Roughing the passer penalties down in 2022 NFL season despite several controversial calls in Week 5

Controversial roughing the passer penalties called on Atlanta Falcons defensive lineman Grady Jarrett and Chris Jones of the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 5 of the 2022 NFL season opened the figurative floodgates as it pertains to hot takes about league rules. 

ESPN's Kevin Seifert has since pointed out that there have thus far been 29 instances of roughing penalties during the ongoing campaign. To compare, ESPN Stats & Information show there were 54 roughing penalties through Week 5 of last season. 41 roughing penalties were called through the first five weeks in 2020, and flags were thrown for roughing 59 times across the season's opening five weeks in 2010. 

Last month, Seifert noted that the NFL's competition committee asked officials "to recalibrate their approach to ensure -- as best they can in real time -- that contact was forcible before throwing a flag." 

Jarrett was flagged because referee Jerome Boger determined the lineman "unnecessarily" threw Tampa Bay Buccaneers star quarterback Tom Brady to the ground during a sack. Meanwhile, Carl Cheffers ruled that Jones landed on Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Derek Carr "with his full body weight" even though Carr lost control of the football during the action of the sack. A league spokesperson later told Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio that a moment such as Monday's incident is "considered one continuous action" even if a quarterback loses possession of the ball. 

The NFL is expected to discuss roughing the passer penalties this fall and review league rules related to such decisions during the offseason. "There is no indication that the league will change anything in the short-term, however, as it typically tries to avoid overreacting to a handful of high-profile calls," Seifert added on Tuesday.