In Sunday’s Jets-Raiders game, Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez got his nose broken by Raiders linebacker Kamerion Wimbley. In the same game, Raiders quarterback Jason Campbell got bumped in the shoulder by Jets defensive lineman Muhammad Wilkerson.
Wilkerson was flagged for roughing the passer. Wimbley was not called for a penalty. Jets coach Rex Ryan was not happy about that.
“I’m not sure on that one,” Ryan said. “Our guy gets a bloody, broken nose, I don’t think there was a flag.”
Ryan was left wondering how referee Gene Steratore didn’t throw the flag on Wimbley for hitting Sanchez in the face. Said Ryan sarcastically, “I think he must have gotten hit in the chest and broke his nose.”
As for the Wilkerson hit, Ryan looked incredulous on the sideline when it was flagged, although he had calmed down a little bit after the game, saying only, “I personally never thought it was roughing the quarterback.”
Ryan is obviously biased in favor of his own team, but plenty of unbiased observers agree with him. Phil Simms of CBS said, “I can’t believe it” when looking at the replay of the penalty during the game broadcast. And Mike Pereira of FOX wrote, “I don’t blame Rex Ryan for being upset, that wasn’t roughing the passer.”
Ryan is right to be upset about those two calls. I’d bet on the league office fining Wimbley, not fining Wilkerson, and telling Steratore he screwed up.
