NFL Week 11 - Yeah Yeah Yeah

I try to write a weekly NFL column. Work and the Texans funks I go into sometimes keep me from it. Sometimes I just flat out get lazy.

The Big Topic - Andre Johnson vs. Cortland Finnegan
By now it is obvious that Johnson and Finnegan don't like each other. All that came to a head last week when Johnson pretty much kicked Finnegan's ass. Evidently they had been jawing at each other all game. The play before the fight there was a little pushing and shoving between the two. The next play Finnegan shoved his hands under Johnson's face mask and Johnson ripped Finnegan's helmet off and proceeded to connect three times to the head.

Being a Texans fan, I'm biased. I'm not going to hide that fact.

However, I don't blame Johnson one bit for going after Finnegan. If he is getting some cheap shots, at some point enough is enough and you have to send a message. Finnegan has a reputation for being a dirty player. Is he? I don't really know. He is feisty, pesky and a runt. It was probably a combination of things that got Johnson angry. Finnegan probably began with head games, which I'm sure most defensive backs do, and started mixing in some borderline tactics.

I'll pretty much sum up the fight this way: it was like a hockey brawl. In the NHL, most teams employ an enforcer, goon or tough guy. This guys sole job is to be a pain in the ass and rough up the star players. At some point, the other team sends in their enforcer to either retaliate against the other teams star or the enforcer himself. The enforcers eventually square off, drop gloves and go at it. For some strange reason, it is ingrained in NHL culture. Despite what NHL powers say about cleaning up the game, fighting remains an integral part of the sport. It doesn't happen every game but the potential for a fight exists at every game.

Fortunately, fighting isn't part of NFL culture. No team has a goon to go head hunting on for the other teams stars. No goons face off to send a message. But every once in a while, tempers do fly and fights happen.

This thing between Johnson and Finnegan had been brewing for three years. It finally reached a point where they dropped gloves and went at it. Finnegan accomplished what he wanted by getting Johnson ejected. Johnson accomplished his goal of beating Finnegan's ass. A fair trade off. Finnegan was also ejected.

A corollary topic has been about commissioner Roger Goodell's meting out of punishment. The consensus among the shows I've listened to and the articles I read is that there is no rhyme or reason on how Goodell decides punishments. Fines, suspensions or a mixture, there is no hard rule. It seems arbitrary at times.

The other consensus is that if Goodell suspended Finnegan he would have also had to suspend Johnson. I honestly believe both should have been suspended. Johnson knocked Finnegan's helmet off and landed three hits to the head. That alone should warrant suspension. Finnegan had three prior fines. On the third one he should have been suspended and any further incidents increase fine and at least one game suspension.

Instead the Commish issued a slap on the wrist to both and let bygones be bygones. The fines send no message to other players about fighting. Game suspensions are the best way to get a player's attention. They don't get paid for those games. Plus he knows it hurts the team by his absence. Sometimes letting your teammates down and their anger is enough to keep one in line.