It certainly seemed like Bill Belichick did not appreciate Chase Winovich’s explanation for a dumb penalty in the first half against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 7 on Sunday. Winovich knocked into Jimmy Garoppolo on an interception return from Devin McCourty in the first quarter.
Garoppolo was nowhere near McCourty on the play, and because quarterbacks are carefully protected in the NFL, the officials penalized Winovich for the contact with a personal foul. Belichick and Winovich argued on the sideline after the play. It’s easy to imagine Winovich arguing that Garoppolo flopped — and it’s easy to imagine Belichick telling Winovich that he shouldn’t have given the quarterback an opportunity to flop.