Let's talk pigskin

It's no secret that I love NFL football.  The Cowboys are my team, but I watch every game that's on.  And I'm starting to get irritated.

First of all, let's discuss the new "hit on a defenseless receiver" penalty.  Because my issues are many, we'll go with the bulleted format:

• Um, defenseless?  Isn't there an entire team of players on the field?
• Isn't it the job of the receiver to pretty much be out in the open (as far as the rest of his team is concerned) so he can catch the ball?
• What exactly is the opposite of a defenseless receiver?  Can someone give me an example? How does this receiver become un-defenseless?
  
• Don't those receivers get paid millions of dollars to catch balls and then either run with them or hold-the-heck on to them as they get pummeled to the ground?
  
• Hey receivers, if you can't stand the heat, get outta the kitchen.

Second, let's talk about "roughing the passer."  Since when did quarterbacks become so important that you now can't play football around them?  They are on the team, right?  They do want to play, right?  They do get paid millions of dollars to play this game that they so love, right?

Now I certainly don't want anyone to get hurt, but when a defensive players' sole purpose on the roster is to sack the quarterback, how can you expect him to stop and think, mid-tackle, about where he's going to come in contact with the quarterback?  This is ridiculous!!  This is grown-up professional football, not peewee football!

The NFL sees it like this: "If a defender dives at a quarterback's legs or makes any sort of contact with his head, he likely will suffer the consequences of a 15-yard penalty for roughing the passer and/or a possible fine."  This is absurd!

Lastly, I can't help but bring up the "helmet-to-helmet" penalty.  Again, I certainly don't want anyone to get hurt, but HELLO!!  This is professional football!  When these guys are tackling, they're not worrying about where their helmet might hit in the process.  They're just tackling!

Last Sunday, a Ravens player was penalized (and later fined) for a helmet-to-helmet hit on a Bengals' receiver.  The receiver lost his helmet in the hit, but immediately jumped to his feet and continued on.  After the game was over, this receiver used his Twitter account to ask the NFL Commissioner not to fine the Ravens player, saying, "it was a clean hit, it's part of the game." 

See?  Even the players think these rules are absurd.  Before you know it, watching NFL football will be more like watching the Nutcracker than a professional football game.