To taunt or not to taunt

 I come here in support of the NFL’s crackdown on taunting, and if you don’t like it, consider the ball spiked at your feet. Yeah, that’s right.

Man, I was really hoping this issue had been dealt with. After eight taunting penalties were called in Week 2 of the 2021 season, only eight more were assessed in Weeks 3 through 7. My takeaway at the time was that coaches and players had gotten the message. 

And my question to all the fans was to have been this: was the fun really taken out of the game for lack of those antics? Did anyone really miss them, or was the game itself enough for you? 

Alas, in Weeks 8 and 9, nine taunting penalties were called — most controversially referee Tony Corrente’s flagging of Chicago linebacker Cassius Marsh in Monday’s Bears-Steelers game. 

Just like that, the No Fun League critics were at it again. 

Corrente should be fined/suspended/fired/tarred and feathered, they howled. And the NFL’s emphasis on taunting is a joke/tragedy/abomination/disgrace to mankind.

In terms of optics, Corrente did himself no favors by appearing to make contact with Marsh as the player was leaving the field — not having yet thrown a flag for taunting. Upon further review, Corrente appeared to be reaching for his flag before contact that was almost certainly inadvertent. 

And, yes, I politely submit (in your face) that Corrente’s call was correct in response to the NFL’s emphasis on taunting. Correct and proper, as well, is that emphasis.

Going to the replay:

With the Steelers leading 23-20 with 3:30 left in the game, Marsh sacks Ben Roethlisberger on third down. Marsh celebrates with a flying leap. No problem. 

Seconds later, Corrente calls a 15-yard taunting penalty on Marsh. First down, Pittsburgh.

ESPN’s Mike Tirico and Brian Griese are borderline apoplectic. “I didn’t see (taunting) there,” each of them say, though they actually did.

After the play, Marsh, instead of heading for his own sideline, takes several steps towards the Pittsburgh sideline. He stares, struts a bit and dances a backward jig before turning toward his own sideline.

Based on the NFL in 2021, that’s taunting. 

What’s the big deal, you ask? In and of itself, nothing at all. Corrente could have overlooked it and saved himself and the league a lot of grief. 

But here’s the thing: taunting can lead to fights and ejections, even to hard fouls and injuries. That’s what the emphasis is all about.

Besides, it’s not as if taunting penalties have taken over the game. Through nine weeks and 136 games, just 27 have been called. Compare that to 350 flags for offensive holding, 306 for false starts and 207 for pass interference. 

Yes, from a Bears standpoint, the taunting call on Marsh was costly — keeping alive a Pittsburgh drive that produced a field goal. But if I were a Bears fan, I’d be far more upset about the highly questionable low-block call that nullified a Chicago touchdown in the third quarter.

More than that, I’d be disappointed that the Bears defense couldn’t get a stop after rookie QB Justin Fields (Go Buckeyes) had given them a 27-26 lead before Roethlisberger engineered the game-winning drive for the Steelers. 

Officials don’t win or lose games. Period.