Roughing the Kicker
 

I am sitting here watching the Ravens-Steelers game and before halftime there is a close roughing the kicker penalty. I know watching the replay, the call might be considered questionable. I start talking with my father and we come up with the idea that we have been seeing this more and more, in the NFL, college and a bit in HS. The job of an official is hard enough, but I think you have kickers practicing these close plays so they can draw a flag. While it might not impact many games, these plays tend to occur in big moments.

How do you all feel about this call? Is it a problem or is it just something that occurs not often enough to address? It seems to be that its deception and could be considered unsportsmanlike. Just wanted to throw it out there

Other than giving the ball back to the team who was punting.....

I saw the replay and it look like the punter landed completely on the defender. It thought this was a missed call. Then again, I saw the play in replay and on my couch. It is always easy to make calls from here. :D

Peace

I thought it looked iffy. I think the Rs in the NFL are usually pretty good at identifying an acting job so they don't get away with it as often as some think.

Perhaps the league should punish any player attempting to draw a flag through bad acting by banishing them to the European soccer leagues.

Where some guy named Kaka is being offered 120 MILLION!

I think they wouldn't object.

Punters and kickers have been drawing flags for years. It was real prevalent in the 70's as I recall. I think they just became more judicious in their use of the "flop".

I don't think it was "acting". I thought he slipped and the defender just happened to be near his feet.

This I completely agree with.

Peace

I agree, however there was some acting after he got up (i.e. limping around like he took a real hit). I cannot imagine the R is not really looking at this when making the call.

...And the Emmy goes to....

I like the rule of thumb for iffy calls like this
punter quickly turns to me (as R) right after falling as if "where is the flag"=no flag, get up please and play football

punter is down as if injured, or pauses like shook up, probably throw a flag on that one and give them the business card of a Hollywood Agent

Good point, except Pittsburgh pissed away the last few seconds without getting a field goal attempt off.