Predictions Sure To Go Wrong, Part II: Looking Back

So let's see how bad I barfed it up for the season predictions I made in August:

I did the predictions in three parts:

Part I:  2011-12 Cannon Fodder

Indianapolis:  Predicted:  6-10  Went:  11-5.

Andrew Luck, Andrew Luck, and The Great White Hope, Andrew Luck.

If there is any indication that the 2011-12 Colts may have well INTENTIONALLY Sucked For Luck, here you have it.  One has to wonder if this means an NFL Draft Lottery is coming in two years for Mr. Johnny Football, especially if he gets another Heisman and a National Championship along the way.

The fact that the sympathy vote for Coach was also evident cannot be overlooked.

St. Louis:  Predicted:  2-14  Went:  7-8-1

*BUZZER*  Though, will the real St. Louis Rams please stand up!!  Some weeks, they did look like they'd suck that badly.  Others (the win and tie over the 49ers, as an example!), quite the opposite!

Minnesota:  Predicted:  3-13

I'll save the bother.  *BIG BUZZER!!!*  (10-6 and in the playoffs)

*losing horns*

Adrian Peterson finally came into his own as THE elite running-back in the NFL, like everybody thought he was going to be at Oklahoma.  Christian Ponder did enough not to lose, and the defense came up with enough pressure to at least give the Wild Card weekend one compelling storyline going in, other than the rookie quarterbacks in Indianapolis, Seattle, and Washington!

Cleveland:  Predicted:  2-14  Went:  5-11

I think, more, that was probably a testament to the fact that parity in the NFL really took a hold this year.  Only 2 teams went 2-14, only 3 more went 4-12.  That means 27 teams did 5-11 or better.

Not much else need be said here.

Tampa Bay:  Predicted:  4-12  Went:  7-9

Sounds like a pattern here, doesn't it?  At least give some of the cannon fodder some real hope going forward...  Most surprising of the wins was probably the one at Minnesota!

Washington:  Predicted:  6-10  Went:  10-6 and won the NFC East.

Another huge-push rookie QB, another playoff team out of nowhere.

Jacksonville:  Predicted:  4-12  Went:  2-14 and got the #2 Draft Pick

Franchise is in all sorts of trouble, and I'd have to think, if San Diego doesn't get to LA first, Jacksonville is probably the 2nd or 3rd (Oakland) AFC team in line.

Miami:  Predicted:  6-10  Went:  7-9

4-3 to start after they beat the Jets in New York.  (Of course, who didn't do that this year?)

Carolina:  Predicted:  9-7 with league help.  Went:  7-9.

Didn't get as much league help as I thought, but they probably needed more than a bit of help this year to get the seven wins they got.

Cam Newton is still a marketing beast, but it may come down as to whether RG3 supplants him as the True Great Black Hope of Quarterbacks.  If so, look for Carolina to fade, and fast!!!

Buffalo:  Predicted:  6-10  Went:  6-10

Hey, a clean hit!  Went about as expected too...

Part II:  The Middle Ground from Last Season

Kansas City:  Predicted:  7-9.  Went:  2-14 and the #1 Draft Pick.

Ouch.  You want to talk about a team which could be relied to quit at about every turn?  Take your pick between Jacksonville and Kansas City.

Went 0-14 in the AFC this year.  Their only two wins were New Orleans when the league was depushing them hard, and Carolina.

Seattle:  Predicted:  6-10.  Went:  11-5

One win can be taken back from that, but it's clear that, in this "Year of the Fan" (TM Bud Light), the "12th Man" and their unholy obsession with football in Seahag Country had a lot to do with this one.  8-0 at home, 3-5 on the road.

Arizona:  Predicted:  7-9  Went:  5-11

Someone had to lose those wins Seattle and St. Louis took.  Another ho-hum year in Arizona, another waiting for Spring Training and the Cactus League.

Dallas:  Predicted:  7-9 Went:  8-8

Change the coach and quarterback all you want, but this is Jerry's Team in Jerry's Palace.  Until that changes...

Philly:  Predicted:  8-8  Went:  4-12

Andy Reid finally got worn out, Michael Vick is probably gone too, and good riddance to them both.  I truly still believe that there are many in the Eagle organization who were willing not to play to aid Dog-Killer in winning a Super Bowl the NFL would've gladly gift-wrapped for him.

Jets:  Predicted:  10-6  Went:  6-10

They never let Tebow start.  That said the entire story right there.  How Rex Ryan is still going to have a job there is a mystery to me.  This team is probably going double-digit losses again next year.

Oakland:  Predicted:  6-10  Went:  4-12

They have to change their culture, or change their location.  Until one, the other, or both occurs, the Raiders aren't an NFL franchise, with or without Al Davis.

San Diego:  Predicted:  8-8  Went:  7-9

And a team that made more key mistakes than any 8-8-ish team out there!  They're already talking that any coach selected to replace Norv Turner is probably with LA in mind!

Chicago:  Predicted:  10-6  Went:  10-6!!

But not only was that 10-6 not enough to win the North, it actually left them out of the playoffs, and, as a direct result, see ya to Lovie Smith.  It's clear it's Playoffs or Bust in the NFL these days.

That said, never saw Minnesota coming, nor the Cedric Benson injury.

Tennessee:  Predicted:  8-8  Went:  6-10

A bit worse of a muddle than I thought -- didn't think Andrew Luck was going to get pushed That Hard in Year One.

Part III:  The Relevant Teams from 2011-12.

Cincinnati:  Predicted:  7-9  Went:  10-6 and to the playoffs.

What possibly could they bring to the table?  Enough to be relevant in January...

Atlanta:  Predicted:  11-5  Went:  13-3 and won the #1 seed two games clear.

I wanted to go higher, but thought the schedule would hold them to 11.  Now, can they do what previous Atlanta teams (sans 98-99) have not, and turn that seed into a Super Bowl berth?

Until I hear otherwise, I say no.

Note that parity worked this way too:  Only 4 teams finished 12-4 or 13-3, and no one better.

Detroit:  Predicted:  10-6  Went:  4-12

One of my biggest misses of the year.  Even with the record-breaking (and Curse-avoiding) year for Megatron, they did nothing.  Complete lack of discipline at all levels of the game, and one has to wonder when someone is going to do the right thing and clean both roster AND coach...

Pittsburgh:  Predicted:  10-6  Went:  8-8

Injuries and lack of discipline, again.  Probably the start of a concerted de-push in the Steel City.

Denver:  Since Manning did (SHOCKINGLY) play the whole year, I predicted 11-5.  (Said 5-11 if he couldn't play at all.)

They went 13-3 and got the AFC #1 seed.

Not surprising, if you knew beforehand that Peyton Manning would play the whole year.

Houston:  Predicted:  10-6  Went:  12-4

And didn't really beat anybody to those 12 wins, except the Week 15 win in Houston over Indianapolis and the week 3 win over Denver!

Still, not sold on these guys.  Just not sold on them at all.  Lost 3 of their last 4.

New Orleans:  Predicted:  6-10  Went:  7-9

And it took a lot of the heat against the NFL vis-a-vis Bountygate to get them that!

Green Bay:  Predicted:  10-6  Went:  11-5

You could add one, and a first-round bye, for the Fail Mary, but the biggest key, to me, was the Cedric Benson IR after the Week 5 loss, which took them to 2-3.  They won 9 of 11.

Baltimore:  Predicted:  12-4  Went:  10-6

Enough to win the division, but an injury to Ray Lewis, which has prompted his retirement today, spoke volumes.

San Francisco:  Predicted:  13-3  Went:  11-4-1 and the #2 NFC seed.

Still, though, the team is capable of so much more, as it showed in New England late in the season.

But with controversies at both QB and kicker, I see them slamming into a wall here.

Giants:  Predicted:  12-4  Went:  9-7 and OUT, the sixth year in a row the defending champs do not win a playoff game.

They've got serious problems in New York, both teams.

New England:  Predicted them to run the table, they did not.  They went 12-4.

Outside the San Fran loss, which should've been far worse...  31-3 to 31-31 inside a quarter, and you don't want me to think that wasn't a tribute?

But outside of that, 3 losses by 4 points.By 2 at home to Arizona (HOW?), by one at Baltimore (with the dodgy field goal), and by one at Seattle (need I say more)...

Predictions Sure To Go Wrong, Part I: Looking Forward

OK, I'm going to be out of town on Friday through Sunday -- might end up with a late Final Fine Blotter.

Anyhow, some predictions as to where I see the playoffs going:

I see the playoffs basically revolving around three storylines:

The Fail Mary
Andrew Luck and Peyton Manning
Peyton Manning and Tom Brady.

So let's start in the NFC, because I think most of these are effectively forced, if my idea is correct:

(And if it's wrong, it gets left up here and I scratch my head, as can happen from time to time!!)

Basically, the only way that Seattle and Green Bay can have The Rematch of the Fail Mary is in the NFC Championship, in Green Bay.

This basically forces all other results:

Wild Card:  Seattle and Green Bay win.

Divisional:  Seattle and Green Bay win.  This is becoming less and less in-feasible, when you take a look at things.

Atlanta, to me, is a classic "Show-Me" team -- a "Missouri", if you will.  They've gone down this road several times before, and have only reached the Super Bowl once (when the Vikings promptly choked what was probably their best chance to ever end their Super Bowl futility in 1998-99).  The thing is, this Falcon franchise has done a lot in the regular season and almost nothing in the playoffs.  I can easily see a Seattle team "shock the world" and go into Atlanta and unseat the #1 seed there.

Again.

The last team to do it:  Green Bay.  When they won the Super Bowl over Pittsburgh.

Speaking of...

Now you've got not only a quarterback controversy in San Francisco, you now have a possible change in KICKER in San Francisco, entering the playoffs!  And look at the stats on the two QB's in San Francisco and tell me, other than something fishy, why in the Hell are they about to dump Alex Smith...

Is it buyer's remorse from not taking the QB everybody thought you were going to take, and he fell all the way to...  Green Bay???

If this were legitimate, San Francisco could book their Super Bowl tickets now.  They are, and not close, the best team in the NFC.

They won't even get out of the divisional round.  And the moment that game ends (caveat:  If the Seattle win occurs first...), let the hype begin.

As for that game, I truly do not know yet.  This could really come down to "HOW MUCH WOULD YOU GIVE FOR A SUPER BOWL TITLE???"  In past years, I don't think this would be a question -- but witnessing first-hand what some demented individuals (and not all in Seattle) in the "12th Man" are willing to do to people, could I see the NFL giving at least an NFC title, if not a Super Bowl, to a fanbase willing to almost-literally human sacrifice everything at the Altar of the Holy NFL Shield?

You bet I can, but I don't know what they're going to do -- it could be like last year's Super Bowl.  Get the ball in the air at the gun with the game on the line (again!!!), and the result may not matter so much!

AFC: 

Wild Cards:  Indianapolis and Houston win, for if Cincinnati wins, then they face Denver and Indianapolis cannot.

Divisionals:  New England wins.

Denver beats Indianapolis, but Luck is quite serviceable in the loss.  At the end of the game, the cameras swarm Colt Quarterback Past and Present/Future, and a moment is shared which is seen as the Passing of the Torch, that Peyton has blessed the new Quarterback of the Colts.

AFC Title:  Depends on if patriotism becomes the forefront again.  If not, I see Denver taking it and getting Peyton (who I believe will best AP for the MVP) to the Super Bowl.

Super Bowl:  Denver wins if it's against Green Bay -- not sure on the other matchup, because of "WHAT WOULD YOU GIVE FOR A SUPER BOWL TITLE?"

I think the one thing that would shock me the most is if Green Bay won the Super Bowl this year, barring some significant events taking place in the playoffs.

2012 in Super Fraud, a year of farce in review

So we finally have achieved the end of this God-forsaken year (Good Riddance!!!), and what have we found?

• January

* Tebow Time in full effect, until the Patriots are given the script to end it and make the Super Bowl.
* Possible shenanigans to keep the 49ers from facing them.
* A 2011 football riot in Georgia leads to exactly zero indictments, since the incident occurred in the jurisdiction of the team which locked the other team out of their locker room (after getting their asses kicked on the field) and almost killed their coach.

• February

* Giants win a Super Bowl marred with questionable play (and decision-making afterward, according to Tom Brady's wife) by New England wide-receivers.
* The NFL gets what it really wanted, a game with the ball in the air at the gun to decide it.
* Brian Tuohy begins to reveal some of the FBI files he was able to obtain on sporting events going back decades, in a lead-up to his 2013 book Larceny Games.

• March

* Bounty-Gate explodes, as the Saints are revealed to have a standing bounty program the year they won the Super Bowl, eventually leading to the fading of Brett Favre, Kurt Warner, and (so we thought!) Peyton Manning.  Penalties announced later in the month -- were a joke in the first place and most of them were rejected by Paul Tagliabue in a decision which basically says the players are complete serfs to their coaches on the field.  (*snork*)
* Syracuse's basketball program, and Jim Boeheim, continued to be protected from any real consequences, as rumors of rampant drug use in the program go nowhere, as did a sexual incident on tape that even ESPN stonewalled a few months before!
* The first week of the NCAA tournament sees unthinkable comebacks (BYU goes down 25 to Iona with El Presidente Brackets watching, wins by six) and even more unthinkable officiating (North Carolina-Asheville openly screwed against Syracuse, Ohio University screwed against North Carolina.)

• April

* The NHL and NBA playoffs spiral out of control, Metta World Peace getting another toss for a flagrant elbow, and the NHL's entire first round or two falling victim to fighting and dirty hits all over the place.
* The NCAA's new darling school, Baylor, gets a 4-year investigation revealed against it by the NCAA.

• May

* In another black eye for boxing, Floyd "Money" Mayerweather is allowed to fight Miguel Cotto, despite the laws of the state of Nevada effectively requiring the Nevada State Athletic Commission to review to revoke Mayerweather's license to fight for his domestic violence conviction, for which he served jail time after the Cotto fight? Why?  Anyone on the road that weekend to Vegas could've told you, as could the record $32,000,000 guarantee Mayerweather got for the fight!
* Junior Seau dies, and a pattern of criminality consistent with too many football blows to the head surfaces.
* An interesting series of events on the final Sunday of the English Premier League season leads to a bizarre sending-off of malcontent Joey Barton (for which he has been shipped out of English soccer completely!) and a late double to give Manchester City an unthinkable (ha ha) Hollywood ending, and a Premier League title.

• June

* In probably the Rig Job of the Year, Manny Pacquiao is "defeated" by Timothy Bradley, noted to take place in the same building in which Mayerweather was "Home" against Cotto a month beforehand.  Pacquiao appeared to win many of the rounds through control of the ring, but the judges came back with bizarre totals, with two judges giving the fight to Bradley by seven rounds to five!  A WBO panel of judges puts the result at more to what I thought it was:  Pacquiao by the same margin, if not further.
* Racism and hooliganism mar the Euro 2012 soccer championships, almost across the board, as the BBC predicted weeks beforehand.
* A testy exchange between NBA Mafia Don David Stern and Jim Rome surfaces, just before Stern gets his wish, a title for the talents taken down to South Beach.  As the year would go on, the Lakers would also assemble a super-team (but with, to this point, much lesser results!).

• July

* Austin Dillon, in the old-school Dale Sr. colors of the #3, fails a pair of inspections within a week on the Nationwide Series.  This probably had a serious hand in him only finishing third in the season series, 24 points behind Ricky Stenhouse, Jr.
* The Penn State situation goes before the NCAA after Louis Freeh details, in a report to the public, a systematic culture of allowance of pedophilia, child rape, and coverups of same at the University.  The NCAA mulls what penalties it can impose.  The NCAA (farcically) attempts to impose penalties worse than the simple removal of the team from the field, in an effort President Mark Emmert calls an effort to change the culture at the university.  It fails uncategorically.  Penn State had the second-best football team in the Big Ten (ironically, the best team in the conference was also ineligible this year (Ohio State)), and then word comes out that a party with inside access to the negotiations which changed the original penalties (which would've been a four-year death penalty) to what they became was none other than The Owners of College Football themselves, ESPN.

• The 2012 Summer Olympics

* An athlete was banned from the Games for betting on a pre-Olympic event he was participating in.
* The efforts to bring social media into the Games lead to the disqualifications of multiple athletes, and a controversy among the US track team (and others) about the promotion of non-Olympic-authorized sponsors.
* Ryan Lochte is more interested in his custom diamond-encrusted tooth grill than actually shutting up and winning gold medals.
* Officiating incidents abounded in the tournament.
* The American professionals in the basketball competition roll up the score mercilessly on Nigeria, winning a game by 83 points.
* Badminton competition implodes when two Chinese teams are part of a match-fixing scandal which eventually fells four teams from the competition.
* Boxing is a complete farce, and I'm not talking the shutout of the US men.  A scandal showing medals-for-cash plans explodes when bizarre decisions appear to indicate that the boxing federation was fully intent on rigging the entire tournament in London.
* The hosts, in one of their premier events, concoct a plan to intentionally crash their cycling bike to force a restart if the start did not go to Great Britain's liking.

• August

*A bizarre plot to kidnap the mother of Hall of Fame baseball player Cal Ripken Jr. surfaces.  Ripken Jr. _was_ an honorary member of Second Mile, Jerry Sandusky front company for pedophilia.
* Buried in the Olympic coverage was a controversy surrounding George Will and an article he wrote about the dangers of football and why no one was interested in seeing them dealt with.
* The state of New Jersey is in court with the major sports leagues over wishing to open sportsbooks legally in their own state.
* A boy in Texas is disqualified from a Pee-Wee football league for being more than twice the 135-pound weight limit for the league.  The mom doesn't like it.
* Lance Armstrong stripped of his seven Tour de Farce ...  err, France... titles.
* A Notre Dame announcer is suspended for comments which indicate he'd like to see more criminals and thugs under the Golden Dome.

• September

* One constant of the 2012 NFL season:  The NFL bettors get fleeced.  Vegas appears to win many games under the replacement referees.
* A close second to Pacquiao-Bradley for Rig Job of the Year, and one which will impact who plays in the Super Bowl:  The Call.  The Fail Mary by the Seattle Seahags against the Green Bay Packers which sent a stadium into hysterics, with the announcers calling an immediate touchdown on the final play of the game, giving the Hags the victory over the Packers.  This, ignoring three facts:  The receiver shoves a Packer defender to the ground openly while the ball is in the air, the officials can't make up their mind on joint possession (or anything else), and anyone who saw the replay knows the situation was NOT joint possession.  No matter:  Controversy creates cash, and the real refs are brought back within 72 hours.  As a result of that call, the San Francisco 49ers get the #2 seed in the NFC.
* You want your team to win in the NFL in 2012?  Hope for a tragedy in the team.  Wins of this ilk benefitted the Ravens, Colts, Cowboys, and Chiefs, at barest of minimum.

• October

* Controversies abound in the Wild Card Game in baseball in the National League, leading to the Saint Louis Cardinals advancing after two questionable calls send Atlanta home.
* A 45 year-old Utah youth football coach decides he's man enough to KO a 13 year-old opponent on the sideline.
* A lawsuit by a Saints fan against the NFL contends that the league has an obligation to allow the "finest players and coaches" to be on the Saints.
* A massive gambling sting in Florida blows the doors off of massive drug, gang, and gambling cultures surrounding youth football in the state -- as ESPN (and this blog) reported a year and a half beforehand.

• November

* Notre Dame is gift-wrapped it's second victory by the refereeing this year, leading to ESPN's Dream Match for the BCS National Championship vs. Alabama.  Pittsburgh is openly denied a win it won on the field with several questionable calls, including an ignored penalty on a missed field goal in overtime which would've given Pittsburgh a first down and effectively certain victory.
* Jeff Gordon wrecks Clint Bowyer out of the Sprint Cup championship, and a fight ensues.  No one is banned.  "Have at it boys!", until someone dies...
* Jeffrey Loria is trying to kill Major League Baseball in yet another city.  It's not enough he killed it in Montreal, now Miami is about to become effectively a minor-league farm team for the rest of the major leagues.
* Ed Reed, in a disturbing precedent which has led to many more incidents since the reversal (including another by Reed himself!) is spared a suspension when an arbitrator reverses a suspension against the Baltimore Ravens' thug.
* Speaking of thugs, Ndokamung Suh of the Lions was at it again THIS Thanksgiving!
* A Division III player scores 138 points in a game, and the entire mechanism of basketball at that university is fairly quickly exposed as an over-produced sham.
* An NFL player claims that one of the performance-enhancing drugs in the NFL is...  erectile-dysfunction drugs, to increase bloodflow during games.
* David Stern throws a fit when Greg Popavich sends most of the starters home for the San Antonio Spurs against the Miami Heat.  Never mind the length of the road trip or the schedule -- this game was on NATIONAL TELEVISION!!!  Roar!!

• December

* In addition to a great many continuances of previous bullet points, an ESPN reporter is suspended for a month for saying that the league's new Great Black Hope, Robert Griffin III, isn't black enough for the ghetto, inner-city culture the league is attempting to promote.

Any idea why I'm glad this year is over???

End of the Season Score Update

So we put a bow on a very confusing regular season where the Fail Mary has impacted, almost certainly, who's going to the Super Bowl (more on that in another post), but here's the final scoring update for the 2012 NFL season.

The final week averaged just over 46 points a game (46.0625), a point and a half below last year and the third-highest since 2001 (2009 was highest).

But another record-breaking year for the NFL (har har), as the average NFL game this year was 45.5 points this year (45.512), a point and a half (almost) above last year's record average.

The average margin of victory was about the same as last year, a tick over 12 points.

I present to you a rigged Week 17 result...

Why?

Because FOX Television tipped off the result of the Minnesota-Green Bay game two plays before Minnesota won it with a game-ending field goal, 37-34.

I was going to avoid the game, but, when I was out doing some screwing around, I saw the game on the outdoor screens at a restaurant.

Here's the situation:

34-34, inside of 40 seconds left.

Ball is at the Green Bay 38, 1st and 10 to Minnesota, who called their first time out.

FOX then does a Wild Card Weekend promo, a promo with the following four players:

Adrian Peterson
Aaron Rodgers
Tony Romo
Marshawn Lynch

Do I need go further?  Peterson, on the NEXT PLAY, busts it for 25, is carried off the field (9 yards short of the record!), field goal wins it, Packers-Vikings in Lambeau next week for the Wild Card.

(For the record, here's the problem:  Unless Minnesota beats Green Bay, neither Peterson (eliminated) nor Rodgers (Packers get the first-round bye) play Wild Card Weekend.  Romo is playing as I type.  As of posting, it's 7-7 with Washington, and Romo has two picks.)

Not convinced?  Let's back up a couple first downs...

Third and 11, inside the Minnesota 20 for the Vikings.

Christian Ponder goes back to pass.  Packers rush three and drop eight, which I already know is not going to end well.

Then, somehow, a Viking receiver breaks free to about midfield, with about a seven-yard cushion on EVERYBODY around him.  Catch, two feet, first down.

Tell me again the games aren't rigged -- I need a good laugh...

Week 16 Fine Blotter, Part Two: The Rest of the Rogues

• Carolina Panthers:  Cam Newton is actually a TWO-TIME LOSER for his conduct against the Raiders.  In addition to the $21,000 he got against the officiating, he got ANOTHER $10,000 for kicking Raider DT Tommy Kelly.
• Carolina Panthers Fine #3:  Greg Hardy got $25,000 for ending Carson Palmer's season with a dirty shot to the head!  This makes Hardy a TWO-TIME LOSER.
• Carolina Panthers Fine #4!:  Charles Godfrey:  $21,000 for another of those defenseless fouls.  That make Godfrey a THREE-TIME LOSER.  All three players fined by the league for the Panthers this week are multiple-offenders.
• New England Patriots:  Vince Wilfork:  $30,000 for forearming Steve Vallos of the Jaguars in the head.
• Houston Texans:  Kareem Jackson:  $21,000 for a head/neck-shot on Jarius Wright of the Vikings.
• Houston Texans #2:  Daniael Manning: $10,000 for a face mask.  This makes Manning a TWO-TIME LOSER.
• Minnesota Vikings:  Matt Kalil:  $10,000 for a late hit in the same game.  And, yep, you guessed it!  TWO-TIME LOSER.
• Baltimore Ravens:  Michael Oher:  $10,000 for a chop block.
• San Francisco 49ers:  Anthony Davis:  $10,000 for a late hit on Seahag Jeremy Lape.
• Tennessee Titans:  Sen'Derrick Marks:  $7,875 for a face mask against the Packers.

11 players, $229,875 in fines, and SIX multiple-offenders.

That puts the charity total over three million:  $3,063,250

Week 16 Fine Blotter Part One: Two big names, and they BOTH should be suspended!

If you want any idea as to why the Personal Conduct and Player Safety Initiatives are a fucking joke in the NFL, please explain to me why either of these two high-profile NFL players are playing this week...

According to an anonymous source:

• Baltimore Ravens:  Ed Reed has added yet another to his list.  This is now a THREE-TIME LOSER, just five weeks after narrowly dodging a suspension.  This fine is $55,000 for another of those defenseless hits in the head and neck, this one on Victor Cruz of the Giants.
• Carolina Panthers:  Cam Newton.  Yes, CAM NEWTON.  $21,000 for bumping the referee and abusing the official in the game against Oakland.  Not only is he not suspended, he wasn't even tossed -- the ref, reportedly, saying that the bump was not malicious.