The league is so polite and dainty now, the commissioner's office felt the need to "investigate" allegations that Washington players spit on Eagles center Mike McGlynn and taunted DeSean Jackson about knocking him out with another concussion. It was like an episode of CSI: Landover.
In this atmosphere, the New York Giants' defense has managed to knock five quarterbacks out in the first nine games of this otherwise genteel season. Sunday night, that defense will be lined up across from a man who just delivered one of the most dominating performances by any quarterback in league history. Michael Vick vs. the No. 1 defense, statistically and in sheer nastiness, in prime time?
The guys writing the scripts for Roger Goodell will have a tough time topping this one.
It is tempting to suggest that the Giants won't play with the same apparent lack of enthusiasm or passion as Washington did Monday night. If you've seen the widely circulated video clip of defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth lying facedown, visibly unmotivated to pursue Vick anymore, you know what we're talking about.
"To you it looked like we played with ease," Vick said in response to a reporter's question last week. "But this game is tough. Nothing comes easy. It's not going to be easy against New York. It wasn't easy against Washington. It may have looked easy, but it wasn't."
What's missing is the role Vick and the rest of the Eagles' offense played in draining that enthusiasm and passion from their opponents. Just a few minutes after boisterous players started shoving and trash-talking during warm-ups, Vick fired that rocket for an 88-yard touchdown to Jackson. Then the touchdowns just kept coming.
"I couldn't wait for the game to be over," Haynesworth acknowledged afterward.
