When I saw it Sunday, I was pretty sure Adrian Wilson would hear from the league for blowing up Trent Edwards' face (video after the jump). For some reason, referee Jerome Boger didn't think enough of the helmet-to-helmet hit to throw a flag, but the NFL Gestapo has carefully reviewed the tape, and after wrapping up the really important stuff (Reverend Shaw Moore approves!), they've determined that Wilson does, in fact, deserved to be fined. The NFL has fined Arizona Cardinals safety Adrian Wilson $25,000 for unnecessarily driving Buffalo Bills quarterback Trent Edwards into the ground Sunday. ...Hey, Rule 12, Section 2, Article 12 (2) sounds familiar. Oh, right, it's why James Harrison was flagged in the Jags game even though, you know, he did none of those things described in the rulebook. Luckily, he accused the ref of betting on the game and it cost him 20 large.
The NFL said in an e-mail to ESPN.com that Wilson violated Rule 12, Section 2, Article 12 (2) of the NFL Official Playing Rules, which states "a defensive player must not unnecessarily or violently throw [a player] down and land on top of him with all or most of the defender's weight. Instead, the defensive player must strive to wrap up or cradle the passer with the defensive player's arms."
Put differently, making disparaging remarks about shoddy officiating is only 20 percent worse than knocking Edwards so stupid J.P. Losman seems smart by comparison. And dancing? Well, that's only 40 percent as egregious and unnecessarily scrambling a quarterback's brains.
I'm just glad the NFL has thought this through; I'd hate for these fines to seem completely arbitrary.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
10-10-2008 @ 9:43PM
RAIDERWILL said...
THAT SHOULD HAVE DRAWN A FLAG AND $ 25,000
IS POCKET CHANGE , ONE GAME SUSPENSION I SAY
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10-11-2008 @ 3:06AM
Rob said...
The rule states "Instead, the defensive player must strive to wrap up or cradle the passer with the defensive player's arms." What! And then rock him to sleep? They all are supposed to be football players. With these rules getting so ridiculous maybe each "game" should just be punt pass and kick. How about receivers can't run so fast because the defense might get tired? If their so worried about quarterbacks, give 'em more pads! They should be hit like anyone else.
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10-11-2008 @ 1:27PM
Matt said...
Football is becoming way too soft. If you don't want or expect to be hit, don't be on the field.
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11-10-2008 @ 11:22PM
Lakiya said...
Like many others have said football is a phyiscal sport if quaterback can't take a hit then he shouldn't be in the game. I'm just proud that one of High Point's finest made that great play.
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