WATCH: Terry McAulay blasts officials for missed roughing the passer penalty in Patriots-Chargers playoff game

by: Brian Jones 23 hours ago brianjones_93

Terry McAulay had an issue with the officials missing a roughing the passer penalty in the New England Patriots vs. Los Angeles Chargers playoff game. During the NBC broadcast, the rules analyst reacted to the officials not penalizing the Patriots for hitting Chargers QB Justin Herbert in the head.

“Forcible contact, he still gets roughing the passer protection until he clearly establishes himself as a runner, which he didn’t do,” Terry McAulay said. “That’s forcible contact; it should have been a penalty for roughing the passer.”

Terry McAulay: “That’s forcible contact. It should have been a penalty for roughing the passer.” ️ #NFL #SNF #NFLPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/VLzPCPv9Cw

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) January 12, 2026

The missed penalty led to the Chargers punting with 41 seconds remaining in the first half. The Patriots then drove down the field and kicked a field goal to take a 6-3 lead at halftime. The Patriots went on to win 16-3 and advance to the divisional round of the playoffs.

Herbert and the Chargers were looking to win their first Super Bowl in franchise history. The team has won a championship, but that was when they were playing in the AFL in 1963.

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