WTF Happened in the NFL This Week

Things were looking great for the Colts at halftime, as they led 17-6 at home and were cruising behind another strong performance from Andrew Luck. But with an offense like the Eagles have had under Chip Kelly, if you give them a chance to come back they will make you pay.

And that they did.

The Eagles turned both second half turnovers by the Colts into touchdowns, and Darren Sproles recorded a staggering 178 yards from scrimmage as the Eagles came back to stun the Colts 30-27. It seemed like whenever Indianapolis had a chance to put the game away they’d turn the ball over, and Nick Foles (21 of 37, 331 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT) did his part to lead the Eagles back and push their record to 2-0.

While it is undoubtedly a disheartening loss for the Colts, they can take comfort knowing they basically had a very good team beaten and simply killed themselves with dumb mistakes. Trent Richardson and Ahmad Bradshaw combined for 169 rushing yards and Luck threw three touchdown passes, so the offense wasn’t the issue.

It may be early, but both teams sure looked like locks for the playoffs.

Preaching the need for “due process” and citing “a lack of a fair and impartial process,” the NFLPA filed a grievance on behalf of Ray Rice in appealing his indefinite suspension. While it’s the union’s job to protect the interests of its players and to make sure all angles have been covered in debating the legality of the NFL’s suspension, there is pretty clearly something about this that doesn’t sit right.

In no way, shape, or form, should a brazenly unapologetic abuser like Ray Rice be allowed to play in the NFL. It’s not as if there is any doubt about what he did; the tape is clear as can be. So the idea that there is even the slightest, faintest chance he could play in the NFL again should be offensive to anyone familiar with what happened in that elevator.

If there’s one thing the last week has taught us, it’s that one should never underestimate the NFL or an NFL’s team ability to react to something 24 hours after it’s too late.

The Vikings proved that idea again by banning Adrian Peterson from the team by means of a little-known provision known as the exempt/commissioner’s permission list. The rule is described in the Player Personnel Policy Manual this way:

“The Exempt List is a special player status available to clubs only in unusual circumstances. The List includes those players who have been declared by the Commissioner to be temporarily exempt from counting within the Active List limit. Only the Commissioner has the authority to place a player on the Exempt List; clubs have no such authority, and no exemption, regardless of circumstances, is automatic. The Commissioner also has the authority to determine in advance whether a player's time on the Exempt List will be finite or will continue until the Commissioner deems the exemption should be lifted and the player returned to the Active List.”

So basically, a team (in conjunction with the league) can suspend a player indefinitely for no particular reason other than the circumstances meeting the nebulous criterion of being “unusual.” The player still gets paid, but can’t go near the team facility.

Vikings owner Zygi Wilf said in the press conference announcing the move that “We made a mistake, and we need to get this right. It is important to always listen to our fans, the community and our sponsors.” A cynic might suggest that they choose to react only when it becomes a PR problem for them, which in turn could become a money problem.

Wilf is undoubtedly sincere in that they need to fix the problem for sake of the sponsors, and if fans and the community are on board too, all the better. But don’t kid yourself. This is, and always will be, about money.

Buried in all the bad news this week was the fact that guys who played the right way had their names announced as Hall of Fame nominees. The list is highlighted by two-time MVP Kurt Warner and all-time great linebacker Junior Seau, as well as Warner’s former targets Torry Holt and Isaac Bruce.

A total of 113 players and coaches were nominated, with that list getting pared down to 25 semifinalists in November. That number gets knocked down to 15 and January, and from there the four to eight inductees will be selected the day before the Super Bowl.

Given everything that has gone on, does it even matter if Welker took Molly? At this point, that is so low on the list of offenses committed by players that it’s barely even worth mentioning.

After the NFLPA approved the league’s new drug policy, Welker’s suspension was lifted and he was free to return to the Broncos. Of course, there’s also the matter that Welker seemingly can’t stop getting concussions and probably shouldn’t be playing anymore, but that is a different discussion entirely.

Carolina Panthers defensive lineman Greg Hardy was a Pro Bowler and was on the All-Pro Second Team in 2013, but he also was involved in an ugly domestic violence incident this summer where he was convicted of assaulting and threatening his ex-girlfriend.

The details of the case are ugly, and include Hardy admitting to throwing the victim to the floor, into a bathtub, slamming her against a couch, and strangling her. Of course, the Panthers were happy to let him play, that is until the video of Ray Rice shined a spotlight on domestic violence in the NFL.

It was only then that they decided to use the same exempt list the Vikings had employed with Peterson to stash Hardy away. Of course, he’ll still make every penny of his $13.1 million salary for this season, so don’t worry about where his next meal is coming from.

The NFL’s already horrible public image somehow managed to get even worse on Wednesday with the arrest of Jonathan Dwyer. As with the other domestic violence cases the league is dealing with right now, the charges are pretty horrific: police said Dwyer headbutted his wife and broke her nose when she refused his sexual advances, then the next day punched her in the face and threw a shoe at his 17 month old son.

The incidents first happened in late July, but Dwyer’s wife left the state immediately after and has just come forward now because Dwyer has recently been sending her texts containing suicidal messages. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for September 26.

Dwyer has been placed on the reserve/non-football injury list, ending his season and (if he is found guilty) likely his career. He will, however, continue to be paid. Because that’s totally fair.

49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick became the first player fined for violating the league’s new “inappropriate language” policy after he got into it on the field with Chicago Bears lineman Lamarr Houston during their game on Sunday night. While we don’t know what was said, the rule states that “Using abusive, threatening or insulting language, or gestures to opponents, teammates, officials or representatives of the league is unsportsmanlike conduct,” and it has been emphasized that officials should be on the lookout for the n-word and homophobic slurs especially.

So what did Kaepernick say, exactly? To hear him, nothing at all. The NFL doesn’t seem to know either. This is probably why he is appealing the fine, although given the league’s love of setting precedents it seems unlikely he’ll have it reduced or eliminated. 

It was truly refreshing to hear the Bears’ Brandon Marshall speak from the heart about the NFL’s domestic violence problem, the reasons not the least of which are his own past (and recently renewed) involvement in a domestic violence case. He talked about growing up in a violent household and how that became engrained in his psyche. He discussed how it related to his borderline personality disorder diagnosis, something that has greatly improved the quality of his life now that he’s being treated.

Symbolically, though, is where it hit home the most. Everything about the NFL’s handling of its recent issues with child abuse and domestic violence has been subtle to the point of seeming non-existent. The league’s hush-hush culture has brought things to a point where it’s allowed for justice to not be served. Players like Marshall who openly discuss their past as a means of a better future are the kinds of ambassadors the NFL needs if they want to be a viable entity going forward.

This game was never good, not even for a second. The Falcons opened up a 35-0 lead at halftime and a 56-0 lead after three quarters. It did at least have a little history, however: with his second quarter punt return touchdown, Devin Hester passed Deion Sanders for the most return touchdowns in the history of the NFL.

The win was the second-largest in Falcons history, topped only by their 62-7 drubbing of the Saints back in 1970. For the Buccaneers—a team many expected to contend this season after some key offseason additions on both sides of the ball—they’re off to an 0-3 start under new coach Lovie Smith and look to be headed to a top five draft pick once again.

“Ignorance is not an excuse” –Roger Goodell re: Saints bounty scandal.

To say Roger Goodell came off as a bit of a hypocrite as he pleaded ignorance in Friday’s press conference would be quite an understatement. The commissioner drew the ire of fans and players alike as he offered his first public comments since the Ray Rice video became public on September 8. The commissioner showed up 15-plus minutes late, read a statement with all the enthusiasm of someone in a hostage video, and then dodged question after question about his failures in the Rice situation. It was, yet again, a case of horrendous leadership on Goodell’s part.

After an estimated 1000 people waited in line at M&T Bank Stadium for over two hours on Friday, more piled in on Saturday to up the total number of returned Ray Rice jerseys to nearly 8000. The Ravens had taken the same tactic as the New England Patriots did with Aaron Hernandez gear last year, offering fans the chance to bring Rice’s jersey to the pro shop and to exchange it for a brand new jersey of a different Ravens player. So many fans showed up to swap their Rice apparel that the team actually ran out of other jerseys, handing out just over 5500 before having to issue about 2400 vouchers to fans.

Late Saturday night, former Titans kicker Rob Bironas was driving in Nashville when he lost control of his car, crashing into several trees and landing in a ditch. Tragically, he was pronounced dead at the hospital.

Bironas was named First Team All Pro and made the Pro Bowl in 2007, and is the second-leading scorer in the history of the Titans/Oilers franchise. It appears speed was involved in the crash, although full details are not really known at this time. Regardless, a very tragic loss.

Celebrating a big play has become a part of NFL culture, and the sack dance has become an important part of pass rushing. Tulloch decided after sacking Aaron Rodgers today that he wanted to go for the biggest imitation of the “discount double check” as possible, but it sure didn’t go as planned. Tulloch hobbled off the field under his own power, but was unable to return to the game and his status going forward is up in the air.

After the game, Tulloch said “I'm not embarrassed.” Someone may need to check him for a concussion too.

Perhaps it wasn’t the memorable, game-winning debut Teddy Bridgewater had hoped for, but it was solid enough. The rookie went 12 of 20 for 150 yards and looked poised in replacing Matt Cassel, who went down with an injury early in the second quarter of the Vikings’ 20-9 loss to the Saints.

Cassel’s injured foot is broken, so Bridgewater is going to be the starter for the foreseeable future. It will be a great chance for the first round pick to prove himself, and to help boost a Vikings organization reeling from the Adrian Peterson situation.