Clay Matthews continues to get smashed by NFL defeating passer-by

In the second week, the Green Bay Packers had to settle for a draw against the Minnesota Vikings with a controversial penalty. In the third week, their comeback against Washington was slowed down by a quarterback call that triggered the rule change. Clay Matthews was then beaten a few minutes later.

It's three weeks in a row. Matthews shot a penalty because of the league's new puzzling rule: no one seems to know how to interpret.

First, no call for Rodgers this time

Facing the second and fourteenth, Aaron Rodgers lost ground before being crushed by Da'Ron Payne for the first bag of the NFL. It was a great game for the young lineman, but Payne landed at the top of the Packer Quarter with most of his body weight – a move that was put under the microscope this off season and that resulted in a litany .

This is the kind of game with which Rodgers is intimately familiar. A similar blow in 2017 broke the collarbone and served as a basis for the rule change which makes landing on a QB with your body weight a personal foul.

But despite the inspiration of the new regulation, Rodgers has not been able to take advantage of it. The referee behind the game will explain later that he did not throw his flag because he did not see the piece clearly. Two games later, Green Bay would lose the ball due to a drop in sales, leaving Washington's 28-17 in the lead as the clock fell in the fourth quarter.

When the reporters asked Matthews what he thought of the non-appeal, the veteran linebacker was both confused and annoyed.

"Was it the one where Aaron was surprised? Said Matthews. "You know what, I looked at it on the sidelines and said, 'How come it's not a flag?' We're talking – hey, let's be honest – we're talking about the MVP quarterback who's in a hurry? But I put 250 pounds on a quarter of the right way, and here's a flag. A few minutes later, the debate on the draft rules of the league resumed once again, this time with another familiar face.

Referees still found a way to score Clay Matthews for brutalizing the passer

Although no one really knows what constitutes a penalty in 2018, league referees can agree on one thing: that Clay Matthews gets flagged every time he approaches a quarter.

Matthews earned his third penalty in as many weeks after crossing the Washington line and smashed quarterback Alex Smith. He was quickly reported thanks to his inability to suspend the laws of gravity and to fall on the player he was attacking.

The play gave a brief respite to the Washington offensive, but the race ended with a kick, saving Green Bay some frustration. It's not because she helped blood pressure coach Mike McCarthy a lot.

McCarthy was not the only one to be confused by the call.

"I do not know what he's supposed to do any more," said Dean Blandino, CBS officials specialist. "I do not like it like a fault."

Fans and analysts on Twitter also had complaints.

McCarthy was ready to wash his hands of the whole situation in his postgame press conference.

"I thought Clay was doing exactly what he was supposed to do there," McCarthy said. "He hit him with his shoulder, he was coming out at full speed from one block, he was getting ready, so I was fine with Clay."

"These are questions for someone else. I am not really interested in answering any other questions about arbitration.

And Matthews, as expected, did not agree with the call.

"As soon as I touch the ground, you see me trying to lift my hands. Obviously, when you tackle a front man, you're going to land on him, "Matthews told reporters. "I understand the spirit of the rule, I have said weeks before. But when you have such a blow, it's a football match. I even went to see Alex Smith after the match, asking him, "What do you think?" What can I do differently? Because it's a football game. "

"Of course, as I said last week, the NFL will come back, say I put his body on him, but it's a football match." I hit him from the front, I crossed his head and I wrapped myself. I have never heard of anyone who has attacked anyone without any hand. When he abandons himself as soon as you hit him, your weight will go on him. I think we're looking for the hits that took Aaron [Rodgers] last year, this little extra. If I wanted to hurt him, I could have. I could give him a little more. It's football. "

Despite being crushed, Rodgers is in favor of the cancellation of the new rules of roughing

Rodgers, at least in theory, should take advantage of the stricter draft guidelines for smugglers. But he thinks the latest NFL rule change is going too far.

We appreciate protection below the knee and over the shoulders, but I do not know many quarterbacks who want these calls. There are very few opportunities in the game for us to show some resistance. We are not affected any games. Hopefully not. The one on me, I do not think that rough the passer, you know? The goal is to limit these hits, but they are pretty obvious when you see them. A guy pick up someone and all the weight on them. What are you saying to Clay? His head is out of him, his hand is on the ground, it is not a hard test for the passer. Same thing with Kendricks. What do you tell him about it? I did not get up thinking, "Where's the penalty?" I saw a late flag and I could not believe there was a penalty on the game.

They try to think about the game process and security, but it's still a collision sport and it's not a penalty for me.

The NFL is not in agreement. In fact, league officials are doubling the flag Matthews used for his third referral penalty of the season.

On Sunday, at least for one play, Rodgers was right. Payne led on the field without any recourse from the referees. Then, four games later, the body weight rule was reinstated for Matthews, who underwent a dubious call for the second week in a row. This level of inconsistency aggravates a bad rule – and no one knows more than the Packers.