Outspoken Dolphins' linebacker Joey Porter believes there is one set of rules for Tom Brady and another set of rules for the rest of the NFL.
"No question," said Porter, in a TV interview for the NFL Network's Around The League show. "When a guy can tell a ref when to throw a flag, and he gets it, he's got his own rules. They made the rule that you don't go at the legs for Tom. So when he feels that someone is going at his legs, he just points to the ref and he gets a flag. So, I can honestly say that he gets his own rules."
Earlier this year, linebacker Ray Lewis complained that Brady got preferential treatment on two roughing calls against Baltimore in New England's 27-21 win over the Ravens.
The NFL is caught in a bad place on this one. It is a legitimate goal to keep the league's stars on the field, somewhat safe from harm. But what's next? Bubble wrap? Some of the penalties that have been called on defenders barely touching QBs this year have been ridiculous.
Colts take a hit
The Colts are heavy favourites to maintain their healthy AFC North lead against Houston, but they've been hit with some devastating injuries this week. First, cornerback Marlin Jackson tore a knee ligament in practice Thursday and is gone for the year. Next, it was safety Bob Sanders who learned on Friday he will require season-ending surgery to repair a torn biceps tendon. Linebacker Tyjuan Hagler also has a biceps injury that has landed him on IR.
With Houston QB Matt Schaub holding one of the hottest passing hands in the NFL, Indianapolis could have some difficulty slowing the 5-3 Texans down.
Getting physical
The Eagles never go into a game intending not to beat on the opposing quarterback, but with Dallas and Tony Romo, the bloodlust is a bit more intense.
The Eagles have had plenty of success against the Cowboys and one reason why is that they like to get right up in Romo's grill. They believe that, by getting physical, it throws him off his game. In the most recent Dallas visit to Philly, last December, the Eagles racked up a 44-6 win with Romo being sacked twice and taking five other hits.
In that game, he fumbled twice and threw an interception. Overall in his career, the Eagles have faced Romo five times, with Philly winning three of them. They have intercepted him seven times and he has fumbled five times.
Romo comes into this game with eight touchdown passes and no picks in his past three games, all of them wins.
Coach of the year?
Sitting behind a microphone, flapping his gums on Monday Night Football, Jon Gruden's value as a coach goes up with each Tampa Bay Buccaneers loss.
Fired by the Bucs last year at the end of his second consecutive 9-7 season, after making the playoffs in three of his seven seasons and winning a Super Bowl in 2002, Gruden looks better and better as the season wears on in Tampa.
At one point, the 0-7 Bucs were huddled with Detroit, Kansas City, St. Louis and Tennessee in the winless column. But all those other teams have since managed at least one victory. Now check out the Bucs' schedule and figure out just where they're going to get one. They host Green Bay today, as a nine-point underdog. And it doesn't get much better from there: At Miami, New Orleans, at Atlanta, at Carolina, New York Jets, at Seattle, at New Orleans and finally Atlanta. In every one of those games they could be double-digit underdogs, and deservedly so.
How did they get so bad, so fast? Or is it a tribute to Gruden that he was able to knit together winning seasons with inferior talent?
KEN.FIDLIN@SUNMEDIA.CA
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WHO TO WATCH
Players in the NFL to keep an eye on this week
TONY ROMO
Cowboys, QB -- Romo was defiant this week in responding to statements that he and Roy Williams have no chemistry, reflected in the wide receiver's 40% reception rate. Romo will need all his weapons in today's showdown in Philadelphia.
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CARSON PALMER
Bengals QB -- When the Ravens come to town, Palmer sends a fleet of limos to the airport to make sure they get to the park safe and on time. Palmer is 7-3 in 10 career starts against Baltimore's fierce defence, with 13 TDs and 2,506 passing yards.
