Referee Jerome Boger needs to be suspended for a few weeks and given training to properly do his job the correct way.
The Buccaneers had third-and-five from the Atlanta 47-yard line late in the fourth quarter and Grady Jarrett guaranteed that his team would get the ball with a key sack. However, a roughing penalty gave the Bucs first-and-10 at the Atlanta 32-yard line, and from there, Tampa Bay was able to bleed the clock to the win.
The penalty was bad, but the excuse as to why it was thrown was even worse. After the game, referee Jerome Boger spoke to pool reporter Greg Auman regarding the decision to flag Garrett.
Asked Auman, “There was a third down penalty where the Falcons had a roughing the passer called after sacking Tom Brady that extended the drive. Just looking for clarification on what constituted that roughing the passer?”
“What I had was the defender grabbed the quarterback while he was still in the pocket, and unnecessarily throwing him to the ground,” Boger said. “That is what I was making my decision based upon.”
Auman asked Boger about the situation where a similar play caused Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa to be concussed and stretchered off the field.
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“That play was similar to the play the injured Miami’s quarterback Tua Tagovailoa,” Auman said. “Is that something you have made a specific measure to try to watch out for — the takedowns on quarterbacks like that?”
“No, not necessarily,” Boger said.
You can’t have mistakes like that, especially in that game-deciding decision.
