Brady’s protection questioned

Falcons penalized for roughing QB

Grady Jarrett and the Atlanta Falcons didn’t want to touch the subject of whether NFL quarterbacks are being given extra protection in the wake of the concussion that sidelined Miami’s Tua Tagovailoa.

Especially when the quarterback in question was Tom Brady.

Jarrett was flagged for roughing the passer Sunday after what many observed to be a typical sack late in the fourth quarter of Atlanta’s 21-15 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The 6-foot, 305-pound Jarrett wrapped up Brady from behind on third down and spun him to the turf.

The Falcons were stunned when referee Jerome Boger threw his flag. Head coach Arthur Smith doubled over with his hands on his head.

“That was not roughing the passer,” tweeted Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe.

“What I had was the defender grabbed the quarterback while he was still in the pocket, and unnecessarily throwing him to the ground,” Boger told a pool reporter after the game. “That is what I was making my decision based upon.”

Browns

Cleveland Acquired former Pro Bowl linebacker Deion Jones from the Atlanta Falcons in exchange for a late-round pick. Jones has yet to play this year as he was placed on injured reserve prior to the season after undergoing shoulder surgery.

Lions

Coach Dan Campbell said defensive back Saivion Smith had full motor skills after being carted off the field following a collision early in the first quarter of the Lions’ matchup with the New England Patriots. The Lions announced he had been taken to a hospital to be evaluated for a neck injury. Campbell said after the game that the hope was that Smith would be able to fly back with the team to Detroit.

Seahawks

Running back Rashaad Penny left the Superdome field sitting on cart with his left shoe off and a grim expression on his face, aware that his season could be in jeopardy. Penny was forced from the game against New Orleans with a lower left leg injury that Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said would make it “very tough to get him back.”

Dolphins

Teddy Bridgewater’s first start with Miami began with a big hit on his first snap. The veteran quarterback’s shaky reaction on the field was enough to get him pulled for the day because of newly revised concussion protocols. Coach Mike McDaniel said after the game Bridgewater doesn’t have any concussion symptoms and passed tests, but a spotter saw Bridgewater stumble after the play.