Vikings Grapple with New Pass Interference Rule Changes

[Viktor]

The reaction: After the game, Thielen didn’t indicate whether or not he thought he agreed with the penalty.


“Just trying to make a play on the ball. That stuff happens,” Thielen said. “Obviously, you don’t want to have PI on you, but just trying to make a play on the ball.”


Call No. 4: Offensive pass interference on Packers tight end Jimmy Graham a few minutes into the fourth quarter.


The result: Green Bay led 21-16 and was trying to increase its lead. The penalty, plus a later one on the Packers a few plays later, forced Green Bay to punt after a third-and-28 situation. The Vikings drove the field on the ensuing drive but Cousins threw an interception in the end zone.


The reaction: While this was the only offensive pass interference call on the Packers, as Graham was whistled for pushing off, Zimmer likened it to the call on Diggs that the wide receiver disagreed with at the end of the first half.


“If you extend your arm, you’re going to get called,” Zimmer said. “That hasn’t changed one bit. It’s never changed.


“If you go out there and you extend your arm, you’re going to get called. That’s the rule,” Zimmer added. “There is no gray area with that whole thing. It’s been the same way for a long time.”


All in all, Zimmer said the communication between himself and the officials on the sideline during games has been smooth.


Like any given coach, however, he just disagrees with some of the calls they made Sunday in Green Bay.


Yet as the NFL works through the new rule that allowed pass interference to be reviewed, even if it wasn’t called, Zimmer said he would like to see some consistency in the calls on the field.


“I’m just sitting up there watching some tape right now, and there was some offensive pass interferences that they missed in the game that I’m watching [in my office],” Zimmer said. “They need to start being more diligent with what they’re doing.”