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Cam Newton doesn't even need to point out the refs' double standards anymore

Published Dec. 20, 2016 11:25 a.m. ET

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Nate Scott

It's becoming so obvious, Cam Newton doesn't need to even talk about it anymore.

The Panthers quarterback took another hit to the head on Monday night in Carolina's 26-15 win over Washington, and after the game, he wouldn't discuss the hit except to call it "questionable." He criticized himself for reacting in the moment -- Newton was penalized for tossing the football at Washington linebacker Trent Murphy after the play -- and moved on.

"I've got to be better than that," Newton said after the game. "That just can't happen on my part. I just have to let the referees do their job, and obviously, it was a questionable hit, but I can't throw the ball at a person. That's against the rules too."

Here's the thing -- Newton doesn't need to discuss the double standards anymore because it's become so painfully obvious to anyone who is watching the NFL.

https://twitter.com/JasonLaCanfora/status/811035705153617920

Newton critics (or Washington fans) will point out that it was a bang-bang play, that Newton had just started sliding when Murphy left his feet, that the players are moving so fast it's hard to judge intent. I get all that. But it doesn't matter -- NFL officials have called it one way all year. If a quarterback gives himself up (actually, even if a quarterback doesn't give himself up) and there's a hit to the helmet, it's a flag. That happens every time.

Yes, Newton reacted poorly, as he himself admitted after the game. But then the refs need to call offsetting penalties there. That can't only be on Newton.

It'd be one thing if this were the first time this happened this season. In the Panthers' opening game of the year, Newton was hit twice in the helmet and neither was called. Later on, in a win over the Cardinals, Newton blasted the officials after a defender dove at his knees, saying the officiating was "really taking the fun out of the game for me."

Newton spoke with Commissioner Roger Goodell after that game, and it seemed like we'd moved past this. It doesn't appear we've moved past this.

The NFL needs to step in at this point and talk to the officials. If they already did that, they need to do it again. If the refs feel like Newton is grandstanding them, they need to get over it. He has talked about the officials in the past, yes, and been fined for it. He's not doing it anymore. And it's gotten to the point now where he doesn't have to, which should tell the league all it needs to know. It's time for the NFL to fix this.

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