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Charles Woodson Calls Out NFL Over Roughing-the-Passer Calls on Night a Flag Erases a Packers Interception vs. Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) passes against the Green Bay Packers during the second half at Lambeau Field. (Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images)
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) passes against the Green Bay Packers during the second half at Lambeau Field. (Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images)

Charles Woodson has had enough of the flags. The Hall of Famer, a former defensive back for the Raiders and Packers, called out the NFL over its roughing-the-passer calls late Sunday, on a night the Green Bay Packers were flagged three times for roughing in a 23-13 win over the Dallas Cowboys at Lambeau Field.

Charles Woodson has had enough of the flags. The Hall of Famer, a former defensive back for the Raiders and Packers, called out the NFL over its roughing-the-passer calls late Sunday, on a night the Green Bay Packers were flagged three times for roughing in a 23-13 win over the Dallas Cowboys at Lambeau Field.

One of those flags erased a Carrington Valentine interception. Green Bay won its Week 6 game anyway, but Woodson and fans who answered him took aim at where the league draws the line on hits to the quarterback.

Charles Woodson Takes His Roughing Complaint Straight to the NFL

The Packers had already picked off Dak Prescott twice in the second quarter, once by safety Evan Williams and once by rookie cornerback Brandon Cisse. Cisse left in the second half with a shoulder stinger. Valentine replaced him and intercepted Prescott for what would have been Green Bay’s third pick of the night.

Instead, defensive end Lukas Van Ness was flagged for roughing the passer. The interception came off the board, and Dallas kept the ball. Van Ness put his hands on his head while the home crowd made its displeasure with the officials known.

Lambeau booed again later on the same drive, when Prescott drew another roughing flag, this one on defensive tackle Karl Brooks. Van Ness then sacked Prescott for Green Bay’s only sack of the night, and the Cowboys failed to score anyway, turning it over on downs when Prescott threw a fourth-and-11 pass out of the back of the end zone.

Woodson’s post didn’t single out a play, and it didn’t treat the problem as a one-off. “Come on, man, NFL, you have to do something about these roughing the passer calls,” he wrote, before adding, “That’s another ridiculous call.”

Woodson had company. Barstool Sports posted a clip with a caption that ended, “This is roughing the passer now.”

Fans who answered Woodson were just as fed up. “Awful! Completely unwatchable at this point,” one fan wrote.

Another fan wrote that “this particular crew seems to throw a flag anytime the QB is hit half a second after the ball is out,” and asked how that makes sense.

Others went after the standard itself. One fan called the officiating inconsistent and asked, “Should defensive players rush the QB with pillows?”

Another fan was even more blunt. “That wouldn’t get flagged in two-hand touch leagues,” the fan wrote.

One fan laid out where this leads for defenses. “It’s going to get to the point where rushing the QB isn’t worth it. Drop 8 in coverage, rush 3,” the fan wrote.

Green Bay Packers Defense Keeps Attacking Through the Flags

Matt LaFleur wasn’t interested in excuses. Talking about his team’s penalties after the game, the Packers head coach said, “Whether we feel it was justified or not, it doesn’t matter. You’ve got to control your emotions to the best of your ability.”

Green Bay was flagged 11 times for 96 yards. Two taunting penalties on top of the three roughing calls gave the Packers five personal fouls. Dallas drew 11 flags of its own for 108 yards.

The flags never cost Green Bay the lead. The offense converted its first seven third downs and built a 17-0 halftime lead.

That came on Jordan Love’s 9-yard touchdown pass to Matthew Golden, a Trey Smack field goal and Love’s 1-yard touchdown run. Smack added two more field goals after halftime.

The roughing calls didn’t make the Packers back off either. Defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon kept calling blitzes and pressures, especially on third down, and LaFleur said staying aggressive was what the team had talked about and practiced.

Prescott finished 34-of-54 for 258 yards and a touchdown, and only one of his completions went for more than 17 yards. CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens combined for 15 catches and 143 yards, but it took 29 targets to get there. The Cowboys went 5-of-13 on third down, and Green Bay stopped them on two fourth downs in scoring territory.

Dallas had seven points through the first 59-plus minutes. Its second touchdown was Ryan Flournoy’s 6-yard catch with 44 seconds left. It was the third straight game the Packers held an opponent to 14 points or fewer.

The win was Green Bay’s third straight after a 1-2 start. At 4-2, the Packers are second in the NFC North, tied with the Chicago Bears and behind the undefeated Minnesota Vikings.

Green Bay plays the Detroit Lions at Ford Field in Week 7 on Oct. 25. The Cowboys, now 2-4, travel to face the Philadelphia Eagles on Oct. 26.

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