The Tampa Bay Buccaneers got out to a fast start in their Wild Card game against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, and they may have gotten an early assist from the officiating crew.
The Bucs looked like they were about to face 3rd-and-10 from their own side of the field following back-to-back Tom Brady incompletions. However, Eagles defensive end Derek Barnett was called for roughing the passer on Brady. You can see the play below:
Barnett may have hit Brady a tad late, but he appeared to be pushed by an offensive lineman. The hit also wasn’t low. Troy Aikman and FOX rules analyst Mike Pereira both agreed that the flag should not have been thrown. Pereira speculated that Barnett was called for a low hit, but he did not hit Brady in the knee area or below.
The Buccaneers marched down the field following the penalty and took a 7-0 lead.
We saw plenty of costly roughing the passer penalties during the regular season that should not have been called. The NFL has placed an emphasis on protecting quarterbacks in recent years, but the rule is often officiated incorrectly.
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