Minnesota Vikings: Refs called out for favoring Aaron Rodgers (Video)

Minnesota Vikings QB Teddy Bridgewater was abused by the Packers with impunity but when Aaron Rodgers took a slight hit the play drew a flag.

Did the officials working Sunday’s Vikings-Packers game show undue favoritism toward Aaron Rodgers when it came to policing hits?

Viking fans think they know the answer to that question and ESPN’s Tom Jackson appears to be on their side.

During Monday’s “C’mon Man” segment, Jackson criticized the officials for calling roughing on Linval Joseph’s minor bump of Rodgers after letting Mike Neal practically kill Teddy Bridgewater on an earlier play.

When you watch the two clips back-to-back, the contrast really is pretty stark.

Neal not only gives Bridgwater a shot in the head while taking him down, he also grabs facemask and drives Bridgewater’s shoulder into the turf.

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The play resulted in Bridgewater having to leave the game but thankfully he was able to return.

On the play that did deserve a flag in the estimation of officials, Linval Joseph barely gives Rodgers a push. It’s a tiny bit late but still.

It’s a flop by Rodgers and the refs fell for it.

But of course this is just the way it is in the NFL. Rodgers is Rodgers so he gets the special protection.

Teddy Bridgewater is still in his second year and is not considered one of the league’s top stars, so he is not yet in-line for extra attention from the officials.

I guess Teddy will just have to keep playing hard and earn his way into that upper echelon, then the officials will start protecting him by calling terrible penalties on the other team.