I usually rail on cheap shots and 15 yard penalties and fines and all...

... but I saw a call on Twitter today that indicates one of the reasons that I think there are way too many variables to make any degree of pre-season predictions this year.  I laid off making ANY futures bets (though I have a ton of information I will go through in the next 2-3 weeks for you) on the 2018 NFL season while I was in Las Vegas.

One example of a reason why:  THIS was called "Roughing the Passer"...

Roughing the passer!! Welcome to 2018. pic.twitter.com/oIIrVplQAO

— Will Brinson (@WillBrinson) August 18, 2018

No.  Not only that, but the helmet was completely outside the body frame.  The quarterback had the ball -- the hit was not late.

The only thing I could even CONSIDER is if the Viking player drove his arm up into the QB's face, but that's even a large stretch!!!

According to CBS, this is the new "Aaron Rodgers Rule" -- hearkening back to the play which injured Rodgers (against the Vikings) last year.

Basically, you can't drive him into the ground.  You can't slam him unnecessarily in any manner.  (But hasn't that always been a penalty???

So back to the hit, with that knowledge.

No.  To me, you'd have to apply the same standard as the helmet rule (at least the ejection portion)  -- the defensive player would have to have another option.  That was a textbook sack, and he had to at least take him to the ground to complete the legal hit.

Sorry, NFL.  But keep an eye on this one too.

You already have a number of people talking in terms of "Bet The Over!!!" big for Week 1.

And the Packers and Steelers have already had an 85-point preseason game this year.  Had 19 penalties, six gave the other team a first down.