Suspending reckless hitters the best option

American football will never be safe. Science proved that.

Roger Goodell can try to make the NFL safer, but he can't legislate that, either. The commissioner's power in such matters relies on coercion, and judging by last weekend's slate of games, some of the same people he's trying to reach couldn't care less. A few seemed more determined than ever to wring their opponents' necks, regardless of the consequences.

A rough count turned up at least four reported concussions. There were another three helmet hits in the New Orleans-Tampa Bay game that were questionable at best and cringeworthy at the very least. And in what can best be described as frontier justice, Washington safety Brandon Meriweather concussed Green Bay running back Eddie Lacy with a helmet-to-helmet blow, then suffered a concussion of his own trying to administer the same punishment to another Packer back later in the game.

Incredibly, neither blow drew a flag on the field, though Meriweather was fined after a review by the league. Not surprisingly, coach Mike Shanahan defended his player in both instances.

"On the first one it looked like the running back was kind of going downhill, and when Brandon went for the tackle it looked to me like it was perfect and then all of a sudden when [Lacy] ducked his head, I couldn't tell," the coach said.

"The second one on the sidelines, that's what you're supposed to do. That's a legal hit," Shanahan said, and league director of officiating Dean Blandino agreed.