J.J. Watt, Twitter Rip 'Absurd' Roughing the Passer Penalty on Dolphins vs. Chargers

The NFL has taken great strides in recent years to protect quarterbacks, but questionable roughing the passer penalties have ignited a wave of scrutiny throughout the 2022 season.

Another such occurrence took place in the third quarter of Sunday night's game between the Miami Dolphins and Los Angeles Chargers when Dolphins defensive end Jaelan Phillips laid a hit on Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert that appeared to be a routine tackle, but he was called for a penalty. A sack would've caused the Los Angeles offense to go three-and-out, but the flag extended the drive.

Part of the issue is that roughing the passer penalties cannot be reviewed to amend any real-time mistakes. However, when referees make these calls that can affect the outcome of a game, criticism is warranted.

NFL Twitter lit up with reactions to the penalty, as many were unhappy that Phillips was the subject of what was perceived to be an unnecessary call:

At the time of the penalty, the Dolphins were trailing 17-7. The Chargers' drive ended with a punt, but things obviously could've been worse.

Miami is hoping to maintain its playoff position, while Los Angeles is fighting to make its way into the postseason picture.