---The NFL will surely look into the Mike Smith-DeAngelo Hall sideline fracas during the Falcons-Redskins game. After a late hit by LaRon Landry on Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan on the Atlanta sideline, some sideline pushing and shoving commenced. Hall, helping his teammate, got into the middle of it. Somehow, Smith did as well. Smith was trying to keep Hall from getting into it with his players and arm-barred him, while yelling at him to back off. Hall hit Smith's arm off of him, and it looked like Smith might have thrown an elbow, but he said he did not. Hall said Smith threatened to kick his ass. Smith is as mild-mannered a coach as there is, but he does get worked up at times on the sideline, which I like. His players love his passion and they had to love him taking up for them on the sidelines. He'll get a small fine, but it will prove to be worth it. The league didn't do a thing when Mike Singletary offered to fight Falcons guard Harvey Dahl a few weeks ago during a game, so nothing should happen here. Hall will cry victim, but the reality is it's not that big a deal.
---Playing not to lose rather than to win is a pet peeve of mine. The Giants lived it Sunday. After New York's Terrell Thomas returned an interception to the San Diego 4 with 3:14 left in the game and the Giants leading 17-14, they had a chance to lock up the game. But after a holding call on first down moved the ball back to the 14, the Giants threw a short pass and then ran it twice and settled for a field goal. Why not take a shot and try and win the game right there? As it turned out, the Chargers drove to the winning score and win 21-20. A touchdown would have meant they had little chance to win it. The Giants made a major mistake playing it conservatively there.
---The Cleveland Browns are now talking about adding a football guru. Does that mean Eric Mangini isn't it? Randy Lerner is on the hook for $40 million or so from the departed coaching staff and front office and would owe Mangini $35 million if he were to fire him. That's a lot of money. Then again, he allowed Mangini to spend $10 million or so to renovate the team's facility. How's that working? The Browns are said to be eying Ron Wolf, Ernie Accorsi or Mike Holmgren. How about somebody a little younger? Here are a few names: Cardinals Director of Player Personnel Steve Keim, Ravens Director of Scouting Eric DeCosta and Jaguars Director of Pro Personnel Terry McDonough. Those three know football. Hiring a guy like that would be a good change.
---Why did the Dallas Cowboys run the Wildcat offense against the Eagles? Didn't Tony Romo come into the game hotter than the asphalt in Phoenix on a summer day? So they take the ball out of his hands? That's just dumb. Romo won the game with his big play to Miles Austin in the fourth quarter. Don't take the ball out of his hands. Ever.
---Chicago Bears defensive tackle Tommie Harris should be ashamed for his punch that led to his ejection Sunday. He has apologized, but Harris should know better. He wasn't there for his teammates, which makes it a selfish act. The word inside the Bears is that Harris is an odd sort who isn't as dedicated as he should be -- or at least he hasn't been.
There were scouts who thought he'd be that way coming out of Oklahoma. One thing's for sure: He isn't the same player he was a few years ago.
---Is the heat on Giants first-year defensive coordinator Bill Sheridan? It is now. The Giants have had injuries on that side of the ball, but they just don't look the same. Where's the pass rush? Losing safety Kenny Phillips to injury was a real hit. They benched C.C. (Can't Cover) Brown this week in favor of Aaron Rouse, but he isn't Phillips either.
---The Baltimore receivers can't win in single coverage. I saw that last week against Denver live, and I again watched it Sunday against the Bengals. Derrick Mason and Mark Clayton aren't good enough to win consistently. The Ravens need to get Joe Flacco a top-notch receiver. Bengals corners Jonathan Joseph and Leon Hall, who I've been touting all season, did a nice job in coverage against the Ravens.
---It's too bad Bengals receiver Chris Henry is out for the season with a broken forearm. He seems to have turned his life around. His deep speed will be missed, even if he hasn't been putting up huge numbers.
---The Carolina Panthers trailed by 10 with 20 seconds left and faced a fourth down at the New Orleans' 2. The Panthers should have kicked a field goal to make it a touchdown game and then tried an onsides kick and hoped for a recovery and touchdown. But John Fox went for it and when Jake Delhomme's pass was incomplete, the game was over. Bad move. It might not have mattered, but you have to play the percentages.
---I liked what I saw from Josh Freeman Sunday. The Bucs have their quarterback.
