Slants on Week 2 in the NFL

          A few quick “slants” on the NFL’s Week 2:

·       I’m not ready to destroy the replacement officials like many other people, but disaster appears imminent. Both the Ravens and Patriots had game sealing TDs called back on very iffy calls and ended up losing. Offensive pass interference for basically hand-checking cost Baltimore, and holding, which could be called on any play, cost New England. Both teams should have won anyway, and both calls might have been made by the regular officials. But sometimes the appearance of impropriety is all it takes for there to be a problem. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell is out of control. He’s made a mess of “Bounty Gate,” and the lockout of the officials is putting the season’s integrity in jeopardy.

·       It’s ridiculous that everyone is ripping Greg Schiano, Tampa Bay’s head coach, because his team actually tried to make a play on the final kneel down of the game. Ever hear of the original Miracle of the Meadowlands? As the hero of that play, Herm Edwards, famously said, you play to win the game. Coaches should be criticized when their teams don’t do anything because they’re too busy glad-handing their buddies on the other team.

·       Those same people need to stop crying about Jay Cutler for pushing one of his offensive lineman. I’m not sure that the only reason this even became an issue isn’t because they’re too many former lineman yakking away on television. Cutler is the guy getting knocked on his ass play after play. He ought to start pushing some people.