Peyton Manning is a Marked Man!

Author: Scott Taylor

February 1, 2010

Scott Taylor's E-Take is sponsored by Biotech Laser, who utilize a low intensity laser that stimulates the natural healing of tissue.  www.biotech-laser.com

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – A decision made Friday by the National Football League has to be worrisome for two completely different entities.  Entity No. 1, the credibility of the NFL and Entity No. 2, the offensive line of the Indianapolis Colts.

First, the story.  On Friday, nfl.com announced that the league had fined New Orleans Saints defensive end Bobby McCray a total of $20,000 for two incidents involving unnecessary roughness in the NFC Championship Game.  In the first quarter of last Sunday’s game between the Saints and Minnesota Vikings, “McCray unnecessarily delivered a blow to Vikings quarterback Brett Favre, who was out of the play,” the NFL announced in a written statement.  “Additionally, during the third quarter, McCray delivered a blow to Favre’s knee area.  The total fine for these two incidents has been set at $20,000.” 

Now, the take: The first quarter hit, delivered well after Favre handed off the ball, was penalized (good call) and the Vikings drive eventually ended in a five-yard touchdown pass to Sidney Rice.  However, the play in the third quarter was not called and for the NFL, that has to be disconcerting.  This was the hit that injured Favre, a low blow to the knees that the NFL has now publicly acknowledged should have been called a penalty.  In fact, had it been called, it would have reversed a subsequent interception and kept a drive alive.  There is a very good chance it would have changed the outcome of the game.

"It's the type of hit that we don't want," NFL vice president of officiating Mike Pereira told the NFL Network, "... because clearly we're trying to protect the knees and we need to focus on this to make sure we don't miss (these calls).”  Pereira admitted to the NFL Network audience that the correct call had not been made during the Saints 31-28 overtime victory last Sunday and as a result, the outcome had very likely been affected.  Pereira wasn’t asked about the phantom pass interference call against the Vikings Ben Leber or the pass completion that wasn’t a completion to the Saints Robert Meachem, two plays that took place on the Saints final drive in overtime, but at least the VP of officiating conceded that the non-call against McCray should have been a call.  "That was pretty much a direct shot into the back of (Favre's) legs," Pereira said.

Had the penalty been called, the Vikings would have had a first down at the Saints' 21-yard line.  Instead, two plays later, Saints linebacker Jonthan Vilma intercepted a Favre pass and gave the Saints first-and-10 at their own 31.  The Saints failed to score on the resulting series, but with a big punt, they did pin the Vikings back on their own 17.  After the game, almost all the talk was about Favre’s final-minute interception that cost Minnesota the game and the beating Favre took from the Saints.  Favre was never sacked, but he was hit (often late) 11 times.  Some of the late hits were late enough to be called penalties and, to be fair, the Saints were penalized nine times for 88 yards.  But in this case, it seems that because the Saints were penalized for roughing the passer just three plays before McCray hit Favre late and low, the officials had no appetite to flag the Saints again, especially inside the Super Dome.

And that’s what’s been a concern for the Colts this week -- New Orleans’ opponents in the Super Bowl.  Will the Saints attempt to injure Peyton manning?  The answer, is an emphatic, “Yes!”  In fact, Saints defensive co-ordinator Gregg Williams said this past week that the Saints will be happy to give up a few penalties to have Peyton Manning carted from the field on a stretcher.  “This guy's got a great clock in his head,” Williams told 104.5 The Zone, via espn.com.  “The big thing is that he throws the ball so early that we're going to have to do a good job of finding ways to get to him and when we do get to him we're going to have to make sure he gets a couple 'remember me' shots when we get there.”

Ouch. That sounds as if the Saints defense is ready to put a bounty on Manning’s head.

“When you put too much of that type of worry on a warrior's mind, he doesn't play all out," Williams said.  “If it happens, it happens.  And the only thing you'd like for me to say is that if it happens you hope he doesn't get back up and play again.”

Huh? Wha? “...you hope he doesn't get back up and play again?”

As Mike Florio of profootballtalk.com suggested here in South Florida this week, if anything happens to Manning in Super Bowl XLIV, the NFL should not only fine the player responsible, but also coach Gregg Williams, who obviously is asking his team to cripple an opponent.  Those types of comments, remarks that clearly suggest one team is going to try and injure the opposition’s best player, have to be dealt with harshly.  Or the officials will just have to stop worrying about how the fans are going to react and start doing their jobs.

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