THE NFL LOWDOWN WEEK #8 2011

Even though the NFL is the most popular sport in the world, it still has it's fair share of critics. Purists complain that the players of today are sissified and that all of the rule changes favor the offense. There is a belief that QB's are protected better than Obama is and that makes it more difficult to stop offenses. Defensive players complain that you can't touch wide receivers and that it is nearly impossible to reteach themselves how to tackle because they have been doing it that way since pop warner. The common belief is that the NFL hierarchy is taking the violence and toughness out of the game and appeasing the fans with higher scoring games. I agree and disagree with all of the points made above. Yes the NFL does prefer to see shootouts between the Packers and Saints as opposed to 13-10 slug fests between the Steelers and Ravens. A 13-10 battle between the Ravens and Steelers could actually be an epic encounter, but take the same score and insert the Rams and  Seahawks and I would rather watch the Oxygen network or Dr. Phil counsel Ike Turner on why it was wrong to whup Tina's ass. The point is only fans of the winning team want to see a defensive standoff or what I would like to call bad offensive football. The casual football fan loves to see points put on the board and that's the audience the NFL is going after. They already have die hearts like you and me tuning in no matter what. Second I do agree that the league is protecting QB, but they are doing it for the betterment of the game. The QB position is the most important position on the field and if you disagree all I have to say is look at Colts. Take Rodgers or Brees off of their prospective teams and they are unwatchable. The NFL is a billion dollar business and you don't want to piss off consumers or advertisers with a product similar to regular season baseball or basketball. Now I do side with purists when it comes to wide receivers. I don't believe you should be able to mug receivers like the Pats did the Colts for years, but the flags I see now make it damn near impossible to cover receivers. What the hell does the NFL mean when it says you can't hit a defenseless receiver. Isn't that the point of football to hit a guy when he is not prepared for it. Intimidation as long as it is clean has always been part of the sport and receivers know what they are getting into when they cross the middle looking for pay dirt. Football is a collision sport not a contact sport and players know what they sign up for when they play. That being said players sometimes do need protection from themselves. If unnecessary injuries can be prevented or a players quality of life can be improved by changing certain things I am all for it, but outside of helmet to helmet hits everything else legal should be allowed. Concussions and injuries even though we don't like them are part of the hazards of playing football and allowing QB and receivers to run a muck only makes defensive players salivate at taking their heads off anymore. It is kind of like protecting your children while they are growing up . You can only do but so much. You have to hope and pray that they live a happy and productive life. All the while knowing that anything can happen at anytime. One last thing that is very funny to me. It seems like only current and former defensive players are crying about the rule changes. I don't hear Brady, Manning, Fitzgerald or Megatron complaining at all. I say all this to say the NFL is far from perfect, but in its quest for perfection they are not afraid to invoke change. Everything they do is to better their product and give fans what they want. Whether they succeed or fail numbers don't lie. Baseball, Basketball and Hockey would do good to look at their prospective products and do the same. At the end of the day the NFL is king and whether you are a die hard fan or just a lover of Superbowl parties chances are you will find yourself in front of a TV somewhere on Sunday afternoons watching and cheering for your favorite team. Now onto the Lowdown.

• ROMEO'S THOUGHTS:
• The mocking of Tim Tebow is all in good fun and their is absolutely nothing wrong with Tebowing. Yes the critics do sound harsh when commenting on Tebow's play, but that is only because of Tebow's personality and fan following.
• Critics even though they are supposed to be objective and insightful are also victims of what have you done for me lately. How else do you explain jumping back on the Eagles bandwagon and abandoning the Jets. All of a sudden Rivers is a buffoon and the 49ers are Superbowl bound. The Steelers were left for dead and now all of a sudden they are the best in the AFC, but wait I thought the Ravens were after they whipped the Steelers ass. All I am saying is if the Packers winning the Superbowl last year after almost missing the playoffs didn't show you anythng than I guess nothing will.
• Did Shanahan forget how to coach or were Davis and Elway just that damn good? The debate begins.
• Call it whatever you want throwing games or Suck for Luck, but the Colts and Dolphins need a franchise QB more than Rondo needs a jumper.
• I still think Jason Campbell was a better fit for the Raiders than Carson Palmer and time will prove it.
• How come Marvin Lewis doesn't get any credit for his TOP 5 defense and his handling of Andy Dalton? Its like the Bengals are a self contained unit who coach themselves. You criticize him when they suck. Give him his due when the succeed.
• Is the league catching onto Brady and Bellicheck? Maybe, but putting pressure on a QB and hitting him relentlessly is a formula to stop any QB in the league not named Big BEN.
• I keep telling you about the Giants and Eli the real Manning. I told you they are built for playoff football with that pass rush and running game and if Eli continues playing at this level who can beat them. Their problem is they are inconsistent and they don't have a WR that scares opposing defenses.
• Can't wake to see the handshake at the end of the battle between the Harbaugh's on Thanksgiving. That maybe more intense than the game.
• With weapons like Bryant,Austin and Whitten the Cowboys should have the most prolific offense in football and that includes the Packers.
• Is it just me or does Dez Bryant look like Amare Stoudamire?
• Is it an indictment on the league that rookie QB Cam Newton has 2400 yards passing thru week 8 or is he just that damn good. No one including his mother thought he would have this kind of impact this early. Every NFL analyst I listened too said he had charm and charisma, but the NFL IQ to succeed. Sounds like they were evaluating a pimp or con artist to me. I was told he was the second coming of Jamarcus Russell or a poor mans Vick. To me the draft is a crap shoot and that is why they play the game.
• How does TJ Whoseyourmother get a job and Moss and TO can't? Karma is a sumbitch. If Al was alive this shit wouldn't be happening.
• Christian Ponder was supposedly drafted to high and didn't have the arm strength to play QB in the NFL. 2 games later people are wondering where the Vikings would have been if they had switched QB earlier.
• If you look at things objectively Romo and the Cowboys and Rivers and the Chargers are two peas in a pod. Both teams have all the talent in the world but mistakes, bad coaching, injuries and every other excuse you can come up with prevents them from maximizing their potential.
• HIGH FIVE:
• 1)PACKERS (7-0) Right now only complacency can beat the Packers
• 2)GIANTS (5-2) Built for December
• 3)STEELERS (6-2) Big Ben is playing at a level even higher than when they won it all
• 4)PATS (5-2) Didn't think I would ever say this, but Brady needs help
• 5)RAVENS (5-2) Should be 7-0 Flacco needs to step the fuck up
• MVP WATCH:
• 1)Aaron Rodgers
• 2)Ben Roethlisberger
• 3)Tom Brady
• 4)Eli Manning
• 5)Demarcus Ware
• DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR:
• 1)Demarcus Ware
• 2)Terell Suggs
• 3)Charles Woodson
• 4)Darelle Revis
• 5)Haloti Ngata
• BUFFOON OF THE WEEK:
• He already has his own wing in the BHOF, so now I think we should just retire the award in his honor and rename it. Jerry Jones how many times must you end up receiving this low light. Your comments about how hard the Cowboys played Sunday night was both funny and troubling at the same time. Not only do you continue to put your foot in your mouth, but instead of addressing your coaching privately about their failures you applaud that abysmal performance. They gave up almost 500 yards of offense and except for Demarcus Ware's 4 sack performance were totally outclassed. Laurent Robinson 5rec 103 yards 1 td and DeMarco Murray 8rushes 74 yards were the only other bright spots. How many times must a team that you are responsible for not only come up short in a big game but get their ass handed to them. Lance Armstrong said that if he had enough money he would buy the team from you and get the hell out of the way and let football people do football things. Why the hell must you comment on games, personnel, and strategy instead of allowing your head coach to do so? The Ravens got embarrassed by the Jags and I didn't hear from their owner. The Chargers's owner didn't comment on Rivers fumbling away the game Monday night. The Rams with their play are setting ball back years and I don't even know who their owner is. The bottom line is you don't know when to speak and when you do you don't know what the hell to say. I love your passion, but hate your execution. The team resembles your personality brash, bold, cocky, and buffoonish. Because of your numerous infractions( too many to mention here) I hereby retire the buffoon of the week award in your honor and will rename it later.
• I'M OUT LIKE THE DEADSKINS PLAYOFF HOPES.