Over two weeks of the 2021 NFL season, it's been the extraneous elements of a football game that have drawn the ire of many observers.
That has been, of course, the league's point of emphasis on taunting. The push to eliminate antagonistic behaviors and poor sportsmanship has led to 11 such flags -- which cost 15 yards and register as the first half of an automatic suspension -- over the first two weeks of the season, according to a report from ESPN.
That number equaled the total of such flags thrown throughout the entire 2020 season. There were eight alone in Week 2.
While the Saints haven't yet been struck by one of these drive-altering penalties, coach Sean Payton sees the issue as similar to another often criticized penalty that hit the Saints twice in a loss to the Panthers: Roughing the passer.
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"I don’t think all 17 crews are on the same page,” Payton said, while declining to take a stance on the rule itself. He termed the issue as similar to the roughing the passer rule that's seen several emphasis changes in the past decade.
Payton is a member of the NFL's competition committee, which reviews competitive aspects of the game, including rules, roster regulations, technology, game-day operations and player protections. The other members are Falcons president Rich McKay, Giants owner John Mara, Cowboys CEO Stephen Jones, Packers president Mark Murphy, Ravens EVP Ozzie Newsome, Steelers coach Mike Tomlin, Broncos GM John Elway and Washington coach Ron Rivera.
Both roughing calls against the Saints came in similar fashion, with a player on the ground reaching forward and grabbing QB Sam Darnold's legs. The penalty spurred from a rule change that disallowed hitting a QB below the knees after an injury knocked then-Patriots QB Tom Brady out for a season.
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The taunting rule change was much talked about throughout training camp, with the Saints' firebrand nickelback CJ Garder-Johnson often brought into the discussion.
Payton didn't shy away from the topic and said his safety would have to be smart, despite his clearly demonstrated ability to get into the head of opponents throughout games. He was out with an injury in Week 2 against the Panthers.