Bernard Pollard has racked up many fines this season for illegal hits. However, he won’t be getting fined for his hit against Denver Broncos receiver Eric Decker on Sunday.
According to Jim Wyatt and John Glennon of the Tennessean, Pollard said the NFL told him the officials had made a mistake in throwing a flag for an illegal hit against a defenseless receiver.
“They said the ref made a bad call,” Pollard said. “It doesn’t help us on Wednesday.”
Pollard hit Decker shoulder-to-shoulder on the play and was still flagged for an illegal hit. The play came early in the third quarter with the Titans still holding a 21-20 lead over the Broncos. The penalty gave the Broncos a first down at the Titans’ 42-yard line. Two passes to Demaryius Thomas later and the Broncos were in the end zone to take a 27-21 lead.
It was a lead the Broncos wouldn’t relinquish.
For a player that has been fined over $60,000 this season for illegal plays, Pollard believes referees aren’t getting enough scrutiny from the league for missed calls.
“If we make a bad decision in a competitive game when we don’t mean to, we are fined 50-plus thousand dollars and some guys $200,000 plus a game check plus suspensions,” Pollard said. “But refs are making bad calls and nothing is happening. … And it is messing our group up because we don’t know how to play now, as far as how we hit the receivers. It is tough as a defensive back.”