I'm not siding one way or the other on this. The game is over and nothing can be done about any of it.
Just so you know.
NFL/ESPN League VP says Peterson should have been penalized for helmet removalThe NFL's vice president of officiating addressed a number of debatable calls Wednesday after another controversial weekend, most notably saying that Vikings tailback Adrian Peterson should have been penalized 15 yards for removing his helmet on the field Sunday during Minnesota's 28-27 victory over Green Bay.
Mike Pereira also said on NFL Sirius Radio that officials correctly called intentional grounding against Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers earlier in that game. Finally, Pereira defended the actions of officials at the end of Monday night's game between Arizona and San Francisco.
As for Peterson, Pereira said he violated the NFL's rules prohibiting the removal of helmets when not in the bench area or during a timeout. Peterson removed his helmet at least four times during the game, but Pereira specifically pointed out Peterson's actions after scoring the game-winning touchdown with 2:22 remaining.
"I can't figure out why anything wasn't done about that," Pereira said, "but I will say this: It frustrates me that we didn't do anything about that. You can't take your helmet off either to argue a call or to celebrate. If you're in a timeout period or a measurement or a challenge, there are times when you can take your helmet off on the field. Or when you're nearing your team area when you approach the bench.
"But when you score like that, when you remove your helmet, you should be flagged."
Pereira, however, said referee Alberto Riveron made the right call when he whistled Rodgers for intentional grounding in the end zone during the second quarter, resulting in a safety. Rodgers flipped a sidearm pass in the direction of tight end Tory Humphrey, but Pereira doubted that Rodgers knew Humphrey was there. "[We] have looked at so many of these plays where you get the unnatural throwing motion where the QB is just trying to dump the ball, whether it's behind his back or whether it's flicking it underhand just before he hits the ground when he has no idea who he might be throwing it to.
"Here's the notion to me: When you're going to be on the run like that and you are just totally dumping it either before you're getting tackled for a safety ... that unnatural act of dumping the ball when you're about to be tackled ... [If] you're going to do that, you'd better get it all the way back to the line of scrimmage or you'd better get it to the feet of the receiver. "