The big news right now is the NFL's plans to fine and suspend people for hitting too hard. I already made my opinions known on this.
Today is also the day that O'Brien Schofield and Gerald Hayes can start practicing again, and it sounds like Schofield is ready to practice:
"About to practice for the first time... One play at a time not trying to do touch but my responsibility"
Hopefully he will be ready to go soon.
Linky time.
Big Hits Take A Hit
Cards try to digest NFL's decision to use suspensions as deterrent
Breaston ponders Jack Tatum
Steve Breaston is a wide receiver. Even he admits the idea defensive players might have to hold up a little bit can only help him, now that the NFL is talking about suspending players for illegal hits.
Kurt Warner is willing to help Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler - ESPN Chicago
Kurt Warner believes Jay Cutler is the right guy for Mike Martz's system, but after suffering 15 sacks and a concussion in his last six quarters of action, Cutler's ability to stay healthy in Martz's system has become a hot topic.
NFC West Report, Week 6: Rams Triple 2009 Win Total - Desert Dirt - SB Nation Arizona
Any other Cardinal fans out there expect to head into Seattle with a 1-game lead on the Seahawks and 1.5-game lead on the Rams? Me, too, dudes. Me, too. Hell, I wasn't betting on the Raiders or anything, but part of me hoped the Niners would gag that one away to put Mike Singletary into unemployment.
Cardinals report (10.16): Rest of NFC West gains ground
The Seahawks, Rams and 49ers all won this weekend, but the Cardinals will be as healthy as they've been all year when they play in Seattle on Sunday.
Rested Cardinals ready to go back to work
A funny thing happened while the Arizona Cardinals took the weekend off: The other three teams in the supposedly awful NFC West won.
Arizona Cardinals face a tougher fight for the NFC West title
In the NFL, the off week is a time for players to put up their feet and let others wait on them. But the Cardinals learned last weekend that if they want a sandwich, they not only are going to have to make it themselves, but also go to the store and buy the ingredients.
KTAR.com - Tedy Bruschi: Players are dropping like flies
Thirteen years in the NFL and three Super Bowl championships make former Patriots linebacker Tedy Bruschi an authority when it comes to the game of football. A University of Arizona alum, Bruschi told Sports 620 KTAR's Gambo & Ash that although he never officially was knocked out due to a concussion, he he probably had a few during his career. That gives weight to the current ESPN NFL Analyst's thoughts on the league's latest rules.
NFL.com news: NFL fines Harrison, Meriweather, Robinson $175K total for hits
The NFL imposed huge fines on three players Tuesday for dangerous and flagrant hits in last weekend's games and warned that, starting with this weekend's contests, violent conduct will be cause for suspension.
LaRod Stephens-Howling talks about cars, comedians and the Grand Canyon
LaRod Stephens-Howling talks about cars, comedians and the Grand Canyon, Cardinals Extra: Outside the Huddle with Arizona Cardinals' LaRod Stephens-Howling.
How I See It: NFC West Stock Watch - NFC West Blog - ESPN
Arizona Cardinals. It's not their fault the rest of the NFC West went 3-0 during Arizona's bye week. It's not their fault Buffalo traded Lynch to the Seahawks shortly before the Cardinals' visit to Qwest Field. It's not their fault the Rams somehow rebounded from a 44-6 defeat in Detroit to beat a San Diego team that had blown out Arizona two weeks earlier. The reality, though, is that the Cardinals unexpectedly lost sole possession of first place in the division.
NFL.com news: Steelers LB Harrison mulling retirement after $75K fine for hit
James Harrison believes the NFL's crackdown on dangerous hits is cramping his style. And, unless Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin can convince him otherwise, the 32-year-old linebacker claimed Tuesday night that he might consider retirement.
Week 6 was seminal moment in how NFL defense gets played - Peter King - SI.com
When NFL discipline-meister Ray Anderson watched the violent Dunta Robinson hit on DeSean Jackson on Sunday, he said he felt a sick feeling. "I thought we were looking at a Darryl Stingley case all over again,'' said Anderson, the NFL's vice president of operations.
NFL to start suspending players for violent hits
The NFL will immediately begin suspending players for dangerous and flagrant hits that violate rules, particularly those involving helmets. Suspensions will be in place for this weekend's games and could be handed out for hits that took place last Sunday, vice president of football operations Ray Anderson said Tuesday.
Madden 11 Week Six Ratings Change Suggestions | pastapadre.com
Week six of the NFL season is in the books and while a few teams in the AFC have started to separate from the pack the NFC is still tightly bunched up. Much of the news coming out of the weekend though has to do with the head injuries inflicted and now penalties that will be coming for dangerous hits.
Rodney Harrison says "I just want these guys to be protected" | ProFootballTalk.com
NBC's Rodney Harrison, who won two Super Bowls with the Patriots and played before that with the Chargers as part of a 15-year NFL career, helped shine a light on the value of suspensions to getting helmet-to-helmet hits out of the game with his comments during this week's Football Night in America, Sunday Night Football, and in various videos available at NBCSports.com.
Power Rankings: How the voters voted - NFC West Blog - ESPN
AFC teams claimed the top five spots in ESPN.com's NFL Power Rankings through Week 6. The Arizona Cardinals enjoyed the largest gain in the rankings from last week, and they didn't even play.
NFL Power Rankings Week 7 - National Football League - ESPN
There's a definite AFC influence in the top of the Week 7 ESPN.com NFL Power Rankings.
Week Six power rankings | ProFootballTalk.com
Week Six is in the books. Which means that it's time to rank the 32 teams regardless of division and conference lines.
NFL players speak out on the NFL's awful, new dangerous hit rule - Shutdown Corner - NFL - Yahoo! Sports
NFL players are speaking out against the new suspensions and fines for players making hard hits. A number of stars, both on offense and defense, have criticized the league in recent days, proving that not everyone is in favor of arbitrary rulings on hard hits, intent and effective tackling.
Kurt's Bewitching Quick Step Beguiles Judges - Desert Dirt - SB Nation Arizona
Week 5 of Dancing with the Stars: where, from the dregs of the bargain idea bin, they pulled out "TV Theme Week" and made the celebrities trot around to old television theme songs.
NFL Power Rankings, Week 7: Cowboys Plummet To Bottom-Feeders; Jets Hold Strong At Top - SBNation.com
We've completed Week 6 of the 2010 NFL season and we're starting to see some trends with the NFL power rankings. A team like the Cowboys no longer gets preseason favoritism for me because they were supposed to been good. They're 1-4 and ranked in the bottom half of the league. The Texans on the other hand are showing they're legit, so they're in the top 10 now.
NFL.com news: Tomlin: 'I'm all for player safety,' but Harrison's hit was legal
Steelers coach Mike Tomlin favors the NFL's stricter enforcement of helmet hits. But he still insists linebacker James Harrison's violent hit on Cleveland Browns wide receiver Mohamed Massaquoi was within the rules.
NFL.com news: Lions QB Stafford set to practice with starters again
Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford is on the verge of returning -- and not a moment too soon for his team.
NFL.com news: Boller could be up next in Raiders' QB carousel, coach says
The Oakland Raiders believed they had left miserable passing performances in the past when they released draft bust JaMarcus Russell during the offseason. Instead, Jason Campbell delivered a performance that was worse by some measurements than Russell ever had.
NFL.com news: Saints finding it’s hard to please as defending champs
The Saints are tied for the best record in the NFC at 4-2, but it's hard to tell by the amount of criticism the team has faced coming off its Super Bowl run.
Antrel Rolle: NFL's emphasis on helmet-to-helmet hits is "ridiculous" | ProFootballTalk.com
Count giants safety Antrel Rolle as one NFL player who thinks the NFL is already doing more than enough to prevent concussions on the field.
Football Is Dead. All Hail Two-Hand Nerf-Powered *****ball
What will the NFL do? Besides overact horribly and ruin the sport? Read on and discover the *******ing rule changes (Millen’s words) to come:
John Clayton's Last Call - ESPN
Trying to make sense out of Week 6 isn't easy.
Former scout: Martz-Cutler pairing a recipe for disaster :: CHICAGO SUN-TIMES :: Bears
Coach Lovie Smith insists the offensive line will block better and adjustments will be made to prevent defenders from racing untouched into the backfield.
NFL.com news: NFL fines Harrison, Meriweather, Robinson $175K total for hits
Ray Anderson, the NFL's executive vice president of football operations, said Tuesday morning that harsher fines and possible suspensions for flagrant hits could be coming. The league wasted no time, as Tuesday afternoon it fined Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison $75,000, and New England Patriots safety Brandon Meriweather and Atlanta Falcons cornerback Dunta Robinson $50,000 apiece for helmet-to-helmet hits they delivered in games Sunday.
NFL Power Rankings Week 7: The Entire NFL Is 4-2 - SB Nation Arizona
Now the NFC can't even crack the Top 5 in a league where everyone is seemingly pretty average.
Harris: Fines wrong 'on so many levels' - NFC North Blog - ESPN
Those of you who follow Chicago Bears safety Chris Harris on Twitter (@ChrisHarrisNFL) know he has spent part of Tuesday intelligently and forcefully arguing against the NFL's decision to re-emphasize its rules regarding hits to the head and neck area. Much of the discussion came before news broke that three players would be fined a combined $175,000 for such hits during Sunday's games.
League is selling photo of James Harrison's illegal hit | ProFootballTalk.com
The folks at KDKA-TV in Pittsburgh have uncovered an interesting angle regarding the hit that resulted in the imposition of a $75,000 fine against Steelers linebacker James Harrison. The league currently is selling photos of the incident involving Harrison and Browns receiver Mohamed Massaquoi, at anywhere from $15.95 to $249.95.
NFL will stop selling photos of illegal plays - ESPN
The NFL made a "mistake" having photos of Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison's hit on Cleveland Browns receiver Mohamed Massaquoi available for sale through its website and will take the photos down, spokesman Greg Aiello said Wednesday.
Mike Sando's MVP Watch - NFC West Blog - ESPN
The call for not-so-obvious MVP Watch candidates went out Tuesday afternoon.
The NFL's Safety Rules: Good For Players' Health, Great For Dispensable Clichés - From Our Editors - SBNation.com
The NFL's decision to more stringently enforce player safety rules that are already in the book has lured the "football is football is football is football" response that most of us probably saw coming. I'll stop for a moment to admit that this crowd does have a point: everyone in the NFL is well aware of the dangers that are inseparable from the game, and service is voluntary. This isn't the Army. It's not like there's a draft. Wait. Okay, this one might need some work.
The Cowboys Are A Better Terrible Team Than Other Terrible Teams, Says Wade Phillips - From Our Editors - SBNation.com
If you're an NFL fan, Wade Phillips is like the gift that just keeps on giving. Every time you think you've seen the most perfect Wade Phillips moment, he finds a way to outdo himself.
Terrell Owens is NFL's most overrated player in survey of peers | ProFootballTalk.com
Who's the most overrated player in the NFL? According to his fellow NFL players, it's Bengals receiver Terrell Owens.
KTAR.com - NFL headaches won't go without strong medicine
Apparently players aren't the only people suffering debilitating headaches these days, and worse. The NFL brass is downright delusional if they think the laws already on the books are tough enough to make the problem go away.
NFL.com news: Rodney Harrison: Suspensions only way to stop vicious hits
As Rodney Harrison watched the bank of nine televisions at NBC's Football Night in America studios in New York, he couldn't believe his eyes as Week 6 unfolded.
NFL.com news: Drunken dip in canal leads to arrest of Colts P McAfee
Indianapolis Colts punter Pat McAfee was arrested for public intoxication Wednesday after police said he took a pre-dawn swim in a city canal and told them "I am drunk" as he tried to explain why he was sopping wet.
NFL Power Rankings for Week 7 has Jets rising to No. 2 - Don Banks - SI.com
Highlighted by Miami's overtime upset at Green Bay, another six road teams won last Sunday, and I've always thought road wins were a pretty good indicator of a division's strength. So far this season, the road team has won 39 of 90 games, or 43.3 percent of the time. That's up just a tick from 2009's total road winning percentage (110-146, 43.0), and if the trend holds, would represent the fourth consecutive year that number rose.
James Harrison and Brandon Meriweather's comments won't help them | ProFootballTalk.com
Patriots safety Brandon Meriweather and Steelers linebacker James Harrison figured to be fined at the very least for their hits on Sunday. The question, in the wake of the NFL's statements on helmet-to-helmet hits on Monday, is whether they will be suspended. Meriweather and Harrison's comments indicate that may be the only way to change their behavior.