New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady is displeased with the officiating he witnessed during Thursday Night Football’s game between the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Tennessee Titans.
You read that right. Tom Brady is criticizing the officiating.
Although it may seem kind of comical that Brady, who many feel is over-protected by officials, is taking an issue with how a game is officiated, but he may have a point as there were 15 penalties, 8 for holding, made in the first half alone by referee Shawn Hochuli’s crew.
By game’s end there were 20 total penalties, including declined penalties, and that factors in a third quarter in which no flags were thrown.
Too many penalties. Just let us play!!!! #TENvsJAC
— Tom Brady (@TomBrady) September 20, 2019
I’m turning off this game I can’t watch these ridiculous penalties anymore #TENvsJAC
— Tom Brady (@TomBrady) September 20, 2019
Jacksonville went on to defeat the Titans 20-7.
The NFL has increased their focus on offensive holding this season, and the numbers show it.
According to ESPN, during the first two weeks of regular season play, there were 178 flags for offensive holding, a 66% increase from the same time period last season. Additionally, Entering Thursday night football’s game, the highest total of holding penalties in a game was 11, and Hochuli’s crew threw more flags (306), including 79 for offensive holding, than any other crew during the 2018 season.