So, just like, according to Ryan, the Jets are the best in the NFL and a sure-fire Super Bowl team, according to Bart Scott, the Detroit Lions play dirty. The trouble is, that’s not what the picture showed, just the portrayal by Scott and the media.

As we watched the start of Sunday’s game at Ford Field, it seemed as though Bart Scott was complaining after every play. “This is a ‘chippy’ game,” declared CBS announcer Gus Johnson to sidekick Steve Tasker. Complaining and running his mouth on the field has always been Scott’s MO, run the mouth, get the refs off balance. From our viewpoint, the first cheap shot we saw was on some Jet taking an opportunity to play dirty by throwing an unsuspecting, unpiling and off-balance Lion to the ground after the whistle and drawing a flag.

This was followed shortly by Antonio Cromartie complaining about a pass interference call, where he blatantly held up Nate Burleson. More time was spent on the replay proving the guilt of Cromatie, than to the fact that Burleson was held up for the one step he needed to make an easy catch and probably a touchdown.

In another display of filth, “Loser” Scott was called for a late hit out-of-bounds on Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford, which the Jets complained about relentlessly. Even though everyone knows the rules protect QBs and the replay plainly showed a push to Stafford’s back while both Stafford and the dirty Jet defender were standing on the yard wide white box out of bounds. The white box that is painstakingly painted to show players the boundaries of fair play. Late in the first half, Lions safety Louis Delmas made a tackle near the Jets bench. Jets defensive back James Ihedigbo took a sucker shot at Delmas from the bench. Sterling example of clean play there, Bart.

Early in the game, the Lions were called for the first of offensive guard Stephen Peterman’s two “chop blocks,” both of which were shown to be perfectly legal on the replay. Later in the week, the NFL office levied a $10,000 fine on Peterman for the two blocks. He will appeal. The league will have to look at film that shows Peterman engaging with defensive linemen alone, that is, not while either Jets lineman was engaged with another Lion’s blocker. Scott points to the chop blocks as his evidence of “dirty play.”

The Jets countered with Darrelle Revis, playing another great game, but being aided by calls where he is allowed to hit the receiver before the arrival of the ball. CBS color commentator Steve Tasker showed the replay, said Revis came early, “but they are never going to make that call.” Of course not. Even if it’s blatantly illegal by the rulebook, this is “Revis Island” were talking about here.

Perhaps the most blatant of the Jets dirty and absolutely cowardly plays came on a Jason Hanson field goal attempt, when a Jet 300 pound defensive lineman, Trevor Pryce, piled into the vulnerable 170 pound Lion’s kicker well after he connected on a short field goal. The play gave the Lions new life and they scored a touchdown, but it took Hanson out of the game. Ndamakong Suh was forced to kick the PAT and hit the right post. The miss was the difference between a Lions win and overtime, where they eventually lost.

Now, any team’s kicker is vulnerable to this play on any kick. My mother could crash into the kicker after the kick and likely put him out. Few team’s carry an extra kicker and for the Jets, this weakling move played out well for them. It is probably the cheapest of cheap shots and Jets kickers would be the first to shudder if other teams tried this tactic on them. Of course, this dirty play was lost in Bart Scott’s retelling.

This is the same Moss that came on the scene as a high school phenom and earned a full ride to Notre Dame. But he didn’t have enough self-control to hold back in some schoolboy beatdown. Bobby Bowden and Florida State gave him the benefit of the doubt but a little ganja got him ejected from Tallahassee and that’s hard to do, ask Tom Petty.

So Marshall University gave him the benefit of the doubt and he teamed with Chad Pennington and was regarded as the best player in the 1988 NFL draft, but only Minnesota gave him the benefit of the doubt because he lasted until the 21st pick. His play made at least 20 teams regret not selecting him, but he eventually got in a beef with a Minneapolis traffic cop and ran her over. The Vikings and society again gave him the benefit of the doubt but he eventually wore out his welcome and was shipped to Oakland, home to all misfits and haven for the benefit of the doubt, at the peak of his career. He eventually started fine-tuning his reputation for taking plays off and not giving his all. Even Al Davis grew weary and shipped him to New England for next to nothing where Bill Belichick extended another benefit of the doubt.

Moss never won a title in New England, but he played and scored in the 2007 Super Bowl. He commanded the press as though they rose and fell with his every word. He made it to 2010, but felt “unloved” and took it upon himself to hold a press conference dressed in his Sunday best dewrag, cocked SF Giants baseball hat and collared by a several hundred dollar set of head phones. He expressed that he thought his contract wouldn’t be extended and that his days in New England were numbered. He felt by expressing himself this way he’d force the Patriots hand.

Belichick shopped Moss to Minnesota for a third round draft choice. He gave Moss the benefit of the doubt by saying he was a great player, teammate and never had any trouble with him. “It was only business” as Abe Vigoda once said. Brad Childress was delighted to give Moss the benefit of the doubt, but found Randy’s heavyhanded ways off-putting from the get-go.

First, there was Randy’s offer of coaching tips for how to prepare for the Patriots. If they had just followed Randy’s sage advice, they may have won in New England. That, and had Childress kicked a field goal instead of giving the ball to one of the NFL’s best, Adrian Peterson, at the two. And speaking of “giving the ball,” Randy felt he didn’t get it enough, so he went into his patented “I’m not trying” mode.

Returning to Minnesota, Moss must have felt immediately at home. Otherwise, why would a guy, only days on a new team, feel comfortable enough to grandstand in the lockerroom, in front of mostly strangers, by rudely humiliating a civilian for his own enjoyment? So at home that he immediately went back to “privileged veteran” behavior that included the merciless ripping of a caterer for “serving food he (Moss) wouldn’t feed to his dog.”

After dropping the game to the Pats, Moss made a point of hugging his former teammates. Of gladhanding Brady and Belichick and then held his own press conference where he announced he’d ask and answer all questions because the league had fined him for press compliance the week before. Boy did he make them pay for that $25,000.

He ended the conference with an ode to the New England Patriots, which probably didn’t endear himself to Childress, who had just lost a critical road game. Within days, at the risk of his own job it seems, Childress waived Moss.

The Tennessee Titan’s Jeff Fisher then gave Moss the benefit of the doubt.

What’s more maddening, watching the errors on replay and being told what to see? Listening to broadcasters, (who will lose their jobs if they become known as constant critics of referees), smooth over bad calls by agreeing with refs and explaining bad calls as “part of the game,” and “they’re only human?” Or, listening to house organ Mike Pereira on Fox, the former VP of NFL officials, quote from the NFL Bible on how fumbles and catches aren’t and that, according to the rule book, the referees are right?

How come these guys, especially Pereira, can’t admit a mistake? Why was it that Tom Coughlin won two challenges in Monday’s game against the Cowboys? Why does he have to challenge? Because the refs made mistakes.

And while we are at it, why does the NFL allow only only so many challenges to coaches? Coughlin could have been correct a third time and he would have been out of challenges for the rest of the game. Why wouldn’t he be allowed challenges as long as he’s correct? The NFL says its because it would slow the game (like TV timeouts don’t). The real reason is that because it would make a fiasco out of the referees, who are already a fiasco. Just ask the Detroit Lions, Miami Dolphins and Buffalo Bills, all of whom have games in the loss column because of referees bad calls.

Taking away the green light to blast a guy when you can line him up, is common sense. To reward these actions with war dances, highlight reels and incessant replays is foolhardy, like commending a guy steaming 90 feet down the third baseline into a stationary awaiting catcher as a “tough guy” and a “good hitter.” Actually, it’s the catcher who is demonstrating all the courage.

The macho purveyors of the NFL will have you think that lighting up an offensive player on a tackle is something “bred into players since little league.” Bunk. As shown by James Harrison and other practicioners last Sunday, most every tackle has a moment of reason where the assaulter can pull up. Safety prevails. Helmets aren’t used as weapons and jarring, but legal, tackles are still made.

The losers in this development are probably the defensive coordinators who like to use intimidation as a twelfth man, limiting areas on the playing field due to the prospect of getting nailed by a player who sees the opportunity coming, girds his body for contact and launches and leverages his body into a physics formula. Unfortunately, this practice is clearly a threat to the NFL’s workforce and something very simple had to be done.

FAVRE HAS TWO LEFT ANKLE FRACTURES

Coming into Boston to play the Patriots will be a tall order for the 2-4 Vikings although the schedule loosens up a bit after that with Arizona visiting and then going to Chicago in week 10.

FAVRE’s STREAK ENDS AT 291

Barring upsets, if you project the remaining schedule (wins versus Arizona, Chicago, Buffalo, Chicago and Detroit), the Vikings are destined for an 8-8 season. Of course this assuming the Vikings don’t fold up the tent.

FAVRE WEIGHS RETIREMENT

Since the Vikings season has lost its clout, curvy Jenn Sterger will likely make her play somewhere between the holidays. Already touting Phil Reese as her spokesman/manager, Sterger, who is a on-air talent for the VS. Network, can’t take a payoff and go away. That would hurt her journalistic integrity.

FAVRE APOLOGIZES TO STERGER

Attempting to utilize Public Relations 101 and evoke the contrition card, Favre apologizes for the umpteenth time. The league doesn’t really care. They want Sterger to go away and avoid a harassment in the workplace lawsuit. In order to appear strong on the issue, the league suspends Favre for as many games as it takes for his ankle to heal.

FAVRE SAYS, “THAT’S NOT MY HOT DOG”

Because forensic science hasn’t invented a way to extract DNA from cell phone pictures, no one will ever really know. Favre is okay with admitting he made multiple runs at Sterger, but he doesn’t want to be classified on the sexual predator map of Hattiesburg, MS.

FAVRE SAYS HE WILL RETIRE

Because the Vikings have slim playoff hopes and Favre is sitting anyway, he longs to take a jet back to Hattiesberg. Trouble is he’ll jeopardize the overpayment the Vikings gave him to come back this year.

WHAT PRICE RETIREMENT? FAVRE PONDERS TURNING BACK ON $20 MIL

At some point, the Vikings will be a playoff possibility mathematically and Favre’s ankle will heal enough to get one more media push from ESPN. A big win against the Lions offers hope that the Vikings are hitting on all cylinders.

CAN FAVRE LEAD VIKES TO THE PROMISED LAND?

The Vikings charge is ended when Favre throws a feeble interception with the outcome of the game on the line.

FAVRE SETTLES JENN STERGER LAWSUIT

With a little help from the New York Jets, Phil Reese announces that the issues surrounding his client have been favorably dealt with. ESPN’s Mike Greenberg calls in sick that day.

FAVRE TAKES CAB TO AIRPORT. FLIES HOME COMMERCIAL.

Steve Hutchinson, Jared Allen and Ryan Longwell call Favre a cab.

DEANNA FAVRE SAYS SHE’S NOT SURE SHE’S COMING BACK FOR NEXT SEASON WITH BRETT

Andrea Kramer and Ed Werder camp out in front of Favre’s Hattiesberg house. Cameras capture Favre throwing two interceptions during filming of Wrangler commercial.

“Hey Mike, there’s something fishy about that Calvin Johnson play against the Bears. Nothing fishy to me, “that’s the rule,” chimes Mike.

Wednesday, as a guest on ESPN’s PTI “Five Good Minutes” segment, Mike was asked if he felt the fines for hits last weekend by James Harrison, Dunta Robinson and Brandon Meriwether were warranted, Mike agreed with the league office. Not a word about suspensions.

After the segment, Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon fell over themselves fawning about how great a job Pereira did. Someone should have spent that time telling Pereira that viewers crave the truth and a fresh inside perspective as opposed to the company line.

Last week at the NFL meetings, the Calvin Johnson play was pretty much blown up and predictions for a rule change this off-season were imminent. How come everyone else saw it that way except Fox’s rules expert?

As far as the weekend fines for bad hits, Pereira became indignant about “keeping the stars playing.” He feels that rules intended to protect players are good, but he doesn’t seem to care one bit about whether referees continually wrongfully decide outcomes of entire games.

Looking at Ditka’s charges, somebody figures out that taking excessive blows to the helmet has long term effects on the health of players. The NFL commissions some scientific studies and promises an improved helmet in the future.

In what seemed like a perfect storm of events, last weekend saw a Rutgers player struck down with a paralyzing injury at New Meadowlands Stadium on Saturday, followed by Zack Follett of the Lions getting immobilized the next day on the same field and at least six vicious head-to-head tackles throughout the rest of the league. This put the NFL in a tizzy, to come to a solution of how to deal with this trend.

They fined three players. Referees didn’t even throw flags in three of the hits. Steve Sabol worried about his “greatest hits” reel at NFL films. ESPN was concerned about its regular film segment using the carnage as entertainment. Defensive coordinators throttled back their macho talk. Players like Ray Lewis, who love to celibrate hits with spastic gyrations and screams, will need to channel that need to say, the dance clubs in Atlanta.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has no shortage of concerns, but this penchant to scramble his player’s brains outweighs his crack-the-whip strictness with off-the-field behaviour and Brett Favre’s member. He’s at a loss as to whether he should recommend suspensions, which former-head-hunter-turned-studio-host, Rodney Harrison said was the only thing that ever got his attention.

Goodell’s problem is fooling with chemistry. He has sports’ most attractive product, which is most attractive because of the controlled violence and unscripted action that fills most every play. To mess with that could be disaster. He’s already helped the NFL become the “no fun league,” would he dare make it the “no force league?”

They have protected the quarterbacks inside the limits of the game. They have given referees subjective judgement on touching receivers. Neither of these developments have done anything to better the game. What’s Goodell going to do if he levels an edict that says you can’t hit guys anymore?

This just in from the planet of common sense…how about suspending defensive players for “sucker punches?” Of all the big hits, four out of five usually have a defensive player lining up an offensive player mostly out of lucky circumstances that position the defender with leverage on an unsuspecting target. Double teams often create these advantages. None of these big hitters are doing anything more than my wife could do with a frying pan.

We all know the offense has an advantage because they can plan where they are going to go. The defense has to react, compensate for any number of variables and its only ploy is intimidation. Go over the middle Mr. Receiver and you are probably going to get hit. Get stacked up at the line of scrimmage and you are probably going to get hit. Allow for gang tackling and you are probably going to feel it.

Think of it like the offense being on solid ground and the defense on roller skates. You’d grab and claw, too. You’d hit guys at the line of scrimmage to slow them them down. What you don’t have to do is line up a defenseless offensive player and make your helmet and body into a missile to throw at him. The most common big hits usually have the ball carrier concentrating on catching or holding onto the ball, or getting an open field read while some third party missile is taking several steps to unload. In lacrosse and hockey that’s a penalty.

Despite the bang-bang nature of football, I’d suggest that nine out of ten defenders who line up a big hit, have the same abilities to pull up as they do to unload. It’s the culture of the game to root for the Lions to eat the gladiators.

And as far as the celebrators, these are football’s equivalent to sucker punchers. There’s just not that much talent that goes into throwing an unexpected punch to someone with their guard down. So fine them AND suspend them when they act out. This isn’t about ruling the force out of football. It’s about getting rid of cheap shots.

The Lions are Undisciplined.

A sign of poor coaching. While everyone is crooning over the fact that they have been “competitive” in their 2010 games, they had 11 penalties, five fumbles (two lost including that wimpy Nate Burleson turnover when they were driving to their best of four chances to win) and that final play interception where the “inaccurrate” Drew Stanton threw high to Brandon Pettigrew to expel their last breath.

The Lions are Undermanned.

Despite reports to the contrary, they have no real depth to provide fresh legs to contribute big plays and avoid mistakes. Bryant Johnson should be replaced by someone who can catch. Jonathan Wade’s dreadlocks appear in every big catch, missed tackle or scoring play. Even with Jahvid Best and Kevin Smith, there is no running game. The linebackers are non-existent.

The Lions are Unprepared to Win.

This is on Jim Schwartz and his staff. Regardless of his progress, the Lions are not three units who believe they can play for 60 minutes. They know the other foot will drop at any time and when it does, so do their hopes.

Perrenial Losers Don’t Get Breaks From the Refs

When Antonio Smith went over-the-top to break up a pass on what was a jump ball, it was pass interference. A few plays later when son-in-law Chris Snee bear hugged Ndomakong Suh and pulled him down with his arms pinned back into the pile at the goal line, it was a touchdown, Giants. The yellow hankies are always subjective and swing toward the winning teams.

1. New York Jets

Thanks largely to HBO’s “Hard Knocks” the Jets enter 2010 as the top team to fail. With Head coach Rex Ryan’s constant blustering his way to the top of the heap, we were reminded that all it takes is a pulpit and a big mouth to claim the top tier in the NFL. Ryan has said out loud that the Jets will win the Super Bowl, that the Jets are the most talented team in the NFL and there is “playing like a Jet,” and then there’s the rest of the league. If it was that easy, every team would hire an overweight braggart as head coach.

The trouble is, the Jets have a nice collection of talent. Proven players on defense like Darelle Revis, Antonio Cromartie, David Harris, Bart Scott and Kris Jenkins. On offense, Nick Mangold, D’Brickshaw Ferguson and Braylon Edwards provide the leadership. According to Ryan, Mark Sanchez can compete with Tom Brady, even though its only his second year, RT Damien Woody “is the best pass blocker in the NFL,” and Shonn Greene is ready to make everyone forget Thomas Jones’ 1400 yards from last year.

While Ryan tries to build team unity around his hot air, everyone in the lockerroom will be thinking of the Jets jettisoning of Pro Bowl guard Alan Faneca to save money and longtime FB Tony Richardson for Ryan’s self-serving pet, John “The Terminator” Connor.

2. Minnesota Vikings

We pretty much spelled this one out. Brett Favre is the easiest player in the NFL to root against. His off-season, on-again, off-again retirements have grown tiresome. It’s clearly a cry for attention and a coronation of the league’s biggest diva. Trying to pull for the Vikings is like hoping someone believes in Roger Clemens’ story.

3. Dallas Cowboys

The Cowboys also suffer from “Hard Knocks” carryover, when they pranced around as the team to beat in 2009. Trouble is the Boys haven’t won a playoff game since last century. Couple that with their gaudy stadium, alleged ties to middle eastern money, overtalk about playing a home game in this year’s Super Bowl and, of course, Jerry Jones, and you have all you need to hate.

4. Washington Redskins

All the ingredients are here. A greedy, free-spending owner. A tight-jawed “my way or the highway” coach who may be past his prime. Albert Haynesworth, paid the most, but still unhappy. Donavan McNabb, who has accomplished little, but constantly is given a forum as though he’s one of the league’s true greats. Resentment to root against starts in Washington with its critical fanbase.

5. Chicago Bears

With all due respect to the Baltimore Ravens and loudmouth, slowing daily, murder witness Ray Lewis, the Al Davis managed Oakland Raiders, and the Pacman, Batman and Robin, floppy-breasted Andre Smith Cincinnati Bengals, da Bears take fifth place, probably with glee.

In the Midway, we’ve got an ill-tempered quarterback, a nutso offensive coordinator, a tight end who wants out, no real receivers, a lot of the winless Detroit Lions coaching staff, overpaid Julius Peppers, a paternity suited, pro wrestling wannabe, over-the-hill linebacker and that’s before they step on their much maligned revamped field. And to wrap this in a bow, ESPN/ABC’s overexposed Michael Wilbon constantly talks of the Bears like they are an elite team and Green Bay and Minnesota don’t exist in the NFC Central.

American Football Conference

AFC East

We are banking on Tom Brady and the Patriots, even with that helmet hairdo under his helmet. The whining Boston fanbase may be worried about the running game and the defense, but Belichick takes care of the “D” and surprising pieces emerge on offense (Edelman, Gronkowski, etc.) to compensate. The Jets will celibrate every positive play as though they are the only ones in the NFL that can make a catch, or recover a fumble. Unfortunately, they will come up short when trying to win big games. Miami is the only other pretender in this group and they will fare well head-to-head against NE and NY, but falter elsewhere.

AFC North

There are three legitimate contenders here. Only the Browns have room to grow. Baltimore seems more likely to emerge as their defense peaks later in the season when it counts. Joe Flacco will use his new receivers to an advantage and Ray Rice and depth everywhere on offense will keep that “plain vanilla” offense producing. Cincinnati’s hopes hinge on Carson Palmer, not the diva wideouts. The Bengals are most likely to hit some dysfunction along the way. Pittsburgh will be behind the eight ball throughout Ben Roethlisberger’s suspension. Losing games that maybe he could have won during that span will spell the difference.

AFC South

This division is more about who will finally challenge the Colts? The answer is ‘no one.’ Houston is most poised to make a stand, but that might be more based upon hope and “it’s-about-time” than any real football basis. The playoff spot hinges on Peyton Manning’s health.

AFC West

Three teams trying to rebuild to respectability and the San Diego Chargers. Some might lament the loss of LT and the delayed signings of Merriman, McNeill and Jackson, but don’t underestimate the abilities of a quarterback in his prime, who is a bit wounded from finishing out-of-the-money too many times. The Chargers go as far as Philip Rivers can take them.

National Football Conference

NFC East

Popular choice, those Dallas Cowboys. But this is a team with the personality of its owner, who happens to think everything he does is golden. The Cowboys are another version of the Jets, where a team mouthpiece (Jerry Jones) declares everything about his team to be ideal. Trouble is, they haven’t won a playoff game since 1996. The New York Giants have regained the tools from their Super Bowl year, but coach Tom Coughlin may not have the patience to deal with steps backward along the way. Andy Reid’s Eagles are a more likely bet to sail under the radar and capture this division. Kevin Kolb will have his growing pains, but it won’t be long before he’s compared to Aaron Rodgers, just like the Eagle’s defense will be compared to the Pack’s with their mixtures of names and no-names. Mike Shanahan will make progress in Washington, but needs more time.

NFC North

The Vikings and the Packers are the class here and their head-to-heads will have more importance than ever before. Brett Favre will prove himself to be old, a distraction and likely to end his career with an interception, but the Vikings will not even be considered without his steerage. Aaron Rodgers zips the ball to places and even though you might not know all the players, the Pack can bring it from both sides. The most compelling race in the NFL will have Green Bay getting the last laugh over Favre. Chicago and Detroit will beat the Packers and Vikings but they will remain challenged by inconsistency.

NFC South

New Orleans remains the champion until beaten. Drew Brees will pick up where he left off. How much does luck play into a Super Bowl run? And how much can Sean Payton count on luck again? Payton’s teams pressure you defensively and overwhelm you on offense. Until someone figures out how to bring those two factors down to earth, the Saints will keep their distance ahead of the Atlanta Falcons, while Carolina and Tampa Bay rebuild with not enough pieces.

NFC West

Arizona is the likely call because San Francisco and Seattle are in the midst of rebuilding projects. Though both the Seahawks, under new coach Pete Carroll, and the Niners under Mike Singletary believe they have enough to challenge now. Especially with Kurt Warner gone from the Cards and Matt Leinart stepping in. Still, the Cardinals offer good coaching, experience and the most consistent offense and defense to command this group.