(AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

By: Toby Christie – http://twitter.com/tobalical

Jerry Sandusky is credited with molesting at least 40 young boys between 1994 and 2009. He has undoubtedly warped the lives of these young men, that he originally set out to help when he founded the Second Mile Foundation. Now Sandusky’s actions have led to the death of the most iconic coach in college football history.

Just 365 days ago we all wondered, “How much longer will JoePa keep this up?”

The then 84-year old coach Joe Paterno was in seemingly great health after recovering from broken bones suffered on the sidelines in 2006, and in practice in 2008. He still exerted amazing spunk for his age, and after another bowl appearance in 2010 (his sixth consecutive) it appeared his job was safe for as long as he wanted to keep it.

Paterno was even heard via radio before the 2011 season saying that he intended on coaching for at east five more seasons. Fast forward to  January 22, 2012 – We have lost Joe Paterno.

Officially the cause of Paterno’s death appears to have been related to lung cancer, which his son Scott announced that he had been diagnosed with back in November. Unofficially – in my mind at least – it was the recent PennState sexual abuse scandal that ultimately claimed the life of one of the greatest coaches in the history of the profession.

Stress and sadness can do a lot of mysterious things – and there was no shortage of either in the final months of the life of Joe Paterno. His life was turned upside down. His job was stripped from him, the media who had loved him for so long had crucified him, and people were unjustly turning him into a monster.

Paterno lived a proud life as the head football coach of PennState University. During his 61-year tenure as the head coach at PSU, Paterno had a philosophy of “school first, football second” as he shaped the lives of every young man that came through his locker room. In all Paterno had 250 of his former players succeed and play in the NFL, as staggering as that number is, it pales in comparison to the number of players who finished their tenure at PennState with a diploma.

In College football you have to cheat to win. Paying players, falsifying transcripts and faking test scores are all common practice to make sure that your stars are on the field on game day. Paterno never sunk to this level, and guess what? 409 victories later he was the winningest coach in NCAA history.

In addition to coaching Paterno donated over $4 million back to the school in which he loved.

Let’s remember Paterno, not for a scandal and all of the evil that someone on the PennState staff caused, but let’s remember him for his contributions to his college, his innovations on the game, and above all else his integrity.

(AP Photo/Evan Pinkus)

By: Toby Christie – Follow on twitter @Tobalical

What a magical season the Green Bay Packers were having in defense of their fourth Super Bowl trophy. After one of the greatest regular season campaigns a team has ever posted in NFL history, the Packers were exiled immediately – some would even say shockingly - from the playoffs by a now red-hot New York Giants team.

However don’t count me as one of the many who are shocked by the quick exit from the 2012 NFL tournament.

In fact for weeks I had been clamoring the fact that not only would the Packers not finish 16-0, but that they would do just what they did this weekend – lose in their first playoff game of the season. Don’t believe me? Just watch some recent episodes of the Brain Dead podcast…

When you come out like gangbusters like the Packers had for the first 13 games of the regular season, you become a little complacent. You start to believe you are too good to be beaten, you feel invincible – especially when you are the defending champions. This is when you ultimately succumb to a trap game, as the Packers did in week 15 to the Kansas City Chiefs.

However many felt that because of the week 15 loss, the Packers were still the favorites because they no longer had to worry about the pressures of the undefeated season, but I contest that pressure is the only thing that was keeping them going.

If you look at the Packers last five regular season games, you realize that they came into the postseason stumbling. After utterly dominating any team in their path through week 12, the Packers finished the season with a near loss to the same Giants team that just knocked them off, a loss to Kansas City, a much closer than comfort game against a Chicago Bears team with Caleb Hanie at the helm, and a four point win over their divisional rival Detroit Lions.

Over the five game stretch the Packers had just one unanimous victory, a 46 to 16 slaughter of the Oakland Raiders, but with how the Raiders fell apart over the second half of the season, that victory doesn’t carry nearly the weight that it did then.

The Packers finish to their impressive regular season, is mainly why everyone else shouldn’t have been surprised they would be immediately ousted as champs, but as the week dragged on there were many more reasons to believe it would be one and done for the Pack, but the mainstream media missed it completely.

There was no way that offensive coordinator Joe Philbin’s mind could be 100-percent on football. The guy’s son was found dead this week, and despite not being with the team all week during practice, Philbin called the plays Sunday.

Heading into the playoffs Greg Jennings was rusty, and sore as he had sat out the last few games with a sprained MCL. Aaron Rodgers’ unquestionable No. 1 target wasn’t at 100-percent, and it showed on Sunday as he only caught four passes for just 40 yards. 

Aaron Rodgers couldn’t be as sharp as he had been after sitting out the final game of the regular season. Rodgers put up 45 touchdowns to just six interceptions on the season, all the while he tallied the best quarterback rating of all-time (122.5), but sitting in week 17 smothered the timing and momentum that he had built up.

The team as a whole appeared to just be looking ahead to the NFC Championship game as Sunday’s loss unfolded. Following the game Aaron Rodgers had some somber thoughts that provide insight as to what it’s like trying to defend a Super Bowl.

This Packers team honestly knew they were great – and they were for 17 weeks – but if you don’t finish nobody remembers you. Unfortunately the only way they will ever be remembered (as far as 2012 goes) is for their one-and-done playoff appearance.

(AP Photo/Gail Burton)

By: Toby Christie – Follow on Twitter @tobalical

The season is winding down, and one team – The Indianapolis Colts – still haven’t even won a single game. That’s right the team that has won at least 10 games every year since 2002, and has been in the playoffs every year during that same stretch has officially hit rock bottom.

It’s not really a surprise the team isn’t a contender considering Peyton Manning hasn’t taken a single snap in 2011 after numerous neck surgeries in the offseason and throughout the regular season… But just how bad they are without No. 18 behind center is astonishing.

The Colts barring any unforeseen circumstances will now have the No. 1 overall selection in this year’s draft, and it seems like a no brainer that the franchise will select Andrew Luck as their quarterback of the future. But if they do; What happens to Peyton Manning?

Remember Manning is one of the highest paid players in the entire NFL, and that is actually part of the reason there isn’t more talent on the roster around him. His 5-year/$90 million contract has put a noose around the neck of this organization. In my honest opinion, as crazy as it sounds, the franchise would be best suited by parting ways with the 35-year-old gunslinger.

Adding Andrew Luck to the roster would be much more cost effective than keeping Manning, because of the new rookie-wage scale that limits the maximum amount of money a team can offer rookies. Not only that but the 2011 season has proven to everyone just how valuable Manning is to an organization (as I’ve already stated with Manning playing the Colts were a perinneal 10-plus win team, without him they can’t even win a game).

It wouldn’t be unfathomable for the Colts to ask, and receive multiple first round draft picks for Manning. They could use those draft picks to help immediately build a foundation around Luck.

Now what if the Colts decide to hang on to Manning, and still draft Luck as well?

They take a severe chance at destroying their trade value for Manning. There are just too many things that could go wrong. What if he comes back at less than 100%? What if he is a shadow of his former self? What if he injures his neck again when he gets hit?

If any of these questions are solved with an unfavorable answer, simply you would be hard pressed to find any teams willing to ship multiple first-round draft picks for him. However as it stands right now the lasting image in everyone’s head is Manning, the ultimate field general, picking apart defenses and taking his Colts team to two Super Bowls.

If you’re going to ship him away the time to do it is this offseason. He isn’t getting younger.

The Colts may stay loyal to Manning and keep him on the roster hoping he’ll mentor Andrew Luck, but I find it highly unlikely that they would do that. When they drafted Manning they threw him straight into the fire, and let him learn on the fly so they would probably prefer to go that route again… especially when they could potentially get so much from trading Manning.

Now if the Colts do opt to trade away one of the best quarterbacks we’ve ever seen in the NFL, who would actually be in the running for landing him? Here are my thoughts on some interesting landing spots:

1. Dallas Cowboys – This one seems more attached to “if the Cowboys miss the playoffs,” but if they do miss out on the playoffs expect them to actually take a look at Manning. Tony Romo has contributed to a few of the team’s devastating last minute losses after seemingly having the games all sewed up, and if they miss the playoffs Jason Garrett will officially be on the hot seat.

If Garrett were to trade for Manning it would potentially buy him a couple of seasons (at least) of 10-plus win records where he could settle in as the Cowboys’ head coach. And with guys like Miles Austin, Dez Bryant, Laurent Robinson, Jason Witten, Felix Jones and DeMarco Murray (if he recovers from a broken ankle) this may be the most talent Manning has ever had around him.

This move actually the more I think about it makes the most sense, because then the Cowboys could recover some of what they give away for Manning, by trading away Tony Romo to another team that desperately needs a QB (hmm Miami?). Not only that, but it would be a win for the Colts also as they would be trading him outside of the AFC.

2.  Miami Dolphins – The Miami Dolphins have been searching for a franchise quarterback since Dan Marino retired in 1999, and they have done so very unsuccessfully. Guys like Jay Fiedler, Gus Frerotte, Dante Culpepper, A.J. Feeley and even Cleo Lemon have all tanked hard.

Recently the Dolphins put their fate in the hands of Chad Henne, and that has proven to be a complete disaster, in fact their only wins in 2011 came after Henne went on IR. The owner Stephen Ross has been looking to turn around the once proud franchise, and he has also been looking to land some “big names” to bring in attendance in Miami… Would there be any bigger name than Peyton Manning?

Add the fact that the Dolphins have a decent defense, as well as Reggie Bush, Brandon Marshall and some other decent offensive weapons and what you have is a possible franchise turnaround. Remember the Dolphins passed on Drew Brees after his shoulder injury in San Diego, and they have regretted it ever since.

If they have a chance to pull the trigger on a trade for Peyton Manning, expect it to happen.

3. Washington Redskins – Dan Snyder has never shyd away from spending the big bucks to bring in players he believes can help his franchise win, the only probelm is that for the past decade they haven’t really done too much winning. After starting 3-1 the Redskins were one of the breakout stories of 2011, but then a subsequent six game losing streak ended any hope they had of reaching the post season.

Mike Shanahan’s job is going to be under fire very soon, so he definitely knows the time to win is now. The ‘Skins have a great running attack, and some average receiving threats, but heck Manning doesn’t need all stars around him to win. Peyton Manning could save Shanahan’s job, and could return the Redskins to winning form.

4. Jacksonville Jaguars – This one is an interesting one. The Jaguars just how good Peyton Manning is about more than anyone else, as they have had to play against him twice a year as his divisional rival. Jack Del Rio’s regime drafted Blaine Gabbert in this season’s draft to be their quarterback of the future, but things haven’t gone so smoothly.

Gabbert’s quarterback rating for the season is a pedestrian 65.3, and he has thrown nearly as many interceptions (nine) as he has touchdowns (10). Not only that, but he has only been able to muster 1,783 yards passing this deep into the season.

With Del Rio gone, and the team going into a huge rebuilding mode, maybe the time is now to pull the trigger on a blockbuster deal for Manning – now will the Colts trade him inside the division? It’s just the Jaguars right?

5. New York Jets – Rex Ryan desperately wants to win a Super Bowl, as is apparent with his annual prediction that his team will win it all. However it just seems that his team is lacking just a little something from getting over the hump, that something could just be Peyton Manning.

Now I know the team has drafted Mark Sanchez, and he has performed very decent, but he has feuded with his head coach in the past and some weeks he is just very inconsistent. The fans in New York have actually booed Sanchez several times this season, and at one point Rex Ryan let Mark Brunell take some snaps with the first team offense in practice.

Remember a couple of seasons ago it was Manning who knocked the Jets out of the playoffs in the AFC Championship game. Trust me Rex Ryan hasn’t forgotten this. Every coach wants to be Vince Lombardi, not Andy Reid and Rex Ryan isn’t an exception to this.

(AP Photo/James D Smith)

By: Toby Christie – Follow on Twitter @tobalical

How many twists and turns can we see during a 17-week NFL season? More than any psychological thriller for sure, and it seems the NFC East has had more twists than any division in the NFL thus far in 2011.

When the lockout ended, the Philadelphia Eagles went on a spending frenzy. Immediately the team that seemed just a few pieces away from a championship at the end of last year, would now be complete. They were without a doubt the clear favorite for the NFC East crown. The dream team was born, but the nightmare was just beginning for Andy Reid and the Eagles.

At the end of week five, the “unstoppable” Eagles had fallen to a 1-5 record, and any shot of the playoffs were all but done at that point. All of a sudden there was a new and surprising top team in the NFC East division – The Washington Redskins.

In 2010, the Redskins were abysmal. Mike Shanahan had thrown his eggs into the Donovan McNabb basket, and he had inherited many headaches like Albert Haynesworth… However as the 2011 season had kicked off Shanahan had cleaned house on his roster. McNabb was gone, Haynesworth was gone, and all of a sudden the team began to cruise.

Heading out of their week five bye, the Redskins sat at 3-1 atop the division and it looked to be theirs for the taking. However Mike Shanahan opted to bench starting quarterback Rex Grossman for a few weeks after one bad game. In came John Beck, and out went the Redskins chances at the divisional crown. Going into week 12 the Redskins were riding a six game losing skid, and Mike Shanahan was left to ponder what the heck had just happened.

As the Redksins faltered, a new face now looked to represent this division in the playoffs. That face was none other than Eli Manning and the New York Giants. In week nine, Manning went toe to toe with Tom Brady – remember heading into the season Manning famously said he was in the same league as Brady as far as skill – and came out on top 24-20. The Giants were now 6-2, and had momentum on their side after winning three straight games, but then of course the wheels would fall off.

Four straight losses to the 49ers, Eagles, Saints and Packers knocked the G-men from the lead of the division and put them in a very precarious position heading into a showdown this past week with their division-rival – and now division leading – Dallas Cowboys in week 14.

The Cowboys were all of a sudden one of the hottest teams in football, and had utilized a ground game that came out of nowhere with the emergence of rookie running back DeMarco Murray, and Tony Romo had become one of the best at airing it out with help from free agent acquisition Laurent Robinson who has been playing out of his mind.

In week 13 the Cowboys had a chance to all but seal the division in a game against the Arizona Cardinals, but as has been the case all season long with the leader of this division lady luck bit the team from Big D.

With just seconds remaining in the game, Cowboys rookie kicker Dan Bailey lined up for a 49-yard field goal attempt. The clock was ticking, tick, tick, tick. But the ball was snapped with just about five seconds remaining on the clock, Bailey hit the kick perfectly and the ball went through the uprights to win the game, Bailey who had been consistent all year long had come through again – but there was just one problem. Head coach Jason Garrett had called one of his team’s remaining two timeouts just before the ball was snapped, so the Cowboys would have to try the game-winning field goal again.

This time around the kick was no good, and the Cardinals would go on to captialize – winning the game in overtime.

Even in losing, the Cowboys still held the division lead, but the margin was now very slim. A loss to the Giants would effectively hit the reset button on everything… and somehow someway the Cowboys found a way to lose.

In the loss the Cowboys lost running back DeMarco Murray to a broken ankle, and they are now in dire need of some wins down the stretch if they want to make it into the playoff tournament. It looks like the New York Giants are in the driver’s seat to win the division, but haven’t we been here before?

Keep an eye on this division over the last few weeks of the season.

(AP Photo/Don Wright)

By: Toby Christie - Follow @Tobalical on Twitter

Ben Roethlisberger suffered what appeared to be a gruesome ankle injury Thursday night as the Pittsburgh Steelers took on their divisional rivals the Cleveland Browns.

With 6:01 remaining in the second quarter Ben Roethlisberger did what he does. He left the pocket to extend a broken play, he was feverishly looking for anything he could downfield to help his team break away from a slim 7-3 margin. However as he was hanging outside of the pocket defenders swarmed, and his ankle was caught in the nastiest of ways beneath the humanity (See Video Here).

The entire city of Pittsburgh collectively gasped. It appeared the Steelers’ season would rest on the shoulders of Charlie Batch or perhaps Dennis Dixon or Byron Leftwich (both of which weren’t even active for Thursday’s game). It was a play eerily similar to the infamous Theismann leg injury.

As Roethlisberger hobbled to the locker room for x-rays, Batch would lead the team toward an equally wobbly finish to the first half.

It was a somber halftime at Hines Field, music was playing loudly, but one look at the crowd told the tale – the air was sucked out of that stadium. It was supposed to be a night of celebration as the Steelers were supposed to easily reach their 10th win of the season against a 4-8 Browns team that had been struggling to find their way.

On NFL Network’s halftime show, Rich Eisen painted the picture perfectly and softened the scene for the news that seemed imminent – Big Ben would be done for a while.

Then something strange happened. The 6’5″ 240 lbs, solid slab of stone that is Ben Roethlisberger came out of the tunnel as halftime ended with his helmet on his head, ready to do work. Really? After an impact that would have, should have snapped anybody’s ankle in two – Roethlisberger was not only back on the sidelines, but he was going to play? Wow.

We already knew Roethlisberger was a tough guy, as his face was at one point attached to a car windshield after a motorcycle accident, but what he showed Thursday night proves that the solid slab of stone, has a large set of stones. He could hardly move enough to perform a simple hand off, but somehow, someway Roethlisberger hit Antonio Brown for a 79-yard touchdown late in the game to seal a 14-3 victory for his team.

This gutsy performance begs me to ask the question: Is Ben Roethlisberger even human?

The Sicknissified.com NFL experts are back with another episode of the Brain Dead Podcast. This is a posting for everyone who wasn’t able to listen to the show live Wednesday evening on stickam.

Topics Include:

• Tebow and the Broncos do it again!
• Giants out of the playoffs?
• Jack Del Rio fired
• Stevie Johnson’s latest dance craze
• Is Drew Brees the best QB ever?

All of that plus injuries, scores from around the league, week 13 predictions and a lot, lot more! Enjoy.

(AP Photo/Sharon Ellman)

By: Toby Christie – @tobalical

Another week down, and another impressive showing by Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Laurent Robinson.

With his seven snags in the week 12 (two of which were touchdowns) the Cowboys were able to edge out the Miami Dolphins 20-19 to extend their current win streak to four games. Robinson now has a grand total of seven touchdown receptions in the past five games, and he has been a crucial – if not the most crucial – cog for the Cowboys offense during this most recent stretch of the season.

Robinson’s road to being a playmaker was as long and windy as any that have come before him. He was a stud in the NCAA a Illinois State, which led to him being drafted in the third round of the 2007 NFL draft by the Atlanta Falcons.

In his rookie season Robinson exploded with 37 receptions for 437 yards, but the following year he was only able to nab five catches for 52 yards – this ultimately led to him being traded to the St. Louis Rams in 2009.

Robinson had a quick start to his campaign as a Ram as he was leading the team in receptions (13) and a receiving yards (167) before fracturing his fibula and ending his season. As the 2010 season progressed Robinson found himself further down the depth chart in St. Louis behind Donnie Avery and Danny Amendola just to name a few and by year’s end he was no longer a St. Louis Ram.

Then came this past August when the San Diego Chargers decided to take a chance on Robinson, only to cut him after a six catch – 120 yard effort in the team’s final preseason game.

Robinson was then acquired by the Dallas Cowboys on September 7, 2011 only to be released six days later. Then a week later Robinson resigned with the Cowboys where he now appears to be a long-term fixture in the making. Talk about a long a troublesome road to success, but I’m sure every Dallas Cowboys fan is glad Robinson kept his head up through all of the hard times.

When you think about notable Dallas Cowboys free agent pickups through the years I believe Robinson has cemented his legacy near the top. In my honest opinion he’s not quite at the very top just yet, but he’s close. The only name left on the list that he has yet to surpass in my book would be “Primetime” Deion Sanders.

That’s right No. 81 is more important to this year’s Cowboys team in my opinion than Terrell Owens – the original No. 81 – was in 2006, Rocket Ismail in 1999 and even Leonard Davis in 2007. Robinson has started four games for “Big D” this season, in those games the Cowboys are an astonishing 3-1, with the only loss coming in week week four to the Detroit Lions in a game the Cowboys had all but won until a late collapse by Tony Romo.

Robinson has the speed to beat just about every cornerback in the league deep, he has the hands to make difficult catches, and he has the instincts to make plays happen when Tony Romo shakes his way out of the pocket. With all of the talk of the Philadelphia Eagle’s free agent pickups in 2011, Laurent Robinson of the Cowboys is by far the best free agent signing in all of the NFL this year.

(AP Photo/Rick Osentoski)

By: Toby Christie - http://twitter.com/tobalical

After Thursday’s Thanksgiving Day game against the Green Bay Packers, Detroit Lions Defensive Tackle Ndamukong Suh may very well be facing a suspension, but at the very least he will be fined for stomping on an opposing player in a 27-15 loss.

This is the latest run-in Suh has had with the rule book in the NFL, and this one comes after his much publicized sit down with commissioner Roger Goodell to iron out how to play the game under the current rules. But is Suh doing anything wrong?

In the spirit of how football was created and what it was meant to be – no he’s not.

Suh is a throwback, hard-nosed defensive player in a league that has simply gone soft. Defensive players like Jack Lambert were once the face of the league. Players like Lambert would completely devistate opposing players. Hell back then quarterbacks were tackled by their facemasks, and nobody complained.

In the golden age of the NFL it wasn’t uncommon for players to get into wars on the field that would result in fists flying, feet stomping or worse. That is how football was meant to be played, and this is why the league is where it is at today. It’s a brutal game, you know that going into it.

What was once encouraged though is now getting players suspended because you have to protect the offense at all costs. It seems that the NFL is afraid that if defenses get tough, the 30-40 points that teams are easily putting up these days will be diminished – and so too will the ratings.

In the end though, fans tune in to see a game of football, not a backyard game of catch and two-hand touch. But the days of real football seem to be behind us…

(AP Photo/ Eric Bakke)

By: Toby Christie – @Tobalical on Twitter

John Elway just will not put his stamp of approval on Tim Tebow as his franchise quarterback yet, even though Tebow has proven to be a miracle worker as he’s methodically worked the Denver Broncos back into playoff contention from what was the NFL equivalent of hell at a 1-4 record. The Broncos now sit at .500 with a 5-5 record thanks in large part to Tebow’s bruising playing style, and clutch performance late in games… yet it’s not enough for Elway – yet.

During John Elway’s weekly radio show on KDSP-FM (102.3 the Ticket) on Monday morning, the Broncos’ chief of football operations was asked if he was “any closer to feeling if you have your quarterback on this team?”

Elway took a moment to think and emphatically answered, “No.”

Elway would go on to say that Tebow has to make strides on being a better passer, and improve on third down. He even said that his team can’t win a world championship going 3-13 on third down. World championship? Woah John slow your roll a bit.

Tebow is the equivalent of an NFL rookie after just eight starts in the NFL, and you’re already judging him as if he should be in the Super Bowl? Maybe he would be better on third down had you not stupidly traded away his No. one target (Brandon Lloyd) for what? a fifth round pick?

It seems that after Tebow has racked up four wins in his five starts since Kyle Orton was supplanted, and the fact that he’s doing it with little to no weapons around him that something else has to be keeping Elway from praising his quarterback… Is it jealousy? I think so.

No Denver Broncos quarterback had ever been cheered before or after No. 7 (John Elway) came through Denver. He was the only toast of the town as far as football players go due to his late game heroics and winning pedigree (sounds familiar huh?) – that is until Tebow marched into town.

Fans immediately bought No. 15 jerseys after draft day last year and chanted for Elway and the Broncos staff to place Tebow as the starter instead of the fledgling Kyle Orton. The fans have gotten their wish, and Tebow is now the hottest topic in the entire league… and all of a sudden Elway can’t keep his mouth shut. Why? Because he enjoys the spotlight too, and he is getting jealous.

I did some research and have concluded that Elway (a hall of fame quarterback) should know better than anyone not to judge a quarterback by a rough start to their career. Elway had a rookie year to forget back in 1983, but just for the sake of comparing apples to apples, here are Elway’s and Tebow’s career statistics through their first eight NFL starts of their careers – you be the judge of who is off to a better start.

John Elway

Record: 2-6 (25% winning percentage)
87-181 Passing (48%), 1,175 Yards, 4 TD, 10 INT
22 Rushes, 112 Yards, 1 TD

Not too impressive, now let’s look at the “horrible mess” that is Tim Tebow:

Tim Tebow

Record: 5-3 (62.5% winning percentage)
97-207 passing (47%), 1,363 Yards, 12 TD, 4 INT
99 Rushes, 615 Yards, 9 TD

Oh wait Tebow’s stats outside of completion percentage are pretty damn good… Hmm maybe it’s time for everyone on ESPN and the front office of the Denver Broncos to sit back and enjoy the show, instead of picking it apart every week. The guy is winning football games – period, and Elway should realize that this does nothing but improve his legend in Denver as he is in the front office for all of this.

(AP Photo/Stephan Savoia)

By: Toby Christie

On Monday Night Football the New England Patriots started off extremely slow, and actually looked at one point in the game to be out matched by an inspired Kansas City Chiefs team. At the end of the first quarter the Chiefs lead was 3-0, but the score didn’t indicate just how one-sided the game was to this point.

However the sleeping giant eventually woke up.

The Patriots proceeded to reel off 27 unanswered points heading into the fourth quarter, and they had the game firmly in hand. The once inspired Chiefs team had officially given up and there was nothing more to play for – except to rub it in.

For whatever reason Bill Bellichick insists on running scores up. It’s no secret. Sportsmanship? It doesn’t exist when you play the Patriots, and it didn’t exist again on Monday night when the Patriots opted not to kneel on the ball with a 24-point lead with just over a minute remaining in the ballgame. Instead the Patriots risked injury as they pounded in another TD to push the final score to 34-3.

During the ESPN broadcast Mike Tirico threw the question out to Ron Jaworski and Jon Gruden – Do you have a problem with New England running the score up here?

To which “Jaws” and “Chuckie” basically responded that it’s simply the Patriots M.O. You know they’re going to do it, so because of that the analysts had no problem with it.

This is where I have a huge problem. Everyone in every sport these days must teeter on the edge of being politically correct, and if you set a poor moral example you are basically crucified… So why does the media turn it’s shoulder when Bellichick does what so many coaches in college and professional sports get grilled on P.T.I. for attempting?

I don’t know, but to say something is okay because it’s his M.O. is a ridiculous excuse to let it keep happening. That’s like saying Jerry Sandusky can keep raping children because we expected it to happen, it’s what he does all the time. The Patriots are supposed to be a world class organization, and they are supposed to be playing this season in honor of the late Myra Kraft, but Monday night they showed a prime example again of why they have no class.