Some NFL defensive players are furious about the league's decision to start suspending players for dangerous hits. Miami Dolphins linebacker Channing Crowder said on Wednesday that he will keep using his helmet despite the new rules.

"If I get a chance to knock somebody out, I'm going to knock them out and take what they give me," Crowder said. "They give me a helmet, I'm going to use it."

Crowder also suggested that all players wear pink every game if the league continues to make football look more like a "feminine sport."

"They can complain, they can suspend, they can fine and they can do whatever they want, but you can't stop a man from playing football the way he's been playing since high school," said Crowder.

Chicago Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher bashed the new rules on Wednesday, saying that the league should put flags on players and change the name to the "National Flag Football League."

Defensive Players React

I joined the movement called "Pay James Harrison's Bogus fine," where fans are sending Commissioner Goodell a letter with a dollar in it to pay the fine. What's disturbing is that the league is fining Harrison while using images of the hit, for which he was fined, to promote the hard hitting action of the NFL.

I think the league is overreacting to the hits. There are helmet to helmet hits on every play. The gratuitous hits should be subject to fine, but when you have receivers crossing the middle at great speed, catching passes at shoulder/head level, a defender has to hit high and hard. Imposing strict liability draconian fines and suspensions will have a chilling effect on the way the game is played.

I agree with the defensive players' reaction.

That's pretty silly, but pretty cool for whoever is opening the mail. Free Money, whee.

Kly, Longneck here is another explanation of how the game works from a former tight end for Denver, Nate Jackson. I don't recognize the name, evidently he was/is a journeyman but the acknowledgment of the risk and danger and why certain actions are required was enlightening for me at least.

Pay your money, take your chances

The Bears were who we thought they were.

Lilo, that article hit the nail on the head.

Cutler is Cutler, and unfortunately the Bears are saddled with him.

Athletic, can make all the throws, very poor judgement (and the porous line doesn't help)... Rex Grossman 2.0.

DS

Are Bears fans upset that Thomas Jones was not retained? His success has continued into this year since leaving Chicago, even splitting time with Jamaal Charles. I know Forte is versatile, but he gives them inconsistent running and Mike Martz's offense hates to handoff. IMO, Cutler needs a huge upgrade in its receiving corp since they have all kinds of salary tied up in Cutler.

I don't think better receivers are needed. I don't think Cutler has ever shown he can read defenses and think quickly enough to be consistently successful in the NFL. I never was a Cutler fan.

Although he was successful, I don't think Thomas Jones was seen as a difference maker here in Chicago. That could have been the product of the offensive line, which has been poor for years, since we've seen what TJ can do with a decent line. I think having Forte softens the blow and people here consider him a pretty decent back. Like you said though, Martz likes to throw, throw, throw so he hasn't gotten a chance to show much of anything beyond what he did in the first couple of games this year.

what pissed me off about the trading of TJ was we didn't receive nothing in return! and, then you add in benson who was suppose to be a great running back turn into garbage (either it was him, the o-line, or the o-coordinator).

anyways though it has been years, and chances are we will draft another running back in a couple years (hopefully after the o-line is fix, the secondly is fix, and replenish the defense)

NEW YORK -- A regular-season NFL game drew more television viewers than the World Series.

The "Sunday Night Football" matchup between the past two Super Bowl champions was watched by 18.1 million people, compared with 15.5 million for Game 4 of the World Series.

NBC said it was the first time an NFL game earned a higher rating than the World Series, though the two have rarely aired at the same time over the years.

Wade Phillips let go.

Cowboys coach fired

If his father wasn't an icon in the state of Texas, he would have been fired at least a year ago.

Browns won Giants won all is well.

Why would that be? His record last year was 11-5. The year before it was 9-7. His first year it was 13-3.

He went to the playoffs five straight years and one exactly one playoff game. That's unacceptable with the talent they've had (and the money that buffoon Jerry Jones has spent).

Besides, you're a Steelers fan, what do you care?

Cowboys have certainly struggled this year!

Its all Jessica Simpson's fault!

He went to the playoffs five straight years and one exactly one playoff game. That's unacceptable with the talent they've had (and the money that buffoon Jerry Jones has spent).

Besides, you're a Steelers fan, what do you care? [/quote]

Wade was named Cowboy's coach in 2007, so he's only been coaching the team for 3.5 seasons. During that period the Cowboys only made the playoffs twice.

Since I live just about 35 miles from the Death Star, it's all relevant.

Meh

Let the Steelers meet the Giants in the SB and then we'll see who cares.

This has been a topic of local angst....but it's not like they were winning with him.

Preliminary tests indicated that Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford might have suffered a Grade 3 separation of his right shoulder during Sunday's game against the New York Jets, according to reports.

A source "close to the situation" says the Lions feared, following those preliminary tests, that Stafford would not play again this season, MLive.com reported.

In addition, FoxSportsDetroit.com reported that sources are convinced Stafford's season is over. The source also said Stafford's second injury "is worse" than the injury to his right shoulder that he suffered against the Bears in the season opener.

A Grade 3 separation means that three ligaments in the Acromioclavicular Joint (AC Joint) have been damaged.
QB Out???

And:

those teams suck!

DA BEARS! Way to go, Bam!

Don't you mean "Duh Bears"?

Kinda like "The Dallas Ow-boys"?