Nov 1st 2008 6:40PM by Ryan Wilson (author feed)
Filed under: Broncos, Patriots, AFC East, AFC West
The ’s Mike Klis makes an interesting point: when it comes to the NFL Gestapo meting out punishments, players who receive bad publicity for their actions receive stiffer penalties than those who don’t, no matter how egregious the offense. I have no idea if the data support Klis’s claim, but anecdotally, it certainly seems plausible.
The league’s decision to only fine — and not suspend — Patriots nose tackle Vince Wilfork for unsuccessfully decapitating Broncos quarterback Jay Cutler is the latest example, according to Klis, and some Denver players are in agreement. “When he gets beaten on a play and then retaliates with a cheap shot, it’s uncalled for,” [center Casey] Wiegmann said. “But a lot of guys on their defense are doing that type of stuff. If you go back and watch the play-by-play, stuff happens late all the time.” No story of cheap-shotting would be complete without the cursory Rodney Harrison mention, so here ya go:Continue Reading
