Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images
The Washington Commanders notched a 20-17 win over the New England Patriots despite a questionable call.
Early in the third quarter, rookie KJ Henry appeared to procure his first career sack when taking down Mac Jones. However, he got called for a roughing-the-passer penalty that instead awarded New England a first down.
Henry didn’t appear to lead with his helmet or hit Jones’ head.
Tackling the quarterback. Fifteen yards. First down. pic.twitter.com/r04lSNj5vs
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) November 5, 2023
Per The Washinton Post‘s Nicki Jhabvala, referee Adrian Hill explained why he called a flag during the post-game pool report.
“I was the calling official and the call was roughing the passer due to full body weight,” Hill said. “The ruling on the field was that the defender came down with forceable contact, chest-to-chest. He didn’t perform one of those acts to remove most of that body weight – a gator roll or a clear to the side when he was coming in. He came down directly with that force on the player, so the category was full body weight.”
The explanation from officials on the controversial roughing call against Commanders DE KJ Henry: pic.twitter.com/seE3shsfdp
— Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) November 5, 2023
Hill elaborated on those methods the league wants defenders to deploy to avoid coming down with their full body weight.
“There are two common techniques,” Hill said. “One we call the ‘gator roll’ where if he takes that player and rolls to the side so they both land on their side, that 90-degree rotation as he comes around. Or he comes down and breaks the fall first with hands and knees almost like in a crab-like fashion on top of the quarterback.”
Per NESN’s Gayle Troiani, Commanders quarterback Sam Howell disagreed with Hills’ assessment.
“K.J. came up with a sack,” Howell said. “I don’t know what you guys thought about the penalty or something like that, but we thought it was … we didn’t think it was a great call.”
Instead of getting sacked on third and long, the Patriots parlayed the penalty into a field goal. That extended their lead to 17-10, but the Commanders scored 10 points on their ensuing two drives.
New England punted on its next four possessions before a Jones pass deflected off JuJu Smith-Schuster’s hands for a game-ending interception in the closing minute.
Dean Blandino, the NFL’s former Vice President of Officiating, said on the FOX broadcast that officials are “being directed to call” that type of hit a penalty.