For the second consecutive week, Green Bay Packers outside linebacker Clay Matthews sacked the quarterback but was flagged for another awful roughing the passer penalty.
In the third quarter with the Packers needing a big play, Matthews came free and took down Washington Redskins quarterback Alex Smith. Before he could celebrate, a flag was thrown for Matthews using his body weight to take down the quarterback.
#Packers Clay Matthews now has 3 weeks in a row with roughing the passer called against him.pic.twitter.com/LSfPmHKMW3
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) September 23, 2018
Immediately after the penalty, Green Bay’s coach Mike McCarthy erupted on the sideline and went after the referee.
After the Clay Matthews' roughing the passer call for the 3rd week in a row.#Packers coach Mike McCarthy lost it and went after the ref [no contact though]pic.twitter.com/ENqhknk7JW
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) September 23, 2018
McCarthy wasn’t the only one angry over the call. Twitter erupted over another awful roughing the passer penalty and the ridiculousness to which quarterbacks are protected.
Clay Matthews = Not allowed to play football.
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) September 23, 2018
Clay Matthews has become a character pulled from a Kafka novel.
— Marc Sessler (@MarcSessler) September 23, 2018
Clay Matthews to the refs the next time they throw a flag on him for hitting a QB pic.twitter.com/6Bu5TP9XsS
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) September 23, 2018
After that call for roughing the passer on Clay Matthews, I'm not sure what a clean tackle is anymore. Absolute joke.
— Reid Fragel (@Fragel79) September 23, 2018