BR: NFL Must Suspend Willie Colon, D'Brickashaw Ferguson for Pats-Jets Brawl

[Lizard King]

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1772840-nfl-must-suspend-willie-colon-dbrickashaw-ferguson-for-pats-jets-brawl

 

 

A referee pushes Jets OL D'Brickashaw Ferguson away from Patriots LB Dont'a Hightower 
Jim Rogash/Getty Images

The 2013 NFL Rulebook is clear: "There shall be no unsportsmanlike conduct." It gives specific examples:

Article 1: Prohibited Acts.

 There shall be no unsportsmanlike conduct. This applies to any act which is contrary to the generally understood principles of sportsmanship. Such acts specifically include, among others: 

(a) Throwing a punch, or a forearm, or kicking at an opponent, even though no contact is made. 

In the slopfest that was the New England Patriots' 13–10 victory over the New York Jets in Week 2, Jets offensive lineman D'Brickashaw Ferguson decided to ignore that rule during a last-minute melee. The fight broke out after Patriots cornerback AqibTalib's game-winning interception; Jets center Nick Mangold decided to go for a late hit which should lighten Mangold's wallet by a few grand.

But then Ferguson decided to do this:

 

 

 

He threw a punch at an opposing player. Unfortunately for Ferguson, the rulebook is also clear on the penalties for violating the unsportsmanlike conduct rule:

Penalty: (for a through h): Loss of 15 yards from the succeeding spot or whatever spot the Referee, after consulting with the crew, deems equitable. If the foul is by the defense, it is also an automatic first down.

If the infraction is flagrant, the player is also disqualified. If the foul is by the defense, it is also an automatic first down.

According to the NFL Network commentators for the game, Ferguson threw multiple punches, so his ejection was an obvious one.

Making things even worse, though, another Jets lineman, Willie Colon, one-upped Ferguson. Here's the move that got Colon flagged for ejection:

 

 

 

The NFL Rulebook is explicit here, too:

Article 1: Prohibited Acts.

 . . . Such acts specifically include, among others: 

(g) Unnecessary physical contact with a game official.

Again, the penalty here is a personal foul, plus disqualification. Given that NFL players have been ejected for accidentally striking referees in the past, this disqualification was perfectly justified. But then Colon went one step further:

 

 

 

Here, Colon shoves the referee who is trying to remove him from the fracas. And the rulebook is even more clear on one last point (italics in the original, boldface mine):

Note 1: Under no condition is an official to allow a player to shove, push, or strike him in an offensive, disrespectful, or unsportsmanlike manner. 

Any such action must be reported to the Commissioner.

Based on recent history, it is all but a given that Mangold, Ferguson, and Colon will all be fined for their actions; according to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the NFL is already reviewing the fight.

However, if the NFL wants to reduce the number of bench-clearing brawls that break out late in games, they must levy meaningful penalties in the aftermath. Without further discipline, Ferguson and Colon will get off with a true slap on the wrist. They were sent packing with less than a minute to play on a rainy evening where the Jets offense would not touch the ball again.

At an absolute minimum, the NFL needs to suspend Colon for the Jets' Week 3 game to send a message that striking an official is absolutely off-limits. If I were NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, I would also suspend Ferguson to send a message that even when the game gets chippy, teams need to make their statements with their play, not with extracurriculars after the whistle.

 

[bitonti]

unfortunately agree about Colon. you can't really push or shove a ref and get away. 

[Klecko73isGod]

 

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1772840-nfl-must-suspend-willie-colon-dbrickashaw-ferguson-for-pats-jets-brawl

 

 

A referee pushes Jets OL D'Brickashaw Ferguson away from Patriots LB Dont'a Hightower 

Jim Rogash/Getty Images

The 2013 NFL Rulebook is clear: "There shall be no unsportsmanlike conduct." It gives specific examples:

Article 1: Prohibited Acts.

 There shall be no unsportsmanlike conduct. This applies to any act which is contrary to the generally understood principles of sportsmanship. Such acts specifically include, among others: 

(a) Throwing a punch, or a forearm, or kicking at an opponent, even though no contact is made. 

In the slopfest that was the New England Patriots' 13–10 victory over the New York Jets in Week 2, Jets offensive lineman D'Brickashaw Ferguson decided to ignore that rule during a last-minute melee. The fight broke out after Patriots cornerback AqibTalib's game-winning interception; Jets center Nick Mangold decided to go for a late hit which should lighten Mangold's wallet by a few grand.

But then Ferguson decided to do this:

 

 

 

He threw a punch at an opposing player. Unfortunately for Ferguson, the rulebook is also clear on the penalties for violating the unsportsmanlike conduct rule:

Penalty: (for a through h): Loss of 15 yards from the succeeding spot or whatever spot the Referee, after consulting with the crew, deems equitable. If the foul is by the defense, it is also an automatic first down.

If the infraction is flagrant, the player is also disqualified. If the foul is by the defense, it is also an automatic first down.

According to the NFL Network commentators for the game, Ferguson threw multiple punches, so his ejection was an obvious one.

Making things even worse, though, another Jets lineman, Willie Colon, one-upped Ferguson. Here's the move that got Colon flagged for ejection:

 

 

 

The NFL Rulebook is explicit here, too:

Article 1: Prohibited Acts.

 . . . Such acts specifically include, among others: 

(g) Unnecessary physical contact with a game official.

Again, the penalty here is a personal foul, plus disqualification. Given that NFL players have been ejected for accidentally striking referees in the past, this disqualification was perfectly justified. But then Colon went one step further:

 

 

 

Here, Colon shoves the referee who is trying to remove him from the fracas. And the rulebook is even more clear on one last point (italics in the original, boldface mine):

Note 1: Under no condition is an official to allow a player to shove, push, or strike him in an offensive, disrespectful, or unsportsmanlike manner. 

Any such action must be reported to the Commissioner.

Based on recent history, it is all but a given that Mangold, Ferguson, and Colon will all be fined for their actions; according to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the NFL is already reviewing the fight.

However, if the NFL wants to reduce the number of bench-clearing brawls that break out late in games, they must levy meaningful penalties in the aftermath. Without further discipline, Ferguson and Colon will get off with a true slap on the wrist. They were sent packing with less than a minute to play on a rainy evening where the Jets offense would not touch the ball again.

At an absolute minimum, the NFL needs to suspend Colon for the Jets' Week 3 game to send a message that striking an official is absolutely off-limits. If I were NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, I would also suspend Ferguson to send a message that even when the game gets chippy, teams need to make their statements with their play, not with extracurriculars after the whistle.

 

 

 

The author of this claptrap is a Pats fan:

 

http://bleacherreport.com/users/78561-samer-ismail

 

Bleacher Report continues its credibility rating of zero. 

[whodeawhodat]

we bowdy bowdy and rowdy rowdy! or somethin like that...

[Integrity28]

I'd be more inclined to agree, if it wasn't shaping up to be a situation where ONLY Jets players are punished. 

 

Before the huge melee took place, there was a Patriot who popped Brick in the facemask. During the melee the Patriots cleared their bench, and were just as guilty of throwing jabs within the pile as the Jets players were. Let's also remember that Mangold got flagged for a late hit, there was no reason for him to be accosted on the sideline to draw the Jets over in the first place. The penalty should have covered it.

 

I'm not making excuses for the Jets, but let's be honest - a brawl is a brawl, no way was it all on the Jets.

 

Also, during the game Brady was shown on-camera spraying crap on his hands - absolutely NO chance anyone looks into that.

[Lizard King]

The author of this claptrap is a Pats fan:

http://bleacherreport.com/users/78561-samer-ismail

Bleacher Report continues its credibility rating of zero.

Did ghe rules change? Can you put hands on refs now?

[Klecko73isGod]

Did ghe rules change? Can you put hands on refs now?

 

The opinion of a Pats homer will not weigh on the commissioners decision. 

 

These guys were running to protect their teammate from the entire Pats team, including their scumbag head coach, who overreacted to Mangold's hit. 

[Klecko73isGod]

I'd be more inclined to agree, if it wasn't shaping up to be a situation where ONLY Jets players are punished. 

 

Before the huge melee took place, there was a Patriot who popped Brick in the facemask. During the melee the Patriots cleared their bench, and were just as guilty of throwing jabs within the pile as the Jets players were. Let's also remember that Mangold got flagged for a late hit, there was no reason for him to be accosted on the sideline to draw the Jets over in the first place. The penalty should have covered it.

 

I'm not making excuses for the Jets, but let's be honest - a brawl is a brawl, no way was it all on the Jets.

 

Also, during the game Brady was shown on-camera spraying crap on his hands - absolutely NO chance anyone looks into that.

 

Not to mention that Belichick pretty much incited his team's reaction by overreacting to the hit.

[Patriot Killa]

We thugs.

 

[pointman]

And not one of their clowns? F the pats. F the league. F Belicheck. F Gillette. F all those chowderhead scumbags.

[Patriot Killa]

And not one of their clowns? F the pats. F the league. F Belicheck. F Gillette. F all those chowderhead scumbags.

O_O .. your amazing....

[Bleedin Green]

Interesting that there were no screenshots of the numerous Pats who attacked Jets players and shoved around refs.  If Brick gets anything done to him, then there's at least a half dozen Patriots who need to be treated exactly the same way.

 

It's worth noting that, after Mangold's hit, the brawl started with a Pats player shoving aside a referee and attacking Mangold from behind.  Brick was also then come at from behind by one Pats player, then a second joined in before Brick was the one pushed back by the ref.  Four more Patriots pursued Brick even after he backed off (and then a slew more after them rushed in), all pushing the ref around who was in the middle in the process.  NFL officiating is the biggest joke in pro sports.  They really need to bring back last year's replacement refs, and I'm not even joking.  They were no worse than these clowns, people only whined because the only real difference was that the horrible calls didn't always go in favor of the same holiest of holy NFL teams.  It's no coincidence that the sh*t hit the fan when it was the almighty Packers who ended up on the short end of the stick.

 

All of that said, Colon is an idiot and deserves what he gets.  I don't blame him one bit for his initial reaction, but you don't deliberately go after the ref.  Beyond whatever happens to him, a fine for a late hit on Mangold is the only other thing that is justifiable unless they start adding a lot of Patriots to the list of those to be punished.  For crying out loud, before the second wave of Jets rushed in at the end, it was somewhere around 15 on 3, and yet the 3 Jets are the only guilty parties?  Yeah, ok.

[flgreen]

D-Brick will get fined, but I don't think he'll get suspended.  A lot was going on there.  Colon's another story.  you just can't push or hit a ref no matter what's going on.  Think he will, and should get suspended

[Integrity28]

Also, I remain unconvinced that Mangold intentionally went after Talib's knees out of bounds. 

 

If you re-watch the play, Talib had multiple opportunities to go out-of-bounds before reaching Mangold, and he cut in-field each time, as Mangold approaches Talib, he again hops up and tries to spin out of Mangold's path. Being that it's an athletic corner vs. a center, and that Talib spins to the outside clearly looking to get his feet down along the narrow edge of the sideline, it looks like Mangold just lays out to ensure his path is obstructed - as it turns out, Talib spins right into Mangold's flop - thus riding Mangold out of bounds.

 

This was less of a late hit out of bounds than Clay Matthews put on Kaep last week, or the LBer put on Geno last week. 

 

Plus, Mangold just isn't a dirty player.

 

BB reacting, and his team reacting the way they did was par for the course for a bunch of petty sore-winners. If they didn't mob Mangold, then none of the rest of that melee happens. 

 

Given that the NFL Network basically made the whole broadcast about the Patriots, I have no doubt that the discipline with be just as biased as the broadcast was.

 

Only one thing to do... beat the sh*t out of them next time, on the scoreboard.

[Larz]

I just watched it on youtube

 

what brawl ?

 

it was some shoving

[faba]

They should get fines- no suspension

[BroadwayJoe12]

Interesting that there were no screenshots of the numerous Pats who attacked Jets players and shoved around refs.  If Brick gets anything done to him, then there's at least a half dozen Patriots who need to be treated exactly the same way.

 

It's worth noting that, after Mangold's hit, the brawl started with a Pats player shoving aside a referee and attacking Mangold from behind.  Brick was also then come at from behind by one Pats player, then a second joined in before Brick was the one pushed back by the ref.  Four more Patriots pursued Brick even after he backed off (and then a slew more after them rushed in), all pushing the ref around who was in the middle in the process.  NFL officiating is the biggest joke in pro sports.  They really need to bring back last year's replacement refs, and I'm not even joking.  They were no worse than these clowns, people only whined because the only real difference was that the horrible calls didn't always go in favor of the same holiest of holy NFL teams.  It's no coincidence that the sh*t hit the fan when it was the almighty Packers who ended up on the short end of the stick.

 

All of that said, Colon is an idiot and deserves what he gets.  I don't blame him one bit for his initial reaction, but you don't deliberately go after the ref.  Beyond whatever happens to him, a fine for a late hit on Mangold is the only other thing that is justifiable unless they start adding a lot of Patriots to the list of those to be punished.  For crying out loud, before the second wave of Jets rushed in at the end, it was somewhere around 15 on 3, and yet the 3 Jets are the only guilty parties?  Yeah, ok.

 

These are the same refs who absolutely botched the san fran green bay game the other day when they handed the niners an extra third down. I mean sweet jesus, you give a team an extra down? If that was the replacement refs who made that call, it'd be the only thing the sports world would be talking about this past week. I'm with ya, I didn't mind the replacement refs; the were horrendous, but they were horrendously equal.

[peebag]

And not one of their clowns? F the pats. F the league. F Belicheck. F Gillette. F all those chowderhead scumbags.

 

What's your point, man?

[Lego My Lageman]

There was a Pats player who threw a punch too sooo

[Integrity28]

These are the same refs who absolutely botched the san fran green bay game the other day when they handed the niners an extra third down. I mean sweet jesus, you give a team an extra down? If that was the replacement refs who made that call, it'd be the only thing the sports world would be talking about this past week. I'm with ya, I didn't mind the replacement refs; the were horrendous, but they were horrendously equal.

 

 

Really?

 

How did the SF vs. GB game end up for Vegas? When they reversed the Edelman fumble it reeked like then giving Brady the ball back to give them another shot at beating the huge spread. There's NO WAY that wasn't a fumble - amazing that they reversed both the Gates and Kenbrell TDs, but the reversed the Edelman fumble - which was actually the easiest of the 3 calls to get right. LOL

[BroadwayJoe12]

Really?

 

How did the SF vs. GB game end up for Vegas? When they reversed the Edelman fumble it reeked like then giving Brady the ball back to give them another shot at beating the huge spread. There's NO WAY that wasn't a fumble - amazing that they reversed both the Gates and Kenbrell TDs, but the reversed the Edelman fumble - which was actually the easiest of the 3 calls to get right. LOL

 

 

I won't sit here and act like I knew they blew the call, but for a group of people who are paid to make that call completely botch it is ridiculous. What's even crazier is that the entire Packers' team didn't realize it. The niners were given a 3rd and 6 instead of 4th and 2 and Kaep ended up connecting with Boldin for a TD. Of course the league came out later and said Staley shouldn't have been penalized anyways, the niners should have been given 1st and 10 and brushed it off as a wash, but it reeks of the league trying to sweep it under the rug.

[kay_gee]

Jets were brawling with themselves, didn't you know? Brick threw that punch at his teammates.

[Il Mostro]

I think the ref started it -- 'effin troublemaker.

[Greenseed4]

"You take one shot at us, we'll eject two of yours"...  -Ref Ryan   

[SenorGato]

Bleacher Report?

 

Jeebus...the sh*t given the time of day because of the internet. 

[pointman]

What's your point, man?

Seems pretty obvious.

[PatriotReign37]

And not one of their clowns? F the pats. F the league. F Belicheck. F Gillette. F all those chowderhead scumbags.

 

 And F that cheapshot beech Mangold.

[jorge o8]

with this said  you guys see Ducasse he held his own against their D. is there hope for him????

[BroadwayJoe12]

 And F that cheapshot beech Mangold.

 

Oh get off your high horse; you were the first person here defending Wilfork after he kicked the bills guy in his back after the fg attempt and then after he sprained Losman's MCL when he dove at his knee with his elbow and that's just to name a few of his dirty plays.  Mangold has no history of being dirty, like Wilfork, so there's nothing to think it's anything more than an unathletic center trying to tackle a cb.  Get out of here with that toll nonsense.

[faba]

Crying Brady and crying Bellicheck- give them both a tissue will ya.

[Larz]

 And F that cheapshot beech Mangold.

 

 

really dude ?

 

harrison

wilfat

 

the scumbag pats* wrote the book on cheap shots

 

how is that vikings thread going coward ?

[pointman]

 And F that cheapshot beech Mangold.

If that poosay from the Pats didn't try to pirouette, he wouldn't have gotten hit. Like the bitch he is, he should have stepped out faster.

[sourceworx]

These are the same refs who absolutely botched the san fran green bay game the other day when they handed the niners an extra third down. I mean sweet jesus, you give a team an extra down? If that was the replacement refs who made that call, it'd be the only thing the sports world would be talking about this past week. I'm with ya, I didn't mind the replacement refs; the were horrendous, but they were horrendously equal.

The NFL is more fake than WWE these days. For all the flak that MLB and the NBA get, Goodell's NFL deserves far worse.

[RSJ]

I wonder what would of happened if Goodson played last night.

 

On a serious note: What an undisciplined, foolish thing to do. You lost the game, go beat up your head coach for not adjusting and covering Eldelman. Go beat up your rookie CB who couldnt cover anyone last night. They deserve to be suspended.

[CobraVerde]

Prepare yourselves, they will be suspended for sure. there is no doubt. My concern is more the number of games...