Falcons lineman ‘unnecessarily’ threw Tom Brady to ground, ref says

TAMPA, Fla. — Referee Jerome Boger stated Atlanta Falcons defensive lineman Grady Jarrett “unnecessarily” threw Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady to the bottom as a part of his reason for the roughing the passer name on a key 1/3 down overdue within the Buccaneers’ win Sunday.

The Falcons have been down by means of six with 3 mins, 3 seconds to play after they seemed to forestall the Buccaneers at midfield on Jarrett’s third-down sack of Brady, however Boger threw a flag, permitting the force to proceed and for Tampa Bay to run out the clock of their 21-15 win.

Jarrett had wrapped Brady up after which rolled to the bottom, bringing the quarterback at the side of him.

“What I had was the defender grabbed the quarterback while he was still in the pocket and unnecessarily throwing him to the ground,” Boger stated in a postgame pool document. “That is what I was making my decision based on.”

Boger stated, “No, not necessarily,” when requested if he was once recommended to look ahead to takedowns of quarterbacks like Jarrett’s on Brady following the harm to Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa previous this season.

Brady shrugged when he was once requested in regards to the name, announcing, “I don’t throw flags,” whilst Jarrett declined to discuss with journalists after the sport, a rarity for one of the vital Falcons’ longest-tenured avid gamers.

Falcons trainer Arthur Smith stated he did not communicate with the officers following the decision however was once stuck by means of tv cameras at the sideline with an animated response. Asked if he concept it was once roughing the passer, Smith sidestepped the query.

“I’m not going to get into that,” Smith stated. “I haven’t seen the film, and I got to worry about how to coach that.”

Tampa Bay proper take on Tristan Wirfs joked about Brady’s age — he is 45 — however stated, “I think with Tom being who he is, he’s gonna get those calls more than not.”

Buccaneers trainer Todd Bowles, on the other hand, stated he did not assume the decision was once made simply since the quarterback in query was once Brady.

“I saw that one being called. I saw it against Tua since he got it. I saw it in the London game this morning,” Bowles stated. “So I think they’re starting to crack down on some of the things, slinging back, I don’t know. Right now, the way that they’re calling it, I think a lot of people would have gotten that call.”

Falcons out of doors linebacker Lorenzo Carter, who was once dealing with Jarrett and Brady because the sack came about, stated, “It looked like football to me. It looked like football. We just played aggressive.”

The roughing the passer was once one in every of six consequences towards Atlanta on Sunday for 55 yards. Tampa Bay was once flagged six instances for 45 yards.

Earlier at the ultimate force, Falcons cornerback A.J. Terrell was once flagged for a defensive preserving name on vast receiver Mike Evans that negated any other third-down forestall. Terrell stated he had made touch with Evans on the line.

“It’s something I can’t control with the call, but they just called it in a clutch situation,” Terrell stated. “Trying to get off the field.”

Bowles stated there was once an working out, with the eye on league protection, about how the sport may well be referred to as.

“League safety is at an all-time high, as it should be,” Bowles stated. “Anything close — we understand going into the ballgame, they’re going to call it.”

ESPN’s Jenna Laine contributed to this document.

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