Is this the worst roughing the passer call in NFL playoff history?

The NFL has had a rough season with their roughing the passer rules. Though the spirit of the rule is correct — to protect quarterbacks and to heighten player safety — there are many moments that seem to take it too far. In the fourth quarter of the Vikings-Giants Wild Card playoff game on Sunday, it appeared to everyone watching that the NFL took it too far.

With the New York Giants leading 31-24 in the final three minutes of the game, Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins faced second-and-4 and threw a critical incomplete pass with New York’s Dexter Lawrence immediately putting pressure in his face that should have set up a third down. Instead, Lawrence was called for roughing the passer for reasons that are up for debate.

Lawrence made incidental contact with the QB’s helmet. He spun Cousins to the ground, but was probably more gentle than he had to be. The play looked like a strong tackle to be sure, but it is tackle football after all. Minnesota was gifted a huge first down and kept their drive alive by penalty.

Luckily for the Giants, Kirk Cousins still had Kirk Cousins moments left in him, throwing short of the sticks on a fourth down moments later, setting up New York for a win to move them onto the divisional round.

The Giants played some of their best football of the season. But that moment was rough. There was lots of Twitter reaction, too.