Joey Bosa rips NFL officials for missed call, penalty on him
Los Angeles Chargers defensive end Joey Bosa voiced his displeasure with the officials after Monday night’s victory over the Las Vegas Raiders.
With less than four minutes remaining in the game and the Raiders facing first-and-10 at their own 37-yard line, Carr threw an incomplete pass. Bosa, who had already recorded his 50th career sack in the first quarter, argued that the referees did not call a holding penalty against a lineman trying to block him on the play.
The ensuing unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on Bosa gave the Raiders the ball at the Chargers’ 48-yard line, down 14 points.
The former Ohio State star didn’t hold back when criticizing the referees after the game.
“I didn’t even know they called the f—ing penalty on me because I was fuming,” Bosa said while answering a question about the unsportsmanlike conduct penalty he received after he complained about the missed call. “But, I mean, refs are blind, simple. I’m sorry, but you’re blind, like open your eyes and do your job. It’s so bad it’s unbelievable.”
The Los Angeles Chargers pass rusher voiced his frustration with the officials after the game.
“Fifteen yards, it’s a big deal,” Bosa said. “Obviously that’s on me. I should never lose my temper like that, but these guys have got to do a better job because it’s been years of terrible missed calls left and right. It’s really pathetic, honestly, but pathetic on me too for doing what I did. Call or not I have to take a step back and just go to the next play, but, man, they seem not to have their eyes open half the time.”
Darren Waller flagged for taunting penalty vs. Los Angeles Chargers
Las Vegas Raiders tight end Darren Waller was controversially called for taunting after spiking the ball along the Chargers’ sideline at the end of a physical catch-and-run in Monday night’s loss.
Trailing 7-0 to the Los Angeles Chargers, Raiders quarterback Derek Carr found his tight end for a 21-yard catch and run that would have gotten the Raiders to their own 41-yard line. Instead, the taunting penalty on Waller brought the ball back to the Las Vegas 26-yard line, just six yards from the previous line of scrimmage.
The drive stalled and the Raiders were forced to punt for the fourth time in less than two quarters of game time. The Chargers controlled the first half, limiting the Las Vegas to offense to no yards and no touchdowns in the first quarter and only 51 total yards at the half, still with no touchdowns.
The NFL did not change taunting rules, but NFL officiating crews are placing an emphasis on taunting in the 2021 season.
“We saw an increase in actions that clearly are not within the spirit and intent of this rule and not representative of the respect to opponents and others on the field,” the NFL said in an August statement.
The NFL rulebook defines taunting under the unsportsmanlike conduct umbrella as “using baiting or taunting acts or words that may engender ill will between teams.”
If a single player has been hit with multiple taunting penalties, he will be automatically disqualified from the game. The player is also subject to other penalties, including fines and suspension, should the actions warrant attention from the commissioner’s office.
While the Los Angeles Chargers controlled Monday night’s game and the penalty likely didn’t directly effect the outcome, taunting enforcement continues to remain a heated topic in seemingly every NFL game.