Falcons accuse the Patriots of shady antics
The Atlanta Falcons committed a costly penalty when they were trying to put together a game-winning drive on Sunday, and head coach Raheem Morris says the blunder was the result of shady tactics from the New England Patriots.
The Falcons were trailing 24-23 and had possession at around midfield with just over 2 minutes remaining at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. Center Ryan Neuzil snapped the ball to Michael Penix Jr. on 2nd-and-10 before the quarterback was ready, which led to some confusion.
Penix appeared to think there was a penalty or a dead ball, so he threw the ball into the turf. That led to an intentional grounding penalty, which backed the Falcons up 10 yards and resulted in a loss of down. Penix then threw an incomplete pass on 3rd-and-20, forcing Atlanta to punt.
Following his team’s 24-23 loss, Morris was asked about the costly penalty on 2nd-and-10. He claimed Patriots players were clapping to simulate the Falcons’ snap, which is why Neuzil snapped the ball prematurely.
“They were clapping. Simulated our snap, got us to snap the ball,” Morris said, via Mark Daniels of MassLive.com. “That’s why the ball was snapped early to Mike, and he wasn’t ready for the snap.”
A defensive player clapping to simulate the offense’s snap would fall under the umbrella of “disconcerting signals,” which are prohibited by NFL rules. An act like that is supposed to result in a 15-yard penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct.
Penix also told reporters that Neuzil told him the center heard Patriots players clapping and thought Penix was clapping for the snap.
“Whenever I’m clapping, that means I want the ball, and (Neuzil) said he heard them clapping (and) he thought it was my clapping,” Penix said, via ESPN’s Marc Raimondi. “He snapped the ball, I threw the ball in (Kyle Pitts’) direction. He had just released on routes. I thought I was going to be OK with the grounding part, but obviously that wasn’t the case.”
If you watch video of the play, it does not look like there were any Patriots players at or near the line of scrimmage clapping at the time Neuzil snapped the ball.
Neuzil may have heard something that sounded like clapping, but there did not seem to be any Patriots players clapping their hands together before the snap. Patriots defensive lineman Milton Williams said it didn’t happen.
“Who was clapping? Did it look like I was clapping?” Williams asked the media. “I’m going to go watch and see who was clapping. I didn’t hear no clapping. I’m looking at the ball. The ball moves, I’m gone.”
If someone on the New England side clapped, they obviously got away with it. Unless an unexpected angle surfaces, however, there is not much to suggest that it happened.
The biggest issue for Atlanta is that they had a chance to tie the game after scoring a late touchdown, but their kicker completely blew it.
Bills Make Key Roster Move on Veteran CB After Receiving Devastating Injury Update 🚨
The Buffalo Bills have taken some big hits in their secondary, leading the team to call on a familiar face to help against the Kansas City Chiefs.
The Bills have placed two safeties on injured reserve in the last few weeks and dealt with lingering injuries among the cornerback group. The team tapped veteran Dane Jackson to help against the Chiefs, calling him up from the practice squad for the first time this season.
Jackson’s elevation could be a troubling sign for another Bills cornerback who was a late addition to the injury report this week.
Dane Jackson’s Comeback Now Complete
Jackson came into the NFL as a seventh-round pick by the Bills in 2020, carving out a role as a reliable cornerback who made 28 starts in 52 total appearances in Buffalo. Jackson left prior to the 2024 season, signing with the Carolina Panthers and starting three games.
The Bills brought Jackson back this offseason, signing him to the practice squad after he missed the team’s final cuts in August.
This will be Jackson’s first elevation from the practice squad this season, giving the team some insurance in case nickel cornerback Taron Johnson is unable to play. Johnson was a very late addition to the injury report, being listed as questionable on Friday despite practicing in full all week — suggesting that he suffered the injury in the team’s final practice of the week.
SI.com’s Ralph Ventre suggested that Jackson’s elevation could be a troubling sign for Johnson’s availability against the Chiefs.
“Jackson’s elevation was likely inspired by starting nickel cornerback Taron Johnson’s questionable status,” Ventre wrote. “In a troubling development, Johnson became a new addition to the injury report with a groin issue on Friday.”
The Bills have already lost starting safety Taylor Rapp, who was placed on injured reserve and is expected to miss the rest of the season. The team also put backup safety Damar Hamlin on injured reserve, prompting them to sign Jordan Poyer to the active squad from the practice squad.
Bills Add Help on the Defensive Line
The Bills also announced that defensive tackle Phidarian Mathis was elevated from the practice squad for Sunday’s game, adding depth to another position hit hard by injuries. The team placed defensive tackle Ed Oliver on injured reserve and ruled fellow lineman DaQuan Jones out for the game with a calf injury.
“Mathis gives Buffalo four available interior linemen for Sunday’s game against Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs’ high-powered attack, which ranks fifth in the NFL (378.3),” Ventre noted. “He joins a rotation that includes Larry Ogunjobi, Jordan Phillips and fourth-round rookie Deone Walker.”
Slowing the Chiefs could be a challenge for the Bills given their injuries and momentum that Kansas City has generated since the return of Rashee Rice. Despite starting the season with two straight losses, the Chiefs have steadied the ship and won five out of their last six games.
Both the Bills and Chiefs are in an unfamiliar spot — looking up at the top of the division. The Bills fell in second behind the New England Patriots, while the Chiefs are behind the Denver Broncos and Los Angeles Chargers.
