The Patriots Love to Cheat and Gregg Easterbrook Loves to be Dumb.

Gregg Easterbrook, ESPN.com's "Tuesday Morning Quarterback" is an absolute buffoon. I still enjoy his column because it is good for a few laughs. Today's doozies:

1. Easterbrook assails those who blame the Saints slow start on their schedule, which is true because it is early, but then goes on to say that the NFL schedule is even for all. I guess Gregg doesn't have time to read One Game Out or he would find out that his theory has been definitively debunked. To say the AFC East which plays the much stronger NFC East and the entire AFC North has an even schedule with the NFC South which plays the putrid NFC West and AFC West is idiotic. I would not be surprised at all if the Texans, Titans, Jags, and obviously Colts finish with winning records with their schedules.
2. Easterbrook also believes that Charlie Weiss, Eric Mangini, and Romeo Crennel are "struggling" because they can no longer cheat. Is he serious??? Mangini was just in the playoffs, Weiss was a big part in rescuing Notre Dame from irrelevancy, and Crennel...well Crennel coaches the Browns.
3. Easterbrook also claims the NFL orchestrated a mass cover-up to prevent the discovery of the Patriots cheating in the Super Bowl. I will spare you the details because they are inane, and focus on cheating by the Patriots that is even more diabolical: ROUGHING THE PASSER!

The NFL Rule Book states, under "Protection of the Passer" [4]: "No defensive player who has an unrestricted path to the quarterback may hit him flagrantly in the area of the knee(s) or below when approaching in any direction.

However, that is exactly what Vince Wilfork did, spraining Losman's knee, and knocking him out two weeks. Bottom line, it was a dirty play. Whatever fine the NFL gives him won't be enough. Just like when Kimo von Oelhoffen ended the Bengals season, and was given a fine, but allowed to play in every game of the Steelers improbable Super Bowl XL run these idiot defensive linemen need to be suspended before they will stop being idiots. This isn't dirty Vince's first time either. I am a big proponent of defensive lineman rights too, but there is no excuse for going after a player's knees.

Other Points:

* Tony Kornheiser must read "One Game Out" because discussed the crazy NFC South division winner pattern. The Bucs and Saints are doing their best to keep the streak alive.

* I am impressed Shaun Alexander broke his wrist and is still playing. He has not gone soft despite the big contract after the Super Bowl.

* The Ravens have been outscored 35-16 in the fourth quarter of their three games so far. This could be a sign the defense is finally getting a little long in the tooth.

* Kurt Warner playing in the two minute drill over Matt Leinhart, though a blow to Matty's confidence, makes perfect sense. When Warner is not rushed at all, like during a typical two minute drill, or when playing for Orlando Pace and the Rams, or when playing Arena Football he can be extremely effective.