What really is roughing the passer? Even the NFL doesn’t know the answer to that question

Noah Willis, Contributor

In the picture to the right you can see Kansas City Chiefs Chris Jones(d’lineman) bringing down Las Vegas Raiders Derek Carr(quarterback). However,what you might not see clearly is that Jones is possessing the ball as he takes Carr to the ground, it was made apparent that the refs couldn’t see or didn’t care to see that either. Subsequently, leading to the refs throwing a flag on Jones for roughing the passer, this call was met with a massive outburst of boos from the crowd and even players on the sideline.

 Everyone in the stadium thought it was clear as day that it was a regular strip sack except the refs, they seemed to think that Jones landed on Carr with all his weight and that it was “avoidable,” but let me ask you this, where was Jones supposed to land if he couldn’t break his fall due to holding the ball?

This horrid call couldn’t have come at a worse time because on Sunday in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Atlanta Falcons, Grady Jarret(d’lineman) for the Falcons had thought that he made a drive stopping play by performing a textbook sack on Tom Brady(quarterback) until the ref threw a flag on him for roughing Brady. 

These calls have sent social media ablaze with Cowboys superstar Micah Parsons(linebacker) saying on twitter that “ The NFL is terrible!!! Change the rules or just make the league 7 on 7,” Parsons wasn’t the only one though because even during the game announcer Joe Buck said “At some point you have to be realistic,The defense player, what’s he supposed to do, disappear?”

Due to these questionable calls, fans and players around the world are confused on what truly is roughing the passer.