Numbers Can Be Played With But Will They And Will They Be Done Efficiently?

So Pats cap was busy doing his rounds and gave out some information. One of the reasons he admits to having lower numbers is he says he adjusted for the "proven performance escalator" increases, and the "active roster" bonuses. Now people are going to want a second opinion. Pats cap says use "over the cap". He says they're a little slow but more accurate than spotrac.

Quick note, The Patriots can tender RFAs until March 16th at around 4 pm. They also have until June 1st to mess around with salaries and contracts before it hurts the 2022 season. So there could be a revolving door.

Currently Pats cap says the Patriots only have around three and a half million to play with in 2022. And their carry over is barely six figures. Pats cap admits to being an amateur and says the pats can play around with numbers without cutting and get near forty million. Key note, just because they can doesn't mean they will. I'll talk more about that later.

Evan Lazar noted that a second round tender is just under four million dollars if they tender Jakobi Meyers. Something to think about. Pats cap noted players with a second round tender "don't get offer sheets."

As for JC Jackson, Pats Cap says his salary is in the seventeen to eighteen million dollar range. And he expects they'll try to get him some place in between. He also says if they tag him, they'll have a few days to try and get a deal done. And that Belichick could play with numbers.

Jonnu Smith apparently has the power over his contract as the Patriots cannot afford to cut him and his contract is kinda large to try and move without paying a team to take him. It's complicated but Pats cap says there's a way if the Patriots wanna try that route. 

Agholor is also not likely going anywhere and a trade would hurt the Patriots salary cap. And Pats cap says, "Isaiah Wynn would have to agree to an extension before a trade," would be agreed upon.

If Judon restructures and Henry agrees to an extension, the Patriots could potentially free up close to eleven million dollars in salary cap. Those two and Godchaux, Pats Cap expects the Patriots to play with the contracts of for certain.

And there maybe conversations in the building about who to keep between Karras or Mason with other factors coming into play. Pats cap would see Mason stay. However, remember it's what the Patriots want.

And then the elephant in the room. Can the Patriots bring in a number one receiver via free agency. With a long contract, Pats cap says it can be done. If the Patriots decide to do that, than it comes down to how the Patriots define a number one. Patriots long time offensive line coach thinks that includes slot guys but what does Bill think?

After listening to Pats Cap, there is room for hope. However, this is going off that the Patriots accountants can come up with good numbers, how the Patriots scout their own roster, what the team wants to do going forward and if players are willing to let their salaries be played with. There's a lot of what if's in the conversations that were had with Pats Cap and Both Evan Lazar and Phil Perry. So take it as a positive spin but understand that things could still go very wrong. And we'll probably see some head scratching moves.

This is going to be a long offseason.

What Defines A Number One Depends On Interpretation

I don't know if I'm going to have enough to write about this but I have something to say on the subject. For years the Patriots had Julian Edelman and fans cried for a number one. Anything saying Edelman was a number one was met with disagreement or that he wasn't a real number one. People wanted Randy Moss, Dez Bryant, and at the end of Jules's career, OBJ. 

I heard Scarnecchia talk about number ones. So I asked,  was a number one a big play guy or security blanket? Was a number one exclusively a stretch guy or could they be a slot guy. After someone I respected answered, I realized I wanted to hear what I wanted to hear. So thank you Ray Rauth for speaking your opinion. Ray doesn't like yes men, and I see why. So I realized on occasion, I need to learn to agree to disagee when it's not a question of morals.

A Stretch guy draws coverage down field and opens stuff up underneath. They catch the over the shoulder passes. They are typically good at contested catches which means they might not be the best at separating. Which means number one's as stretch guys occasionally have to be forced the ball. And because they have to run sprints so much, they also occasionally take plays off.

Slot guys have agility and acceleration. They're good at the underneath and intermediate stuff. They're good over the middle and especially in the quick passing game. They're also normally good at getting open off the snap. A number one slot is normally a possession receiver that's typically always open. But they're not always a head of the sticks so they have to be good at getting YAC. They're also often prone to injury due to taking so many shots across the middle. 

When I was young I remember Joe Montana throwing to Jerry Rice. My father is a huge Niners fan. They had other guys but Rice was their speedy number one. He was the big play guy. He was what it meant to be the number one. In my teens, the 90s, my teens are a bit of a blur but I remember 2 pass catchers from the Bledsoe era. Terry Glenn who wasn't around long, and Ben Coates. Coates was the number one. From my memory looking back 20-27 years ago. Coates got a lot of check down and over the middle throws. He was Bledsoe's security blanket. 

Rice and Coates were both number one targets, with very different skill sets. The 49ers also had Brent Jones but while he was a security blanket, he wasn't a number one. (A security blanket and a number one aren't always the same thing.). Just like although the Patriots had Agholor he wasn't the number one, Meyers was but Meyers was also a security blanket. Agholor got paid a lot of money to open up the underneath stuff. And when he was out, we say teams didn't care about Harry or Wilkerson trying to go down field and came up.

Getting another stretch guy in free agency or the draft could be helpful but so could a slot guy that can get open from the snap. I admit the Patriots need another stretch guy but I also think they need another reliable slot guy. And another pass catching back. Do the Patriots need a true number one, no. They can make due with a bunch of number twos and elite number threes.

However, a number one would or could be helpful but it all depends on the system fit. Change an offense for one player and it could mess up the entire offense. Don't change the offense to fit the player and the player suffers. Hence a declining Cam Newton couldn't operate the Patriots passing game and his passing stats and performance showed it.

So scheme fit is a must and if that means passing on a number one, so be it. The Patriots gotta do what's best for the team. Over the past 20 years, even thought some don't acknowledge it, the Patriots have had three number ones. Edelman, Welker, and Moss but it comes down to how one defines a number one. If one defines a number one as a big play guy, then the Patriots only had one. And it's disagreements that don't matter, no matter how important sports is or isn't to human civilization.

The Two Head Dragon Leading The Patriots Defense Was Actually A Multiple Headed Hydra.

Ignoring the players lack of execution, speed, age, and injury, the Patriots may have had a bigger issue. The defense seemed demoralized after the bye and didn't seem to have the energy that they had prior. There is talk that over the Patriots last five games including the playoffs, that they didn't like the game plan. They didn't like how they were used. Steve Belichick is getting all the blame but is he responsible?

Jarod Mayo had more responsibility than realized. It's well believed that Steve Belichick is the head defensive coach but that might not be true. It's why teams want him as their head coach. Look at what NBC Boston wrote.

Tom Curran of NBC Boston "Which leaves Mayo third in line. But I’m told Mayo’s role is a lot bigger than perceived. And though the possibility of naming Mayo and Steve Belichick co-defensive coordinators was broached by the team, my understanding is that idea fell flat."

Just because Mayo is not wearing the headset doesn't mean anything. Bill plays mind games, he does things for show. By not placing the headset on Mayo is he trying to hide Mayo's value by making it look like he does less or Steve's by letting him take the blame?

What is Matt Patricia's role with the Patriots? In July, Andrew Callahan said, "Matt Patricia is now officially a Senior Football Advisor..." but has that changed?

After Patricia's return D-Mac said the following about Patricia, "He’s kind of been involved in everything. It’s a unique advantage and understanding, kind of similar to Josh McDaniels, who was also a head coach. To be able to talk to those guys about anything (is great)." 

D-Mac said he wasn't just there to be a mentor but to be part of the team. Saying, "Matty’s been able to be part of a bunch of different things because he has a unique viewpoint, and me as an older player who’s been with him, what he meant to the defense and now to have him back I think will overall help the whole building. Players, coaches, staff members just to be able to have open dialogue with him and let him use his experience and knowledge (is valuable).”

Eagles beat writer Bill Burr wrote the following about the Patriots defensive problems, he credited the Patriots defense including,"the brain trust, with Bill Belichick, Matt Patricia and co-defensive coordinators Steve Belichick and Jerod Mayo participating in the game plans.

Those guys are supposed to be game-planning the other team’s running backs, which usually means controlling the clock and, when up two scores, the game."

Burr also said the following about the Patriots defense performance during regular season, "The Patriots defense, in five of its seven losses, couldn’t get the other team’s offense off the field at the end of a game."

Burr credited the defense as a strength for the Patriots but also said it was a weakness. And he laid blame with the coach staff along with the players. Although Mac sometimes put the team behind, Burr said in the defense prevented him from making "fourth quarter comebacks because they couldn't get him the ball."

Greg Bedard said to those hyping the Patriots defensive ranks to look at their games from Indianapolis to the playoff loss to buffalo and said the defense was "last or near last in DVOA, and over their last four games they were average in DVOA."

There were multiple people giving instructions to the defense. Matt Patricia was free to offer advice but when, where, and to whom? Did he have his say in the game planning? It looked like it. Then there was Steve and Mayo being "co coordinators," were they always on the same page? And didn't Bill take over the defense at one point this season?

There were too many roosters in the hen house. Add that to Age, lack of execution, covid, and injury and it was a cocktail for disaster. The Patriots should come back stronger in 2022 but they have some issues to fix with the coaching. They need one voice, maybe two with Bill being the second. Having four or more guys giving their say is led to problems, even if the team won't admit it publicly.

Farm Trucks Breakdown When They're Not Kept Up And So Do NFL Defenses.

Steve Belichick has come under fire. Fans want him stripped of his play calling duties because his defense looked a bit too much like the Matt Patricia defense this past season. Fans are ignoring some things. Yes the defense needs addressing but the problem isn't completely the defensive play calling, ability to execute has to be taken into account.

The Patriots played the Bills, Colts, and I'm going to include the Dolphins after the bye. We're not gonna talk about Jacksonville but the other three teams should all be wildcard worthy. Idk what happened in Miami but they had the talent. Where was Judon and Barmore? They didn't play so well in the final games. And I get Judon was getting held but still. Plus we knew Barmore wasn't a run stopper like Wilfork but his pass rush ability could've been better.

Van Noy, Collins, and Hightower, the three boogie men looked old. They can still be support pieces but they're not fast enough to be the defensive starters. And what happened with Winovich and Uche? They were non factors this season. 

J.C. did okay but he cannot cover some of the better pass catchers. And the team has no depth in the secondary. The safeties are hybrid linebackers. The secondary is built to play the big nickle or 3-2-6 and it missed both Gilmore and Jones's presence.

The team has some players returning from the injured reserve in 2022 but they need to get younger and faster on defense. They need a true nose guard that can disrupt the pocket so that Barmore more can be more of an interior pass rusher. They need younger linebackers who have some speed, they need an outside corner and a free safety to backup or replace McCourty.

Steve Belichick needs to get away from Matt Patricia but he was not the entire problem. The Patriots defense was like a broken down farm truck, it was serviceable but when it had to do the heavy pulling, it just couldn't get'er done. As fans we've gotten so used to a dominant defense that we have to look for a scapegoat and just like with the offense, we're blaming the coordinator. We're in a rebuild. The Patriots don't have the Brady offense and they don't have the Bruschi defense, sorry. 

Bill Awarded Future Contracts, New England Is On To 2022.

The Patriots signed six names to futures contracts. Of those six most will be camp bodies but there are two names to keep an eye on. Kristian Wilkerson and Quinn Nordin. This doesn't make either a lock to be in camp come August but the Patriots seem to like them.

Let's start with Nordin. He spent part of the season on the injured reserve before being placed on the practice squad. The Patriots spent a lot of time in the offseason with Nordin but his accuracy was inconsistent at best. If Nick Folk is re-signed Nordin could spend another season on the practice squad. The same is true if they draft a kicker but I think if Folk is not brought back that Nordin will be in a competition for the job.

Wilkerson got some time towards the end of the season. He's more of a Z than an X in my opinion. The Patriots tried him while Agholor was out. He's shown chemistry with Jones and could sneak on to the roster as a number 4 receiver in 2022. Him and Harry seem like they're set for a battle if Harry is still around in 2022. Wilkerson could be a play maker but only if he doesn't have to fill in for a bigger role.

Future contracts means the team has started their moves for 2022. The players are taking some time to rest but I'm pretty sure Belichick is hard at work preparing for the upcoming free agency and draft. I think Bill needs to give his Coordinators some film to watch to learn improve their play calling but it's good to know Bill isn't sleeping. Patriots nation we're on to 2022.

The Patriots Season Is Over, Time To Start The Offseason Work.

The Patriots went into 2019 the defending superbowl champions and went on to play in the wildcard weekend where they lost to Tennessee. As long as they had Tom Brady, they were a contender. So it was just a little more demoralizing when fans found out he had already checked out and was planning to sign elsewhere.

In 2020 Jarrett Stidham and Cam Newton would compete for the starting job. Newton was the favorite to win the job but with exception to his legs, he never really looked better than Jarrett Stidham. The Patriots would finish 7-9 and miss the playoffs. The pass catchers were below average but the quarterback play was way worse. The Patriots' quarterbacks showed it don't matter how athletic they are if they can't complete a pass.

In 2021 the Patriots made upgrades to the offense. They signed four pass catchers and drafted a quarterback in the first round. There was a split on whether or not Mac should start. By the end of the preseason, many had been converted into thinking Mac Jones should sit including myself. So Bill Belichick cut Cam Newton and named Mac Jones the starter. Go figure, right.

Anyone who seen Cam Newton play in Carolina this season knows Bill made the correct decision. Mac Jones would game manage and at times play like a rookie. The Patriots had a few close games but did their job for the most part and finished 10-7. Like in 2020, if a few plays had gone their way and they could've easily won 14 games but it is what it is.

I had the Patriots with Mac as the starter as a 7 win team but I thought Cam's legs and experience could net them 9 wins with potential to make the playoffs if things went well. Mac Jones was more NFL ready than a lot of people thought. So reflecting back on the 2021 season, I believe the Patriots were truly a double digit win, wildcard team. The thing with "wildcard" teams is they should be a level below the division winners.

Had the seeding of been different, the Patriots could've gone toe to toe with the Cincinnati Bengals, who beat the Raiders 26 to 19. However seeding did not benefit the Patriots and they were out coached. And out played. This wasn't something new. Since the bye week, the Patriots have lacked urgency and it's shown. The Bills did their job but the Patriots also helped Buffalo by beating themselves.

The Patriots looked slow on defense. And although Barmore is improving, the interior of the defensive line cannot stop the run. Offensively today they couldn't catch the ball. They still don't have a guy that can get separation the way Edelman did. Plus when Agholor's not on the field, this season, defenses aren't afraid of the other guys going deep. The offensive line is inconsistent and there's been a lack of focus and hustle from the entire roster.

The Patriots have needs to address on the roster without a doubt but Robert Kraft called out the coaches during the 2021 offseason. And they need to get called out again. The coordinators need to do a better job scheming and using personnel. The rest of the staff has to not only get the roster prepared for game day but they have to do a better job developing them. 

I don't expect there to be any news coming out of Foxboro until after the superbowl with exception to coaches being interviewed. I expect a lot of film watching and meetings internally between Kraft, Belichick, and the rest of the coaching staff. Stuff we won't know about. There should be a chance that someone gets demoted or fired. There were areas that just weren't well coached this season. Changes need to be made in some fashion.

The Patriots aren't going to have a ton of money to spend this offseason, so a lot of their roster moves are going to have to come from the draft. An area Kraft said the Patriots would have to do better in going forward. Belichick was given credit for the 2021 draft, can he keep it going? Only time will tell. Until then it's going to be a long offseason. 

Todd Graham Is No Longer Head Coach Todd Graham.

Head coach Todd Graham was hired to bring the Rainbow Warriors of Hawaii to bowl games and to win championships. Under his leadership Hawaii would have an 11-11 record and would be invited to two bowl games, playing in one of them as the pandemic and recent events would prevent them from playing in the second. However Hawaii would also see controversy under his reign as head coach. Controversy that would see senators not only speak out on the football program but investigate it.

On Friday January 14, 2022 after talking with athletics director for the University of Hawaii, Coach Todd Graham stepped down from the football program. This came a week after an on going investigation by the Hawaii state Senate in which there was severe testimony against Graham, the staff, and the program. By quitting Graham walks away from approximately one and a half million dollars give or take but also saves his name unless the state Senate decides to go public with the findings.

Graham released a statement upon showing himself the door. In his escape out of town Graham said, "I am grateful to have had the opportunity to serve as the Head Football Coach at the University of Hawaiʻi. for the past two seasons. After much prayer and reflection with my family, I have come to the conclusion that I will step away as head coach of the Rainbow Warriors, with a very heavy heart. I want to give my thanks and appreciation to the players, staff and coaches who persevered through all the challenges of 2020 and 2021. It wasn’t easy, but they all fought the good fight and we did things the right way.

Our staff poured our hearts and souls into our players and truly made a difference in their lives. I could not have asked more of their commitment, work ethic and love for our players and football program. But it is clear to me that I must step away and do what is best for me and my family and my health. I honor, value and love all of my players and coaches and I wish you the very best. The University has not asked me to step down. I am leaving solely for my family and my health. We have laid a strong foundation for future success, and I will always be cheering you on!"

Graham states that he has laid a strong foundation for the future of the program. A foundation that saw many good players leave the program including the starting quarterback, starting running back, and one of if not the top defender on the team. Overall 19 players in total left the program, several before the season was even completed. That made the Warriors short on players with the number on covid protocols and thus they could not compete in the bowl game in December.

It is unclear what the findings of the investigation is but the investigation must be seen to it's completion. Hawaii now begins it's search for their next head coach. Hopefully it will be someone with NFL experience that can get more alumni into the pros and bring in more money for the university. The desire is that Graham's successor have ties to the university. I am okay if the coach does not come from pride rock as long as they can accept the culture from the islands.  Maybe someone like former LSU running backs coach Kevin Faulk.

I think the more important questions that needs be asked now is how much damage did the Todd Graham era do to the program and what will it take to fix it. Those are answers that will come with the results of the Senate investigation. It's sad that players had to go public but it's doubtful this situation would've been handled if they hadn't. It's time to come together. 

Mālama ka 'ohana i ka pōhaku

Is Mac Headed Up The Mountain, Is He Stuck, Or Will He Fall Like A Leaf?

Coming in to the 2021 season Mac Jones was said to be the most NFL ready quarterback. His floor was supposed to be the highest of the top quarterbacks but he was also said to have the lowest ceiling of the rookie crop. Mac Jones was the best of the rookie quarterbacks in 2021 but many people are saying he's not going to get much better. So who is Mac Jones?

Pro football reference ranks Mac Jones as the number 13 quarterback in the NFL. That's average to slightly above average. Again, if Mac was coming in with a higher floor, then that's not a bad place to be. And the Patriots got a productive year as he led them to the playoffs in his rookie year. Let's continue with his stats.

As a rookie Mac finished 8th in completion percentage and 13th in yards. Mac finished 14th in touchdowns but was 10th in interceptions. Jones was ranked 14th in throwing for a first down. Guys gotta get open on that stat but Jones has to see them and get them the ball.

People complained that Jones was a check down or game managing quarterback. I don't care about that. All I care about is was he moving the football, so Jones being ranked 15th in yards per attempt doesn't bother me. Jones was ranked 26th in sacks, that's great. Jones was sacked less then Aaron Rodgers, Russell Wilson, Ben Roethlisberger, Matt Ryan, David Carr, Joe Burrow.

The problem was when the Patriots needed Mac Jones to lead them from behind, he didn't do it enough. Mac was in the bottom third of the league with 1 game winning drive. Mac also only had 1 fourth quarter comeback. The Patriots were in a lot of close games this season but there were a few they got behind because of Jones.

There was mentioning this season of Mac Jones "took it hard," that he was "beating himself up." I've never worried about Mac hearing foot steps. I've never worried about his ball security. Nor have I worried about his arm strength. My concern over Mac is that he's a perfectionist and struggles to let things go. 

There were three times in front of the media during the offseason where Mac had to be calmed down and talked to by Cam Newton, Brian Hoyer, Josh McDaniels, and David Andrews. How many times have we heard Mac saying he needs to play better, that he can play better? Add to that the little comments his teammates have made about him after a loss. 

This is the Patriots, they're not gonna come out and say Mac was rattled by making mistakes but one can put two and two together. I have heard people say Mac is what he is. Mac is a slightly above average quarterback that beats himself by not letting go of mistakes. If that's who the Patriots drafted and they cannot fix him, he may win games but it's doubtful he'll ever be a championship quarterback. It's a shame because he has everything else needed to be successful in the nfl.

Mac Jones has his first playoff game coming up against the Buffalo Bills Saturday night in Buffalo. The game is expected to be in cold and wintery conditions. The Patriots may need Mac to step up and the weather is sure to cause a few errant throws. If the game is on the line, does Mac have the mental toughness to let things go and win the game or will he beat himself. That is what Patriots fans need to know.

This is not about fixing his confidence so much as fixing his mentality. There was a question asked about if he should be benched for Hoyer. My answer is the Patriots gotta do what's best for the team. If Mac is unable to clear his mind and focus, then yes. If the game is close late and Mac is a liability, bring in Hoyer if need be. Mac won't handle being benched well but both being benched or losing is going to have him beating himself up. So the team has to come first.

Fingers crossed that Mac doesn't let us down because his emotional control brings up memories of Ryan Leaf. And that's the last thing anyone wants because Leaf had a very short career in the NFL. Like Leaf. Mac has promise but unlike Leaf, Mac has better mental health care and Mac still has a chance to beat his demons. Patriots Nation, we're on to Buffalo and all we can do is hope if we need Mac he comes through.

Is It Time To Consider Replacing McDaniels As The Offensive Coordinator.

I've been adamant for years that the Patriots do not need a number one receiver. That all the Patriots were lacking with how they spread the ball around was a decent number two quality stretch receiver. While I still believe they don't need a number one, they seem to have an issue with getting the ball down field when they shouldn't.

Nelson Agholor has proven to draw coverage. That's what a true stretch receiver will do. Whether Agholor a number one or a number two, it doesn't matter, he's getting the defenses attention. The problem is Agholor is not getting targeted but the question is why. If the problem is Mac Jones, that can be fixed. If the problem is lack of separation, because he's getting double coverage that could explain that. However, there might be another reason.

Josh McDaniels has admitted to not using N'Keal Harry properly in previous seasons. Harry called out the Patriots earlier this season and demanded a trade. Then later this season McDaniels admitted that he's done a bad job at using Jonnu Smith and needs to do a better job at getting him the ball. There are some that that think Jonnu is a better tight end then Henry, I disagree but it still doesn't change things. McDaniels isn't doing a good enough job.

I have said for years that the league has caught up to McDaniels. That he should stay a coordinator and not be promoted. There are those now saying that McDaniels was a product of Brady. That might be the consensus around the league as McDaniels hasn't been requested for coaching interviews. Jacksonville was a place that was believed could be a fit for the Patriots coordinator.

If McDaniels cannot figure out how to use a stretch receiver, a contested catch receiver, or a move tight end properly than the Patriots really need to think about replacing him. The offense has been on the vanilla side since 2018. The pass catchers got the blame, as fans asked who Brady and Cam had to throw to. Now there were some that blamed McDaniels in 2019 and Newton in 2020 but the pass catchers got the majority of the wrath. Which is why Dorsett, Byrd, and Izzo are gone.

On the season Agholor has 64 targets, Smith has 45, and Harry has a lonely 22. Two of the three are thought to be better pass catchers than Brandon Bolden who has 49 targets. Agholor is fourth on the team in targets. While Jakobi Meyers has over 120 targets. Meyers targets could be on Mac Jones but it could be on McDaniels as it would appear that he doesn't know how to scheme at least three of his players open.

There are people that have said the problem isn't with the players the Patriots draft, that it's been with development. Robert Kraft appeared to put blame on the coaching staff this past offseason. With what we've seen from the Patriots offense this season, the problem maybe with how they're used and not their development. 

McDaniels is believed to be the front runner for the job after Bill Belichick steps down. However with how things are looking, if McDaniels cannot find away to use his weapons, it maybe time to cut strings. Was Tom Brady carrying Josh McDaniels? McDaniels didn't work in Denver and the Rams were also quick to dump the coordinator. The more the Patriots pass catchers struggles. The more it looks like that was the case.

Sports Leagues Aren't The Only Ones The Have To Respect Player Safety.

As a rookie RGIII played with a bad knee in the playoff game against Seattle. It was reported that head coach Mike Shanahan was advised to sit his star quarterback. RGIII would get hurt in the fourth quarter and his career was never the same. Washington has denied that they were ever told to sit RGIII. That was almost a decade ago.

During the 2020 season, Tom Brady played with a torn MCL in his left knee. The injury was not reported.The Buccaneers would go in to win a superbowl. And of course the Buccaneers would say they didn't think his injury was that bad.

A season later and there is issues concerning Antonio Brown. First thought, it's AB. However, He said he was cut in game for refusing to play injured. Video of him leaving the stadium doesn't help him. The team tried to act like they had zero knowledge, and tries to pin all blame on to AB. AB released some documentation stating otherwise and was quickly released.

League rules state, "It is NFL policy that information for dissemination to the public on all injured players be reported in a satisfactory manner by clubs to the league office, the opposing team, local and national media, and broadcast partners each game week of the regular season and postseason (including for the two Super Bowl teams between the Championship Games and Super Bowl)."

Bruce Arians has a history of playing injured players. And in the NFL, winning comes before everything, followed by money. Now there are old school fans who still believe that you play injured. Who believe in the Al Davis mantra of "Just win baby."

I spoke with a cowboys fan, who is also my supervisor about the AB thing. And it changed this article. He believes all blame falls on AB. He said "if a guy is too injured to play, he won't play. If he wants to play injured, the team can't stop him." I pointed out that the coaches have say who goes on the field regardless of who wants to play but he insisted that "if AB wanted on the field, the team couldn't stop him." 

By his logic, if all 53 guys decided they wanna play offense then all 53 guys have to be allowed on the field if they all walk on at the same time.

Any ways the supervisor goes on to say that "a player decides whether he wants to put his health before his career or money, or if he wants to put money before his health. They can't be made to sit and they cannot be made to play. They have free will."

I told him If a guy refuses to play, he runs the risk of being cut and potentially black balled out of the league. If a guy plays hurt he runs the risk of ending up like RGIII or worse. Either decision has money implications but if a player refuses to play, they're likely to be tainted by their team.

My supervisor responded to that with "there's no such thing as black balling. A league cannot tell a team that they cannot sign someone and that if a team refuses to sign a player, then they have to be a trouble maker or a bum. It's why Kaepernick isn't playing. He's a bum."

I ignorned the Kaep part because I am at work and because I had a lot to say on that which could cause issues I don't need. I'll say this if he wasn't advocating, he would of had a backup job at the bar minimum. Whether he had the skills to still be playing, I don't know.

I asked what label he thought a player would get if they were hurt, refused to play, got into a disagreement with the coaches about it, and then went public with it after being told of punishment for refusing to play.

He responded "It's still the players decision to play football. He can get another job." Basically implying that a player has all power over their careers and a team or league has little to none. 

There are those like myself that believe that the players are human and have to be treated as such. We know that player safety takes a backseat to winning and money. And we want not only an investigation into what happened in Tampa but reform throughout the game.

However, there are fans like my supervisor, who stand bye the Buccaneers. Who don't believe that any coach or team that makes their players play injured are doing any wrong. They don't care if injuries are reported and think the players and modern rules are too soft. Old school fans that believe "if they can walk, they can play."

The point of this article is not only does the NFL have to do a better job at enforcing rules and defining what's acceptable behavior from non acceptable behavior, while changing the mind set on player safety; as fans we have to demand the same thing from fellow fans. Players aren't just meat puppets and we cannot allow them to be treated as such by are fellow fans.

Yes there's some risk to playing professional sports. They play knowing they could get injured. There's no reason that the games shouldn't evolve to limit injuries while staying true to the sport. There's a difference in knowing you might get injured and expecting to be asked or required to play injured. Safety rules are put in place for a reason, like it or not. And it is the team that needs to be held responsible if found violating those rules. And those involved punished.

Not long ago Matt Schaub was the quarterback of the Houston Texans. When he got hurt, the hometown fans in Houston cheered and celebrated. That was a sick display and something unbecoming of any fanbase. Any fan that calls athletes soft needs be educated and if they still hold no regard for player's health and safety, they need be exiled. We need to show unity as a fanbase that this mindset will not be tolerated.

Changing the game starts with the fanbase because without us, there is no professional sports league.