Blame the entire cast for last night’s benchmark show

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The Chicago Bears blew the wrong whistle all night in Pittsburgh, but still found themselves in a position to beat the Steelers and stay in the playoff race. Ben Roethlisberger’s sack of linebacker Cassius Marsh with 3:40 remaining would have given Justin Fields the ball 23-20 but the drive was allowed to continue after referee Tony Corrente flagged Marsh for taunting.

Everyone rightly hates the call because no one watches football to watch the officials, but the record should show that all of this could have been avoided had Marsh not stepped away from his sideline and had not barked near the oncoming punt team. Many people seem to think he played no part in this nonsense when in fact he was the one who lit the fuse.

The NFL has placed an emphasis on taunting and, as silly as it may be, players adapt or fail to adapt and cost their teams important football games. No one likes it except the NFL, yet here we are and until those rules are relaxed, that’s how it’s going to be.

Cassius Marsh called for … taunts … pic.twitter.com/OZ0jkCqWOp

– Justin (@hobokenjustin) November 9, 2021

There is no justification for throwing a flag here pic.twitter.com/jTwaP4MpXF

– Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) November 9, 2021

The drama deepened, however, when reruns showed that Corrente’s flag came directly after he and Marsh collided on the pitch – a collision that closely resembled the referee’s. In his post-game comments, Marsh, looking like someone vying for the Iron Throne, agreed.

#Bears LB Cassius Marsh, who was called up for taunts at the end of the 4th quarter, says he didn’t say anything to the #Steelers bench to warrant a penalty.

Also said that the referee checked him at the hip and if it was the other way around he would have been ejected. pic.twitter.com/TpSIJjH625

– Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) November 9, 2021

“On my way to the sideline, I was checked by the referee. It’s pretty clear, ”Marsh said. “If I had to do that to a referee or even touch a referee, we would be kicked out of the game and maybe suspended and fined. I just think it was incredibly inappropriate.”

He is right about the fine if not the suspension. And it stinks for all the non-Steelers parties this morning because even though the Bears made a furious comeback and there was an entertaining and winning run from Ben Roethlisberger, events were hollow and unsatisfying because it’s a very real thing to complain about. There is something very human about not wanting nonsense like this when deciding on a three hour physical fight between two desperate teams.

Marsh and Corrente bear some of the blame for it, but ultimately it is the NFL that should be ashamed this morning for creating a system that required such a call. Who is it for ? Who is such a system for?

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