Which was that he might be willing to accept the "I was just trying to regain my balance" excuse (only plausible on the first of TWO kicks, since the second was a tad forceful for a mere attempt to plant ones foot) IF not for Suhs history, not just earlier this season, but through his collegiate career. As a Broncos fan I have spent about six years SCREAMING for a Pro Bowl NT to shore up the gaping hole in the middle of our defensive line, so I was very attentive to the rampant pre-draft discussions of Suh. Countless people all rendered the same verdict: He should be at or near the top of our possible choices for the #2 overall pick, because he is a powerful elite talent--but that we might regret the pick when he drew repeated fines and suspensions because he played just as dirty in the NFL as in the NCAA. Here we are, a little over half a season later, and... *shrugs*

I do think the League is babying QBs too much these days, even by the admittedly low standards it set in past years. It is nearly as bad for WRs, and that, rather than any great skill in passers or receivers, accounts for the explosion of passing offense (even though everyone knows backs have very short careers due to the pounding they take, when was the last time you heard anyone called for "hitting a defenseless running back"?) That and Suhs rep probably combine to draw a lot of flags that would not be thrown on other guys; refs surely watch Albert Haynesworth more closely than, say, Clay Matthews, even though the latter is, if anything, a more punishing tackler. He would get the flags they do if he had earned their rep, but he does not have the rep and therefore the flags because he stops at the whistle and does not use his cleats on opponents, spin their helmets around like a top or drive their skulls into the turf.

Suhs reputation WAS earned; clips of his college play were floating around all over before, during and after the draft, else he would likely be with the Broncos or one of the other 10 teams who picked ahead of Detroit (e.g. Tennessee or Washington, both of whom were desperate enough for a NT the past few years that they signed Haynesworth.) If it makes you feel any better, much as I like his speed, smarts and tackling MOST of the time, Von Miller (the guy Denver DID take #2 overall) is developing a similar rep, and just based on the times I have seen him hit a QB late and/or lead with his helmet I cannot deny he is earning it. He is widely considered the leading candidate for DROY, but has already been fined twice. Just because I think League rules on defenders have become far too restrictive does not mean there should be none, or justify guys recklessly disregarding them in ways that can seriously injure opponents. I did find it interesting last night to hear an announcer approvingly say one of the Ravens backs likes to hit guys with the crown of his helmet, considering that would be a penalty and fine if a defender did it. On the other hand, spearing was illegal (just never called) before the League created a second rule against it, and the stuff Suh does was illegal twenty years ago when Erik Williams was making Pro Bowls and winning Super Bowls with perfectly legal and disorienting head slaps of DEs, so it DEFINITELY does not fly now. He knows what he is doing, however much he doth protest too much; if he does not CARE, or only cares in terms of penalties (that may have cost his team the game and a trip to the playoffs) and suspensions, that is still a problem.