You call that taunting?

There are many who think the Eagles should’ve gotten another first down, bled the clock and kicked a field goal with two seconds left to beat the Commanders. Why go for a TD here and give them a chance to come back? I’ll tell you why! The TD came on second and four. Let’s say they play it safe and run it up the middle for two, bringing up 3rd and 2. Then they get a flag for holding. Then a fumbled snap on third down and now we’re out of field goal range punting the ball back to them in a tie game. Hurts and Brown were in the zone together yesterday. Nine catches for 175 and 2 TDs. Don’t leave the game to chance, go for the dunk if you know you can get it. In the end we won, so who cares? I feel like the excitement of seeing the Hurts/Brown connection cooking again like last year has been dampened for a lot of people by that FG vs TD debate and the taunting call after the TD.

There were some egregious calls in Sunday’s game. DPI on Slay? Offsides on Landon Dickerson when a Commander is TOUCHING THE BALL, Edmunds’ late hit (Howell was in bounds and inches from a first down when Edmunds launched. That’s a great play, not a dirty one). But I digress. I’m here today to talk about the taunting call.

After catching that TD late in the 4th, Brown drew a personal foul for placing the football near Emmanuel Forbes, the gentleman who tried and failed to stop him. It was a subtle taunt, but was it that bad? Did it deserve a flag?

In Sunday’s Vikings-Panthers game, Justin Jefferson caught a TD and did the “too short” taunt to Carolina’s D’Shawn Jamison. (The flag on the play was for offsides, no taunting flag for JJ).

If anything, Jefferson should’ve been flagged for busting out such a tired and confusing taunt. What does it even mean? He’s not saying he’s better than the defender. He’s not saying he has more talent, or that Jamison is a bad player. He’s simply stating that he is in fact taller than the him. Sick burn, bro. But nobody wants to be called short so it IS a taunt, and he’s not just saying it to Jamison but to everyone in the stadium and watching at home. That’s humiliating. But no flag was thrown for taunting.

The NFL defines taunting as: “The use of baiting or taunting acts or words that engender ill will between teams.” Ummm, I see about twenty of those per game that don’t get called. Did you know that Tyreek Hill has never been flagged for his peace sign taunt?

Photo by Randy Litzinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

If that’s not taunting than how can they flag Brown for gently placing the ball in front of his vanquished defender? Maybe he said something like: “Looking for this?” Or “I’ll autograph it if you ask nice.” So what? He earned the right. He dominated a rookie CB who looked like he was talking sh*t all day. Did you see Forbes on the sideline after that TD? He was fired up and frustrated. He wanted to have the last word in what was a day long heated matchup. He wanted to shut down AJ and announce his arrival and it couldn’t have gone worse. Brown was so dominant the NFL demanded a steroid test after the game.

Some people are mad at Brown for drawing that flag but he’s a passionate player in a passionate game. He was super human on Sunday and he needed to flex. Let him flex! Brown dominated his matchup and that last TD was the final punch. He said goodbye to Forbes with the ball roll. THE HORROR! Yes, it was a subtle taunt, but the NFL has seen a lot worse and not called it, so I don’t think Brown could’ve thought he’d be flagged for that. Calling taunting on Brown at such a pivotal point of the game was ridiculous, but consistent with that officiating crew so I guess Brown should’ve known better but I’m not mad at him. The Eagles won the game so all is right in the world, but the way they legislate taunting in the NFL is not.

On a personal note, is Mama Kelce taunting me? Throw the flag.