “Like I said, dumb penalties.”

Strnad and Smith will look to bounce back when the Broncos face the Cincinnati Bengals on the road in Week 17.

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Former NFL head coach says Saints got away with foul on game-winning FG block

Former NFL head coach Jay Gruden says the Saints got away with a foul on their game-winning field goal block. Check the tape for yourself:


There’s no love lost between Jay Gruden and the New York Giants — he coached against them with Washington from 2014 to 2019, going 4-7. The second-to-last game he coached was a 24-3 loss to Big Blue. But the former NFL head coach put the Giants’ close loss to the New Orleans Saints under a microscope when studying this week’s games, and he says the Saints may have gotten away with a penalty on their game-winning blocked field goal.

Gruden highlighted two Saints defensive linemen on the field goal try, Payton Turner and Nathan Shepherd, who pulled and pushed down the left guard and center, creating a gap for Bryan Bresee to leap through, arms extended for the block. That could count as a block in the back or defensive holding, but obviously no penalty was called this time.

“This referee is saying ‘Oh yeah that’s a flag, I got it,'” Gruden said, noticing the umpire’s hand dive into his pocket to grab a penalty marker. But the official decided to keep the flag where it was, and the play stood as a game-winner for New Orleans.

It’s not like referee Clete Blakeman and his crew hadn’t thrown many flags that day. They had fouled the Saints six times for a loss of 40 yards. But they did hit the Giants a dozen times for a staggering 112 penalty yards. They lived up to their reputation as one of the NFL’s most flag-happy officiating crews. So maybe the Saints did get away with one here. Either way, they got a win, and that’s what will be remembered.

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NFL’s flag-happiest referee assigned to Saints-Giants game

The New Orleans Saints and New York Giants are going to have to deal with the NFL’s flag-happiest referee in Sunday’s Week 14 matchup:

The New Orleans Saints and New York Giants might be seeing a lot of yellow on Sunday as their matchup got assigned the most flag-happy referee in the NFL.

Clete Blakeman was assigned the Week 14 matchup of Saints-Giants per Football Zebras. Blakeman’s crews lead the league in both penalties per game (15.3) and penalty yards per game (128.5).

Neither team will be excited to see him on the sidelines, but New York especially. In the games of theirs that they have played in with him as the referee, they are just 3-6. New Orleans doesn’t have a spectacular record, but at least it is a balanced 7-7.

Blakeman was the referee for the Saints’ 51-27 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers earlier this season. New Orleans was penalized seven times for 70 yards. The Buccaneers, however, were hit 12 times for 86 yards. At worst, he and his crew don’t seem to have a negative lean towards the Saints. Let’s hope for a clean game on Sunday.

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Broncos QB Bo Nix went viral after yelling at Browns to ‘jump offsides!’

Broncos QB Bo Nix went viral during MNF after he pulled a page out of Jameis Winston’s playbook and yelled at the defense to jump offsides!

During the Cleveland Browns’ 24-19 upset win over the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 12, quarterback Jameis Winston was caught mic’d up shouting, “Somebody jump offsides!”

One week later, Winston and the Browns faced the Denver Broncos and quarterback Bo Nix gave a good-natured nod to his counterpart.

Facing a 4th-and-2 while leading by three points late in the third quarter, Nix attempted to draw Cleveland’s defenders offside with a hard count. The Browns didn’t fall for it and Nix pulled a page out of Winston’s playbook.

“Jump offsides!” Nix said with a big smile before Denver conceded a delay of game penalty and kicked a field goal.

Fans appreciated the funny moment, and it’s gone viral on Twitter/X.

The Broncos went on to beat the Browns 41-32 and Nix spoke glowingly about Winston following the game. Up next for Denver is a bye in Week 14 followed by a home game against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 15.

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‘Worst 11-1’ trends on Twitter after controversial penalty leads to Chiefs win vs. Raiders

Football fans made the term ‘Worst 11-1’ trend on Twitter after a controversial penalty helped the #Chiefs beat the #Raiders in Week 13.

The Kansas City Chiefs became the first team in the NFL to clinch a playoff berth after defeating the Las Vegas Raiders 19-17 on Black Friday.

However, a controversial penalty at the end of the game left a bad taste in the mouths of Raiders fans, who won’t be keen to congratulate the Chiefs on their impressive accomplishment.

Friday’s AFC West matchup was decided by an illegal shift penalty against the Raiders that occurred just before Las Vegas got a chance to kick a game-winning field goal in the final seconds of the fourth quarter.

After what was arguably one of Kansas City’s worst performances this season, Raiders fans were less than pleased that Las Vegas had bungled its comeback attempt. The Raiders faithful were so incensed about the loss that they got the term ‘Worst 11-1’ to trend on Twitter.

Take a look at the play that caused the online uproar:

Take a look at what fans on Twitter had to say about the Chiefs’ win over the Raiders:

Top reactions:

Chiefs clinched playoff berth after Week 13 victory over Raiders

The Kansas City #Chiefs clinched a playoff berth after their Week 13 victory over the Las Vegas #Raiders on Black Friday.

The Kansas City Chiefs guaranteed their spot in the AFC playoffs after securing a Week 13 win over the Las Vegas Raiders on Black Friday.

The Chiefs seemed destined to lose their matchup against Las Vegas after Raiders quarterback Aidan O’Connell led a heroic two-minute drill that got his team in field goal range facing a two-point deficit.

But, when rookie center Jackson Powers-Johnson botched a snap to O’Connell with 15 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, Kansas City’s defense made the most of its opportunity to close out the game.

Star linebacker Nick Bolton lept on the ball, and the Chiefs took possession after the referees called a controversial penalty that Kansas City had the option to decline.

This was among the Chiefs’ sloppiest wins in a season that has seen the defending Super Bowl champions stack victories seemingly against all odds.

With its spot in the playoffs now secured, Kansas City officially controls its own destiny in the race to earn the AFC’s No. 1 seed, and a coveted bye in the Wild Card round.