LOOK: Here's the difference between a flag for Cam Newton and Kirk Cousins
The Redskins quarterback gets the call, but Cam definitely does not
By
Will Brinson
•
1 min read
Do other quarterbacks get calls that Cam Newton doesn't get? It's a question that isn't going away, especially after Monday night's game where Newton and Kirk Cousins were both involved in personal foul penalties that resulted in drastically different outcomes for each QB.
The Newton incident was well publicized because not only did the referees not throw a flag on Trent Murphy for flying into a sliding Newton with a helmet-to-helmet shot but Newton got flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct after he flicked the football in Murphy's direction.
Here's the hit in question:
Still photos can be misleading but this was a no-brainer to throw a flag on the Redskins. Instead, the Panthers were backed up 15 yards because Newton tossed the ball in the direction of a defender and got called for taunting. Player safety, everyone!
Also surprising was the Cousins hit that was flagged during the fourth quarter. With Cousins scrambling to the right and running down the sideline, Kawann Short pursued the quarterback and pushed him near the sideline.
Cousins went flying to the ground and knocked over a cheerleader in what, during live action, looked like a wild hit. But it just wasn't that egregious.
Look where Cousins is when Short makes contact.
Cousins is clearly inbounds at the point Short shoves him. He hasn't given himself up and he's still running down the sideline. If Short doesn't shove him, maybe he picks up additional yards.
The refs didn't hesitate to throw flags here, however.
It's the absolute difference between a quarterback who is being protected by the officials the way the league wants quarterbacks to be protected and a quarterback who the officials have allowed to take huge, illegal shots all season long.
That Newton is the reigning MVP and gets worse treatment than any other quarterback in the league is just absurd.
