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The NFL is sticking with its officiating emphasis on quarterback hits Bradley Roby Jersey , including those in which the tackler uses all or most of his body weight when falling on the quarterback.NFL football operations chief Troy Vincent said Thursday that the powerful competition committee has clarified to game officials the techniques used in such hits, which have been a source of debate through the first three weeks of the schedule. Green Bay linebacker Clay Matthews has been called for three of them, two of which appeared to be normal tackles.A lack of consistency on such calls also has been a source of contention throughout the league. In its regularly scheduled conference call, the committee reviewed video of such plays from 2017 and this year."In reiterating its position on quarterback protection," Vincent says, "the committee determined there would be no changes to the point of emphasis approved this spring, or to the rule of which the body weight provision has been in place since 1995."The inconsistency led Matthews to suggest the league has gone soft. He argued that what constitutes a clean hit is anybody's guess nowadays."I don't know if that statement really expresses how they're going to call it moving forward," he said Thursday, adding if it will be status quo, "If that's the case, that's truly unfortunate because I think I speak on behalf of everybody that doesn't like the rule and the way it's being called and the way it's being officiated." Furthermore after seeing the video, too, all hits on the quarterback that came from straight on 鈥?which is what they teach you since peewee football with running backs, receivers or whatever Tashaun Gipson Jersey , is to approach them head on if you can 鈥?those were all illegal hits, much like the two hits I had on Cousins and (Alex) Smith last week, which were conveniently left out of the video."Compounding the complaints: Dolphins DE William Hayes tore his right ACL trying to avoid landing on Raiders QB Derek Carr."He was trying to not put body weight on the quarterback," coach Adam Gase said of Hayes. "His foot got caught in the ground."He's one of our leaders and best run defender. That's going to be a tough one for us to swallow."Many of the calls have been difficult for defensive players and their coaches to swallow, and they've even gotten some support from quarterbacks."It helps me out because I'm a quarterback," said Deshaun Watson of the Texans. "But some of the calls are just kind of crazy."The competition committee's decision to remain with the status quo doesn't mean there will continue to be a flurry of such penalties. By clarifying the technique, the league is attempting to find some uniformity in the calls."I think we all have felt like it's all gone a little bit too far," said Fox analyst Mike Pereira, the former head of NFL officials. "But I think it'll seek a level that will get it back in sync with what the players think and what we all think."You know any time you put a new point of emphasis in, there's a point of adjustment to the players and the officials ... so again, an adjustment by both groups, the players and the officials."There have been 34 roughing-the-passer calls so far. While that works out to just one flag for every 100 pass attempts, it represents a massive increase over previous years. There were 16 such penalties through three weeks last season and 20 the year before that.Browns defensive end Myles Garrett, the top overall pick in the 2017 draft who had a roughing penalty in Week 1 rescinded by the league Zach Fulton Jersey , sympathizes with Matthews and fellow defenders."It's ridiculous," he said Thursday. "I feel bad for Clay Matthews. He just can't win at this point right now. I mean I'm going to take them down how I have to. I saw what happened with Willie Hayes and that was, I wouldn't say depressing, but it was sad to see him doing his best to abide by the rules and get hurt."Garrett added he wouldn't risk injury to " lay him on the ground like he's a child."You just have to do what's best for you," he said. "He's going to be all right. Football is about getting hit and taking hits and giving hits. So if I get a penalty for saving my skin and trying to make big plays, then, oh well."There's only been a handful of flags, meanwhile, for players lowering their helmet, another point of emphasis, showing that players, coaches and officials have all adjusted accordingly to that rule change.AP Pro Football Writer Arnie Stapleton and Sports Writers Tom Withers and Genaro C. Armas contributed. The road to the Super Bowl in the NFC will go through the Big Easy.Though the Saints’ path to get to Atlanta could be challenging: The top three teams in the latest AP Pro32 poll are all from the NFC.The Saints received all 12 first-place votes for 384 points in balloting Wednesday by media members who regularly cover the NFL.New Orleans (13-2) clinched the top seed in the NFC after Sunday’s 31-28 win over Pittsburgh. The previous time New Orleans had the top seed in the NFC was 2009 when it reached and won the Super Bowl.“The news is all good for the Saints: They clinch home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs with a thrilling win over the Steelers, and (quarterback) Drew Brees has a chance to win his first-ever regular-season MVP award,” Newsday’s Bob Glauber said.The NFC West champion Los Angeles Rams jumped three places to No. 2 after dominating Arizona without star running back Todd Gurley. The Rams can clinch a first-round bye with a win against San Francisco in the regular-season finale.NFC North champion Chicago Bears inched up a spot to No. 3.“With a swarming defense and a solid ground game Nick Martin Jersey , the Bears appear poised to make some waves in January along the frosty shores of Lake Michigan,” said Ira Kaufman of Fox 13 in Tampa.The next three teams in the poll are all from the AFC.Kansas City and the Los Angeles Chargers, tied at 11-4 in the AFC West, slipped to No. 4 and No. 5 respectively. The Chiefs dropped a spot after their 38-31 loss at Seattle on Sunday night, and the Chargers fell from No. 2 after losing to Baltimore on Saturday night.The New England Patriots, who won the AFC East for the 10th consecutive year, moved up a spot to No. 6.Seattle climbed three spots to No. 7 after clinching a playoff berth with a win over the Chiefs.The Houston Texans slipped two spots to No. 8 after losing to the Philadelphia Eagles 32-30 on Jake Elliott‘s field goal as time expired Sunday. However, the first-place Texans clinched a playoff spot later in the day when the Steelers lost.Houston will clinch the AFC South with a win over the Jaguars.The surging Baltimore Ravens jumped three spots to No. 9. The Ravens (9-6) lead the AFC North by a half-game over Pittsburgh. The Ravens host Cleveland on Sunday and will take the division with a win.“Who wants to play them?,” asked Fox Sports’ John Czarnecki of the Ravens, who were 4-5 entering their bye week and have won five of six overall.The Steelers need to win at home against the last-place Bengals and have the Ravens stumble for their best chance at reaching the postseason.The Indianapolis Colts fell one spot despite rallying past the New York Giants to round out the top 10. The Colts and Tennessee Titans, who remained No. 14 in the poll, are both 9-6 and end the regular season in a prime-time matchup on NBC. The winner will clinch a playoff spot and could take the division if the Texans stumble earlier in the day.