Newest Penalty in Football: Finger to the Face?

What is coming of the NFL? In a sport where being physical is the name of the game, referees continue to get more and more free with the flag.

Watching the match up between the Saints and Cardinals today, that became an ever growing concern of mine. I'm sure most of you saw the play I am referring to.

With the Saints dominating the game early on, and already up 21-7, Darren Sharper continued to let his presence be known by intercepting a Kurt Warner pass, only to have it called back due to a Roughing the Passer call.

Now, if it was indeed roughing the passer, I would have no problems with that. The fact of the matter was though, that all that happened on the play was a defender's finger came down on Kurt Warner.

What? You say. That can't be right.

Surely your overreacting. Indeed not.

I'm sure if you didn't get to see it live, it will be played over and over on sports networks all week.

I have been so disgusted with this in the past, that this is not my first article on the subject. My first article was written on this very same subject directly following the preseason games of this year.

This is an issue that must be resolved if the NFL is committed to providing fair play for every team in the league along with it's fans.

Referees need to keep in mind that there is almost no play that doesn't include some type of contact on the Quarterback. It is something that is not only unavoidable but is encouraged by the Coaches. This is football, is it not?

If not for applying pressure to the quarterback (which includes contact), then what are the defensive linemen to do?

I hope I don't come off as sounding unconcerned about the quarterbacks' safety, but there comes a time when the referees play calling has more of an impact on the game than the impact itself.

So, let this be a plea to the NFL, the referees, and the fans. Let's make the necessary changes in the rules so that a fair game can be played with minimum interference from the ones not playing the game.