After Further Review: Roughing the Passer, on EVERYBODY!!

In changing to update my other post to make sure that I got it accurate that it now had video, I made reference to a lot of what might be considered, by some, ticky-tack fouls.

I want to show you at least two Roughing the Passer calls on the Packers last night.  Before I do that, watch this video from the NFL regarding the RTP rule (especially the quotation at about 10 seconds)...

And keep in mind:  That means ANY UNWARRANTED PHYSICAL ACT.

Got it?  OK.  On to last Sunday night's game:

Lukas Van Ness Was Called For This Roughing The Passer On Dak Prescott, Soft League Man. The Packers Edge Rusher Gets Flagged On A Hit That Barely Looked Like A Foul. Soft. 😬 https://t.co/N03KhdYJBp

— SM Highlights (@SMHighlights1) October 19, 2026

Lucas Van Ness of the Packers is flagged for an automatic first down midway through the fourth quarter with the Pack up 23-7.

Again, I want to stress the rule:  ANY UNWARRANTED PHYSICAL ACT.  And this would probably qualify -- it's two steps or so after the release of the ball.  Even the light shove is unwarranted.

Later in the same drive, this for Karl Brooks:

Karl Brooks Called For Roughing The Passer On Dak Prescott, This Is Textbook For NOT A Roughing The Passer, As He Didn’t Go Down With All His Body Weight And Had Only His Arm. The Packers Defensive Tackle Gets Flagged On A Clean Hit That Should Never Have Been Called. Not Roughing. 😬

— SM Highlights (@SMHighlights1) October 19, 2026

The initial hit is fine. The problem is Brooks' hand appears to get around Prescott's neck or face mask by the time he takes Prescott to the ground. That is also Roughing the Passer.

The Packers got flagged for three automatic first-down penalties on that drive, as part of four against the Packers in the game and seven overall.  The Cowboys could not capitalize, losing the ball on downs with less than six minutes to go.

Here's one in the San Diego game with Justin (S)Herbert:

This negated a Chiefs interception, and, again, you see some slight helmet contact there.  Given the NFL's "protect the quarterback at all cost" provision, that's also Roughing the Passer.

This took away a Chiefs INT for “roughing the passer.” The @NFL officiating is absolutely broken. Even Justin Herbert was walking off the field because he thought the penalty was against the Chargers.🙄 https://t.co/Uk2jnHJ7rf

— Shannon✨Stargazer (@1776Whispers) October 18, 2026

We'll find out about these and several others, probably, on Saturday.

After Further Review: Have We Got Another Investigatable Foul?

The Rams are now 2-4.  And it sounds like the game was rigged AND deliberately thrown by the Rams.

Touchdown Rams for 16-15 at 47 seconds.

Then the kickoff goes into the end zone and comes out to the 35.  Remember, all Arizona needs is a field goal.

Then, 41 seconds left, a 15-yard unnecessary roughness penalty by Josh Wallace puts them in field-goal range.

UNREAL PERSONAL FOUL WHAT DO YOU WANT HIM TO DO??? https://t.co/L4XLXmZw0W

— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) October 18, 2026

Not the hardest in the world, but it is shoulder to the head of a defenseless player -- that will be a strike for suspension too. The call IS correct.

Field goal at the gun for the Double Cliffhanger and 18-16 to Arizona.

This has been a week with a number of questionable calls, to the general public, vis-a-vis head contact.

After Further Review: Just a fine, or a suspension?

CJ (Chauncey) Gardner-Johnson of the Bills was ejected today for apparently spitting.

At barest of minimum, the penalty will result in him being a THREE-TIME LOSER in just six weeks.  Including an ejection and a separate Points of Emphasis situation.

My guess? This one's gonna cost him AT LEAST Week 7.

#Bills DB C.J. Gardner-Johnson has been ejected, and it appears he may have spit on a #Raiders player. https://t.co/ckzy3yMn6M

— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) October 18, 2026

After Further Review: What the fuck was THAT in Jacksonville?

They called holding on Jacksonville's Brenton Strange (#85, lined up in the backfield) on this play.

Early second quarter, 7-0 Houston in London.

I have no use for the MAGA scum who posted this, but someone explain to me where the offensive holding was on this play?

Another week in the NFL where the referees are rigging games. In this series a touchdown turned into an interception. Roger Goodell needs to fix this. https://t.co/jg5XhLbBsW

— Nick Adams (@NickAdamsinUSA) October 18, 2026

The drive got nothing on an end zone interception.  Houston upset Jacksonville 34-31 on a field goal at the gun.

2026 Week Five Fine Blotter

It's that time again.

We'll start with quite a few helmet fouls this week:

• Arizona:  Elijah Higgins, $20,411
• Buffalo:  James Cook, $21,167
• Cincinnati:  Erick All, $7,073
• Cincinnati:  Jordan Battle, $21,623  Both within the first half of the first quarter.
• Cleveland:  Carson Schwesinger, $14,699
• Las Vegas:  Maxx Crosby, $23,882

Taunting:

• Buffalo:  Bradley Chubb, $14,329.  Making him a TWO-TIME LOSER.

Shockingly, though there were six helmet fouls this week, ONLY ONE TAUNTING FOUL.

Striking, etc.:

• Buffalo, their third of the week:  Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, $11,194  And the second TWO-TIME LOSER for Buffalo this week.

Low Block:

• Washington:  Amik Robertson, $12,537, making him a TWO-TIME LOSER in two weeks.

Face Mask:

• Dallas:  Otito Ogbonnia, $11,111
• Houston:  Jaylen Noel, $8,165
• LA Rams:  Braden Fiske, $11,941
• New England:  Mike Brown, $6,750
• Washington:  Dorance Armstrong, $11,941

And one more that bleeds us into the Points of Emphasis:

• New York Jets:  Minkah Fitzpatrick has earned a league meeting for his second strike.  Not only was he fined $11,941 for a facemask, but another $17,911 for the defenseless player foul previously referenced on the blog.  That makes him a THREE-TIME LOSER in two weeks, and STRIKE TWO against the policy.  Both fouls were in the first quarter, both fouls against KC Concepcion.  They removed him from the game, but he is not on this week's injury report. 
• Baltimore:  Nnamdi Madubuike, $17,911 for a hip-drop tackle.  His first strike.
• Detroit:  DJ Wonnum, $12,611 for a hip-drop tackle.  His first strike.
• Indianapolis:  Austin Ajiake, $5,583, defenseless player.  His first strike.
• San Francisco:  Malik Mustapha, $6,998, defenseless player.  His first strike.
• Tennessee:  Micah Robinson, $5,583, hip-drop tackle.  His first strike.

Six PoE fouls this week:  Three hip-drops, three defenseless player hits.

And then two fouls declared "Away From The Play" and not otherwise classified:

• Jacksonville:  Bryan Thomas, $4,972, on the opening kickoff.
• Philadelphia:  Jeremiah Trotter, $6,428.  They both were on the same play, that ejection altercation that got them tossed before a play from scrimmage even occurred.   

22 fines and two previously reported suspensions this week.

Oh Great... Josh Jacobs is back...

You better not fucking play him, Green Bay...

I guess it would be six games after the Cowboys game Sunday night, but the NFL has announced the removal next week of Josh Jacobs from the Commissioner's List, even though the investigation continues.

So is Johnathon Cooper, for his two DV arrests.

I see too many of these stories every day, and I'm beginning to wonder if youth should have organized sports...

I am legitimately seeing stories about every day now about football teams being shut down across the country and all that.

But I have two three stories from today that make me wonder if youth should have organized sports.  And the first one is a throwback to a previous story I did -- I believe way back at the beginnings of this blog!

Dateline:  Winter Haven, FL.

Youth football game degenerates into a parent fight after.  We hear this story from time to time, and it's not that uncommon, sadly.

But then you remember that Florida youth football often involves gang-fueled betting on the game.

And this time, the Sheriff actually had his office right next to the field!

He's threatening to send undercover cops to future games.  They better be armed -- Florida youth football has THAT reputation, and I don't think even Johnny Law is going to be immune from the effects.

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Of course, you could be Penn Wood High School in Pennsylvania -- all activities suspended during an investigation to an unnamed incident which has prompted not only a special investigator, but a student walkout at the punishment.

Apparently, according to a number of people, it's another hazing incident.

One game has already been forfeited, and I would be surprised (especially when a fight broke out during the walkout -- unrelated) that the other two probably are going with it.

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And here's one I saw later that places a bunch of things in conflict.

Dateline:  Arizona

Desert Ridge's football season is basically over.  And it's basically the coach stating he's the ultimate boss, at ANY cost.

Late in a game, Gunner Brewer had a play called for himself by the coach.  Brewer, probably seeing something at the line, audibles the play to a running play, and the running back gets a first down, Desert Ridge wins.

And you'd THINK this wouldn't cause a problem.  AT BEST, the coach might pull Brewer aside and say that it was a good call, but, if you do that again, you better be right.

Nope.

Not only did head coach Miles Smith throw him off the team, he banned him from being around anyone else on the team.

And THEN Smith threw 12 more players off the team when they decided to stand up for him.

This also after Smith FIRED the offensive coordinator during the season.

It's clear that the coach wants to clean house.  The team went 0-10 last year.  They won two games this year, but lost 49-7 and 50-0 since Gunner got tossed.  And in the former game, Brewer violated the coach's directive and showed up.  Media had to be banned from the stadium last night.

I get the real sense that we're looking at a Coach Deion situation here.  Wipe the slate clean, and force the issue -- either get some better football players or end the tackle football program.