NFL: Pollard hit is legal

my main issue with this is not the whole dirty versus clean argument, i get it, he was hit and blah blah blah... but what about last year when wilfork was fined heavily and was assessed a penalty during the game when he hit a qb (pennington)? He only hit him below the knees because he was blocked and was falling into the qb because of the block!

this seems like flip-flopping to me. wilfork falls and is punished, pollard is knocked down and crawls scraps and struggles to get to brady when his only shot at brady would be below the knees. Pollard his brady on purpose, dirty or not. wilfork was falling.

either way, it just plain sucks that this will cost tom the season -- ugh -- and encased in it is the hypocrisy the nfl promulgates.

This is absurd. The man lunged for Brady's knee. Pollard was on the ground because he dove to the ground trying to chop Morris, who then fell on top of him. Pollard is then allowed dive into Brady's planted leg? Pollard's dive had nothing to do with Morris. This is ridiculous. The NFL has it out for the Pats. The man would be in prison if he had done it to Manning.

Who cares.. Does not chang the fact he's done for th year... Sweet it was legal does that mean Tom's ACL is fine now?

So Vince Wilfork's hit was legal last year? He shouldn't have been flagged, and then fined later after they reviewed it? I didn't think either was dirty, and it doesn't matter, but I think Wilfork makes their analysis of this play very odd at a minimum.

Funny how Wilfork was fined last year when he was clearly "coming off and affected by a block by the offense" when he landed on Losman's knee.

How was Wilfork's hit on Losman last year illegal, but Pollard's this year is legal? Wilfork was blocked as well, he was blocked right into Losman. So whats the difference?

So, if you're being blocked, then it's okay to go for the QB's knee? That could be useful next week against Favre and his 40-yr old knees. Oh but wait - I'm sure the rules are applied differently against the Patriots. Forgot about that.

The reality is that there are two different sets of rules: the NFL rules and the rules for the Patriots. This really stems from last years controversy. We listened to a whole bunch of BS about how the Patriots were constant cheaters when they got caught breaking a rule that Jimmy Johnson admitted to breaking while with the Cowboys (listen to his September 2007 interview on Mike and Mad Dog). Any one who watched last years Indianapolis game, knows this is true.

Apparently, the rules are designed to protect everybody else's Quarterback but ours.

Watch the pulled back video (where you can see the back of the o-line, the block and the entire hit) with Pollard coming from the left. Morris blocks him, Pollard goes down, looks up, gets halfway to his hands and knees, and then flings his body weight at Brady's lower leg. Morris was *barely* touching him at that point. Wilfork gets fined for a hit on Losman not as questionable and this one goes ignored. Even if given the benefit of the doubt that it wasn't dirty, it was blatantly negligent on Pollard's part at the VERY least, and he gets a walk while Wilfork gets fined. Such utter garbage. And don't tell me it's because Wilfork had previous history, because that's a cop out since in my opinion this one was more blatant. I call b.s.

Just goes to show you that he NFL and Ref's aren't finished punishing the Pats for Spygate. If it was a Pats player that did that to an opponents QB, a la Vince Wilfork and J.P. Loserman of the Bills, the entire NFL community would be up in arms screaming and bemoaning the Patriots are dirty cheats. That should have been called a penalty and Pollard should be fined. But no, because it happened to the Pats, nothing will come of it. The NFL SUCKS.

What a joke. More evidence that the Pats are considered the black sheep franchise of the NFL since Spygate. Pollard was DOWN. He clearly scrambled up to lunge at Brady's knee. It's as clear as can be on the tape. High School coaches teach kids that are 15 that a move like that is a cheap shot!

The NFL needs to return to treating the Pats the way they treat all the other teams. Bob Kraft, why are you standing still for this? At what point are you going to stop genuflecting to Roger Goodell?!?!

the rules are different for the patriots because everyone hates the fucking patriots

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!

OMG...what a bunch of Patriot babies...grow up...it was a legal hit...GET OVER IT!!!

How can Patriot fans argue whether something is legal or illegal? Your whole run has been tainted with vagaries of truth and twisting of rulebooks (tuck rule). Karma, people.

Maybe now you'll respect the game.

You guys are stupid. You're too blinded by being fans of the team to look at it impartially.

I must say that this couldn't have happened to a better fanbase though. Enjoy the ride back to being lovable losers instead of obnoxious winners. Wait, the fans have always been losers. It's just the team that's been winning.

what a buch of cry babies. i think everyone thats posted so far has shed more tears than tom did when his season ended yesterday. 'but what about wilfork? waa waa! nobody likes the pats! waa waa!' excuse me if nobody in this country gives one damn. you guys ran the score up on everyone last year, played your starters the last game of the season and now you look for sympathy?! you reap what you sow. enjoy the season a**holes.

Look up Wilforks's hit on Losman, and you see him deliberately stick his elbow out and strike Losman's knee. Sorry but you've got to be the biggest homer to think these plays are equivalent....

I believe Wilfork got fined because at the end of his motion, there was an added motion with his arm to strike Losman's leg.

Can you please stop whining? This is part of the game and the hit was clean. If any of you have ever played the game at a high level (NCAA or professional) you would understand that his momentum along with Brady stepping up in the pocket and Morris's block made the hit inevitable. Be a real fan; move on and focus on the rest of the season.

Quit whining. It is over. Maybe you can increase the videotaping and get another advantage.

The rules are definately applied differently for the Patriots. Everyone in the NFL hates the Patriots because of their dominance the last 7 years. Look at how bias against the Patriots ESPN is. Why would the NFL be any different? When you are great people hate you and want to bring you down.

The Patriots fans are crying already. After cheating your way to stardom over the last 5 years, this is an unfortunate accident. Whether it was a dirty play, clean play, accident or malicious, your QB is out for the season so get over it. If he played hurt, that was a big mistake on Captain Cheater (Coach). I know as fans you can't control it but with all the garbage injury reports and deceit, this is payback to your coaching staff. I think this is the end of an era.

In all honesty your secondary is weak, linebackers are old and without Brady to put up lots of points, its all over.

sounds like a bunch of bitter Patriot's fans and fantasy football owners who drafted Brady in the top 3 picks. QB is the most protected position (by the rules) on the football field, sometimes stuff happens...the DL was doing his job effectively. And by the way, the Patriots get more advantageous calls then most teams in the NFL. How soon some forget about the snow job against the Raiders a few years back...that was a gift!

I agree, legal or not, what's done is done. The Pats need to move on and figure out how to win games with Cassel.

Jeez, bunch of whiners! It's football; stuff happens. Man up Pats and make the playoffs without Brady! I'm sure that's what the players are saying...

Finally, it took forever for the league to figure out the perfect conspiracy: Find a way to get Faulk suspended so that an inferior blocking back would be in the game so that a player could take out Brady. Please . . . .! Quit crying and realize that these kinds of injuries occur. I'm sure that if the league took back the Wilfork penalty and gave him his fine $ back that Brady's knee would suddenly be better. Solid logic Pats fanatics.

Absurd ruling. Being contacted by a defender does not give a defender license to take out a QB's knees, but that is what this decision implies.

Tim, you must have been watching something different. First of all, I can be almost certain when I say you have never played football before. Why would a safety chop a blocking back? He wouldn't. Morris blocked him, and he fell into Brady's leg. It was an accident, and it happens. He did not dive at his leg.

Cry about it! Who cares about Tom Brady’s knee? It was a legal hit GET OVER IT!

what a bunch of whiners! It was a legal hit. Let's see what a genius Belichick is without his best player.

Tim ...your comments are assinine....

Why would a defensive player chop block a running back who is pass protecting...he would run over or around him...

Brady's leg was on the way down from a throw...it wasn't as if he was standing on a planted leg...

NFL has it out for the Pats...Then explain when your team was caught cheating that the took your 1st round draft pick...the f'ing 30th not the top 10 one you had...THEY GAVE YOU A GIFT....They don't have it out for you.

GET OVER IT PATS...INJURIES HAPPENS>...GO BACK TO WATCHING BASEBALL NOW

As a Bengal fan (who is in for a long, painful season) I have little sympathy for QB's getting their knees chopped out on "clean" hits. From what I've seen, it's still a cleaner hit that the one Palmer suffered from Pittsburgh a few years ago.

You guys are such homers.

In case no one has noticed football is a rough game and things happen when big men are running, lunging and pushing each other around. This hit certainly did not appear malicious or out of line and neither did the Steeler's hit on Palmer a few years back. When it happens to your guy often objectivity goes out the window and unfounded conspiracy theories abound everywhere. It is ironic to note though that this did happen to the PATs who have the most paranoid coach in the league and who made an art form out of trying to get a competitive edge through tactics both legal and questionable. Karma anyone???

i am sure arlen specter is very happy today.a dirty hit without question

I say the front 3 go right for upcoming QB's knees regardless if they if a open shot or not of hitting him. Take him out at the knees.

FYI...I am serious.

Whoever is writing about the rules being applied differently to the Patriots is absolutely right! Remember the "Tuck Rule" there genius? When has the NFL ever had it out for the Pats, besides when their head coach admitted to illegally taping the defensive signals because he "misinterpreted the rule"... lets be serious.

Karma. All the running up of scores, spygate, etc, comes back to haunt ya. Sucks. Never like to see someone hurt, but what comes around, goes around.

Hard to find sympathy for the pats.

New England fans are a bunch of crybaby victims.

WAH! WAH! WAH! All you idots who never played a football game in your life know more than the paid pro's. New England sports fans are by far the WORST! Change your names from red sox nation and patriots nation to THE WHINERS OF THE WORLD!

Typical Boston fan woe is me, it was clean. Cry me a river, build me a bridge, and get over it. I feel really bad for Tom, no ones season should end like that. I'm sure if you ask Tom he will say the hit was clean and these things happen in football. I do not feel sorry for Boston fans and your coach, Karma.

This is such bVllsh!+. He hit Brady below the knee. It may not have been intentional to injure him but it was a low hit. If this happened to either of the Mannings, or Favre the the play would have been flagged, and he would have been fined if not suspended.

While it may be a bit of a stretch to think that "the NFL has it out for the Patriots," it is true enough that NFL rules certainly are applied selectively and often arbitrarily. It's not as if any sanctions against Pollard would magically repair Brady's knee anyway, but this is the kind of thing that certain players might file away for future reference. I suppose there's a fine line between legal and ethical, and if players won't police themselves or the league has subjective, unlcear rules . . . well, ask the NHL what it thinks.

I see several issues:
a. The halfback should have worked harder to hold his block on Pollard.
b. Tthe NFL has to be consistent in their application of justice regarding illegal blocks. This is not much different than Wilfork's block last year.
c. Did Brady's lack of preseason activity make him more prone to sustain an injury early in the season?

Pats would loose in the playoffs anyways ,even if Brady didnt get hurt. I've never seen any others sports team fans cry more than the Pats fans.

NO RESPECT BEFORE!
NO RESPECT NOW!
AND NO RESPECT EVER!

HAHAHA! Your in Loserville now. Population Pats fans.

Would everyone here quit whining? Do you know how awful it makes us (New England fans) sound when we keep itching and moaning about stuff like this.

Brady's ACL is busted and he's out for the season. Whether the hit was legal (the general consensus among experts) or illegal is completely irrelevant at this point. Let's regroup and talk about the team as its now composed. Personally I'm not giving up on making the playoffs yet.

Good ruling on an unfortunate play(Good luck with a speedy recovery). All in all I don't think anyone can say the league is out against the patriots either, they get plenty of calls that miraculously go their way...All teams get hit with fines and penalties that another team, the same week, gets away with.

Stop crying. It was an unfortunate play and it sucks Brady is out but crying about it won't bring him back. Football is a violent sport and devistating things happen all the time when strong fast men are flying around trying to hit one other as hard as possible.

It's football. Hits happen. This is just part of the game. If you never played, you'll never understand....

What does Pollards hit on Brady have to do with Wilfork's hit on Losman last year?
The hit was legal, get over it and move on, this is football right?

What a bunch of cookie cutter whiners. You went through last season major injury free. Too bad you didn't seal the deal at that time. This is the NFL. Injuries happen, so deal with it and stop whining about a hit from last year.

All patriots fans do is b*tch

This is football people. If hitting the quarterback upsets you perhaps you should switch to synchronized swimming.

ehh quit whining.....Brady is a bum !! LOL!
he's a crip now !! LOL!!

funny to hear all you pats fan moan about a hit being dirty....you can tell by pollard's reaction that the hit was not dirty...and then this conspiracy theory that the nfl didn't fine him because they don't like the pats....come on!! You are only crying because you know your season is over maybe if the pats invested in a good back up it wouldn't be such a problem.

O my god, u pats fans are so whiny, the hit was legal, so was your guys hit last year, what more do you want, as a chiefs fan pollard is one of my favorite guys and not a dirty player at all. Sorry about your qb, but quit trying to mak pollard out to be a bad guy. Unfortunately injuries happen. just be happy that your backup is still probably better than brodie and damon combined.

Wah...wah...wah...

It's football...

This injury is the result of the Patriots deciding to install an artificial surface field, and not sticking on natural grass. If Brady sustained such a hot on real grass, his foot would have slid out from underneath, and he may have been OK.

But on an artificial surface, there is no give and the foot is planted so firmly that injuries like this are much more likely. Ironically, Brady himself was not happy when New England announced they were no longer going to keep a natural grass field. Now this is the result. Football is meant to be played on real grass.

Quit whining. If it had been a Pats defender, we'd be saying he was fighting off the block and trying to get the QB - meaning he was doing his job. Brady can spend the season recovering and doing rehab work with Giselle, and we can watch a guy who has studied the system and should be fully equipped to step in and play do just that. I think we're still talking playoffs.
Wasn't long ago we were all wondering what would happen when Bledsoe got knocked out. His replacement (a sixth round pick at that) did a decent job.
The Pats are a team, not a man. Give them some credit and get ready for another year of playoff football, baby!

i thought hitting a qb below the knees was a penalty a few years back anyways? is this something that is no longer a rule? Anyways, despite that. I think it's just an unfortunate break for the patriots, and if any team can come back after loosing the top gun, it's this team. They don't just fold. Football is a physical game, and it's just unfortunate. On the bright side, when he comes back, he will still have a 20 game winning streak going.

"This is absurd. The man lunged for Brady's knee. Pollard was on the ground because he dove to the ground trying to chop Morris, who then fell on top of him."

Tim you are an idiot. Offensive players chop defensive players. Ask yourself, why would a player trying to sack a QB, block a running back. Your a fool. If you want to blame someone blame Sammie Morris who threw a bad block then by grabbing the facemask of Pollard and trying to hold him kept him from getting up causing the low hit

It's football it happens. Enough said.

This injury is the result of the Patriots deciding to install an artificial surface field, and not sticking to natural grass. If Brady sustained such a hit on real grass, his foot would have slid out from underneath and the grass would have kicked up, and he may have been OK.

But on an artificial surface, there is no give and the foot is planted so firmly that injuries like this are much more likely. Ironically, Brady himself was not happy when New England announced they were no longer going to keep a natural grass field. Now this is the result. Football is meant to be played on real grass.

yep, the nfl has it out for the patriots.

stop whining guys, this happens in football.

Wow, you patriot fans are the biggest bunch of girls I have ever heard in my life. Please quit your crying and complaining, it really is pathetic. Man I am glad i dont live in Boston. I might have to shoot myself!

Legal, illegal...who cares. The damage is done and the season is over for the Pats. I'm reminded of 1991 when Bryce Paup caved in Randall Cunningham's knee on the first offensive series of the season. Damn shame, but that's football.

A guy going in gets a blocker on top of him, wrenching on his facemask, his lunge to get past him puts him into Brady's knee, and it is dirty? Get a grip Patriots whiners. Did none of you watch the replay? Pollard couldn't even see exactly where he was pushing with Morris turning his head sideways by the facemask. It was an ugly hit that could have happened to anyone. But oh no, it happened to Brady. Let's trot out the conspiracy theories.

Let's wish Tom the best in his recovery. Let's let the NFL make it's own bed. Let's let the Chiefs have their day and let's put our faith in Bill... This season is FAR from over. It's embarrassing as a Pats fan to hear nothing but "poor me" and "pity us". Let's get back behind this team and this organization and support them as we march on. How big will it be for us to have any success this year when the rest of the nation is laughing at us. It's over. Get over it and move on. We have a whole season ahead of us!

He has plausible deniability on his side because he was impeded. I think the intent is clear from the replay, but that's just my opinion. Kobra Kai was more subtle.

We move on, but we shed no tears if he suffers similar bad luck in the coming weeks on the field. I'm sure Ditka and the other MENSA members on the airwaves are ecstatic.

Maybe once the NFL finance gurus figure out how much not having Brady play this season will cost the NFL they'll change their outlook on this hit. There are two components to this: 1) Brady is the reason everyone expected the Patriots to get back to the SB this season so this will affect flex scheduling down the road and certainly advertising revenues for the networks; 2) Brady draws female fans to the game - lots of them - I can imaging that there would be a significant loss of interest on their end now that he's done.

As to the hit itself, as a fan of NE I hate the dude that laid it on but I can't fault him for trying to get to the QB - that's his job, right? But if a player has no excuse (ie - being blocked into the player) when a roughing the kicker penalty is called, how can there be an excuse for being out of control in this scenario? Remember what happened to Carson Palmer in the first round of the playoffs two years ago? Was there a fine on the player who knocked him out of the game (I think it was Olshansky)?

Until the league compares the Wilfolk/Pollard difference satisfactorily they will continue to be accused of continuing to judge the Pats differently from the rest of the league. It doesn't help Brady if Pollard is fined, but it would make the league look more credible.
Pollard did have a clear path to Brady if you see the mid distance film review.

Funny that Pats fans feel league is against them. Pats are luckiest team in NFL this decade.

This is payback for all the classless behavior of the past many years (HGH, Oxycotin, filming, dancing on logos, refusal to shake opponents hands, it goes on an on).

Well at least Pats fans can hang their hat on last year's 18-1 season. Not many teams have accomplished that.

It's football!!! Quit being a bunch of cry babies and suck it up! There are 15 more games to go! I'm sure the world will be hearing excuses all year long and the crys from Patriot fans!!! The rules are the rules and other people in the league saw the same replays that you did and did NOT think it was dirty.

So who lost the super bowl last year? The pats or the Refs? Quit crying, you big babies. Maybe you should see someone (like a shrink) for all these paranoid thoughts

Who cares about Wilfork? I'm just glad to see Brady get hammered!

whaaaaaaa the block was illegal. Like it makes a difference. Get over it cry babies.

belicheat's gotta get himself a new patsy now. end of the patriots....

Wilfork was fined because it was a blow from his forearm after it was deemed his momentum was stopped. Also if I remember correctly the ball was gone before the hit.

It was a tough call.

The Brady play was almost an exact replica of the play the finished Carson Palmer against the Steelers three years ago in the playoffs. That play and the Brady play are unbeleivably similiar. The Steeler player was never fined or flagged.

blah blah blah... brady is out! GO BILLS !!

When did the Chiefs hire Tonya Harding?

maybe if brady played in the preseason his pocket awareness would have been better...and maybe he would have been in GAME shape and just maybe his knee wouldnt have been wrecked...its called football! not soccer...hits happen and people get hurt. he can spend more time with his supermodel girlfriend and maybe even continue his modeling career. poor tom brady!!

You guys are complete tools. Quit whinning. It wasn't a dirty hit. It's awful what happened to your team. But shut your pie hole about there should be a penalty. You are the reason why the country hates the Pats. I am sorry for the NFL that Brady is out. Go Colts!

It's a contact sport.

The cry baby has something to really cry about now!!

Maybe the Patriots should take more film about low tackling.

The Pats ran up the score last year, so I guess I'm not too sad to see Brady gone for the season. If Cassel struggles, the true Randy Moss will come out. It's not a pretty sight, Pat fans. Ask Oakland!

i am so sick of you fans crying about the pats. they get every break there is every year and all you do is wine!!! it is the same with the red sox

The rules are this apparently: a player can dive at the QBs legs as long as he is being blocked. Too funny. I've come to notice that quite often a player is being blocked. Ha. Really opens thing up. Dive at QBs knees-Chiefs had nothing to lose-now the Pats don't either. I say go after opposing QBs knees-period. Will be an interesting year-teams are going to have to look at 6th - 10th string QBs.

Clay, the problem is that Wilfork was fined and deemed an illegal play for virtually the same situation... We wouldn't care if it turnabout was fare, but its not...

Whine, whine, whine...
Suck it up there Pats fans! He's out and the season continues.
Sure the QB is the most important cog in the offensive wheel, but you have other players and coaches don't you?
Looks like future planning and injury preperation were not part of the GM and Head Coaches mind.

Wasn't this the first time in 50-some consecutive games that Brady wasn't listed on the injury report.? Karma.

Hey Clay- How about you stop your own BS. Vince Wilfork was fined for the exact same type of hit on Losman last year. The RULE was put in because of Kimo von Oelhoffen's hit on Carson Palmer that knocked Palmer out . Kimo was impeded just as Wilfork was and just as Pollard was.

Pollard's hit, intentional or not, was DIRTY. That doesn't make him a dirty player. That's what you seem incapable of understanding.

Who reviews the NFL's decisions to make sure they are applied equally and across the board. Maybe we should get a Senator with nothing else to do and have him investigate and then publish a report. We could call this one kneegate. Why is it a foul for one person (Wilfork) and not for another (pollard). Smacks of a conspiracy against the Pats.

Whiny Pats fans kill me. Wilfork was fined because it was obvious he exerted effort to get to Losman's knees...and you have to keep in mind that Wilfork had already been guilty of several infractions that had him on the radar. Wasn't the ball also long gone when the hit happened? Whatever else you might want to think, once you get the spotlight turned on you, the microscope follows soon after.
This was 8 minutes into the season. No one has a "rep" yet (not even your beloved Rodney Harrison is "dirty" for this season yet) so that kind of thought process doesn't apply.
And most importantly, we've turned this league into a punk league. Some of the rules are just panty-waisted. If you don't get up with the ball after getting tackled, you fumbled. If the ball is still in your hands and you get hit, anything short of you getting drawn-and-quartered or someone obviously trying to take your head off is legal. If you don't like it, block better and keep that guy from getting to your QB! Oh, I forgot. The Pats line (particularly the vaunted LEFT side) can't do that without holding....
I'm really not anti-Pats, and I admire Brady, but this whining is ridiculous. Injuries happen, and this one is unfortunate. That doesn't make it malicious.

They did not say it was ok to go for QB's legs, they said that in this case the defender who was trying to get to Brady was effected by the block of the offensive player. Since I am not a Pats fan (don't care about them one way or another), I can tell you I have seen this a lot and it looked like Pollard was trying to lung while trying to get up from having the defender on his back; but was pushed back down into the knee of Brady.

He obviously was not trying to go for the knees, it looked like he was trying to tackle him but was pushed down into the knee. This really sucks for Brady and the Pats but this is a collision sport. I'm sure he will recover, and don't give up on the Pats; I bet they make a fantastic run.. its not like they don't know how to win championships. Like I said I am not a fan of theirs but I do respect what they have done in recent years. I know it may sound crazy but they should talk to Drew about coming back for a season, he knows the offense and probably would be stoked about a chance to win a championship. Just a thought :)

And Aloha means goodbye Pats fans, as in say goodbye to 2008! lol

Oh please! Don't tell me you guys are saying that the rule was tailor made to cover up ANYTHING. Brady is the poster child for the NFL. The Pats have received many "calls" in their favor over the past few years (except the Colts playing too rough..BooHoo). This is football. There's a reason it's the best, toughest and most demanding game in the US. They all know the chances when they take the field.
...PS. At least your QB didn't look like he was gonna cry BEFORE he was hurt....

Same thing happened to Carson Palmer a few years ago. Football is a rough game. Defensive lineman shredded Carson's knee and he tore TWO ligaments. Sorry to say he hasn't been the same since and Brady might not either.

Lets see how Belecheat can do without the best QB in football and now he won't know what plays the opposing defense will run.

Look everyone needs to stop with this illegal legal hit
crap!! its football im sure that it was not an intentional hit
come on have anyone of you nerds played football
its not in slow motion its live come on but i do understand y the pats fans would be
mad its football s*** happens you move on im sure tom will be ready to play
as soon as he can so dont blam the guy for trying to make a play
thats there job is to go after the qb

Football it a tough sport and this stuff happens, Time to move on. To be honest i could care less about Brady. Hes a guy who throws a ball. He wasn't that fantastic when we gave up all our good receivers. Give him the best, give any QB the best and you'll always have a shot at the big game. The Pats have so much talent they will be fine. Plus ever since i saw Brady in a NY Yankees hat hanging in the big city right before the superbowl i lost all respect for him. Only a jerk does that to his fans the ones that pay big bucks to see him play. Thanks Tom. Sure he will be playing in NY in the not to distant future.

Seriously watch the tape... Pollard was on the ground still tryin 2 make a play. He didnt Lunge at his knees, he was tryin 2 make a play 2 keep KC in the game. That is just a player doing anything 2 get the W. There is no arguement all you crybaby Pats fans.

we have a right to be upset. FU to those who this this was a clean hit

I agree with Jake, if Wilfork's hit was "illegal" so then was this one. If Wilfork was fined by the league and had people around the league call him "dirty" the same rules and fate should be applied in this case and befall Pollard. I was of the opinion that Wilfork's hit was legal as I am now of Pollard's hit but by the league definition the same rules that applied to Wilfork should apply in this case. The league finding in this case is very hypocritical. In addition it seems to me that although BB, although he didn't come out and say it in his 3 pm press conference today, also feels that this particular play was a fineable offense because he compared it to Wilfork's hit on Losman.

pats....cheaters AND whiners...good lord you people need to grow up.

I would never claim to be a chiefs fan even if I was.

Wilfork is one of the dirtiest players in the league. The fact fans in Boston cry and whine about that, and use as an excuse a man who was caught POKING ANOTHER PLAYER IN THE EYE and not being suspended by the Patriots (or the NFL, the same league some of you complain conspires against you) as your example says a lot about you.

Its unfortunate Brady was hurt. I can't stand the Pats or their fans, but never like seeing somebody injured like that. That being said, Pollard was blocked to the ground. In the heat of the play, he did what he was trained to do and did his best to bring the opposing QB down.

cry babie Pat's fans! I think the distinguishing difference difference between the two hits (this year and last) was the time frame between the ball leaving the QB's hands and the hit from the defense. It seems obvious in the replay that Pollard is trying to wrap up Brady's legs, less than a second after the ball comes out, as opposed to hitting him well after the release of the ball.

Clay, its not that Pollard is a bad guy or the hit was illegal. Its more that Wilfork and Seymour have been penalized for similar stuff in the past and we didn't think it was warranted. That's what the whining is about.

Wolfork's hit was completely different. He's a thug who intentionally dived onto Losman's knee, leading with his elbow.

Pollard's hit was obviously not intentional, he was being blocked in the back. Come on take off your spygate memorial sun glasses and watch it on youtube...over and over and over...

Clay, WIlfork made a similar play last year but was penalized. What's the difference here?

We're not indicting Pollard's character, but looking at that play, how can you think he was not lunging for the ankle? In these scenarios, the league needs to err on the side of protecting players from devastating injury, even if possibly-innocent guys like Pollard get slapped with a minimal (for NFL players) fine. I felt just as bad and sickened when Palmer went down in the playoffs a few years ago. The penalties need to be certain and the league needs to enforce them consistently.

WAH! WAH! WAH! All you idiots who never played a football game in your lives know more than the paid pro's? Give me a break. New England sports fans are the worst ever collectively. Change your names from red sox and patriot nation to Whiner World!

A double catastrophe for the former champion Pats. Brady out for the year plus the team will no longer be allowed to view videos of opponents practicing before the teams played.

well ijust checked te twovideos wilfork hit dirty he even throws his arm to the knee the other on e is totally clean brady stumbles into the defensive guy , the pats are in trouble

Oh you New England fans who feel it was a dirty hit get over it. Pollard was trying to get to the QB the best way he could in the situation that was presented. What, it is OK for a blocker to lay on top of a defensive player but it's not OK for a defensive player to get up and make a play. Let's put 2 rules in the rule book for you all 1) You can't make a tackle on a QB unless you are on your feet and 2) Don't touch Brady for he has on a skirt. Please, this was an accident pure and simple. If you noticed on the play Brady was moving forward as Pollard was reaching for him. Wrong place, wrong time for both but this is NFL football, not powderpuff football.

So you Patriots fans were equally upset when Kimo VonOlhoffen intentionally took out Carson Palmer? Really?

karma sucks when you are on the same team as wilfork, for what it is worth, i think both hits were dirty, with wilfork's being much, much worse

Wah. Seriously, guys, wah.

why did pollard give a fist pump after he hit brady's knee, when he knew the ball was already out of brady's hand? that was the dirtiest part. sickening.

Where do I send the cheese to go with all the 'wine' coming out of New England? Pats are the BIGGEST babies in the league. Just because you guys cheat you think it's ok to complain about the NFL front office? Can you say 'We didn't film the other teams.....?' I'm sure you guys know better than ALL the announcers that saw the hit......

Sometimes I'm ashamed to be a Pats fan. Pats fans are among the whiniest fans in the NFL. It's football; there is a risk to be injured on every single play. Players are coached to go all out all the time. If you reversed the roles and Mayo didn't try to knock the QB down, all of you would be saying he didn't play through the whole play.

It's football, injuries happen. Wilfork's play was in the past and happened last year.

We Brazilians know American Football is a violent sport, but it was brutal, dirty and non sportive attitude.

Stop crying. He was playing football, remember. It is a very physical game
and he was hit, period. Pee and moan all you want.

I don't get the feeling that the hit was dirty. I'll admit that I am mortified by the prospect of a whole season without Tom, but I'm not ready to say that it was anything more than an accident. Go Cassel. I have faith in him, but I still miss Drew right about now.

The defensive player was fighting thru the block and was not pushed into Brady's knee. He was on all fours and fought against the block to charge into Brady's knee.
IMHO, that's a fine. otherwise you give the green light to all pass rushers to drop to all fours and crack the QB below the knee with at worst, a late hit flag.
The ruling missed the whole point.

hey Clay Aiken,

Stop being so darn sensitive. I dont think anyone really thinks that Pollard is a dirty player. They are questioning the hypocrisy of the NFL on hits last year. I think the distinction has to be made between dirty and illegal. You can make an illegal hit and not be a dirty player. I dont believe he was trying to hurt Brady nor do I think Wilfork was trying to injure pennington or Losman.

Life without Tom and a good Manning is gonna suck.

wa, wa Patriot fans.. This gives Tom more time to spend with the skinny babe. Now he can focus on building that house in Cal.
I guess what goes around comes around . either way cheating will cost you some how. Sorry for Tom to be the example..

you guys r such sore loosers....go cry a river. Brady's out but dont hate theres still Moss and Cassell is looking rdy. Everybody gets a chance. Whether it was legal or illegal it doesn't fix knees and about Wilfork its was the past, Pollard could be fined but that doesnt fix Brady's knee...lets move on

Everyone stop crying it's football and people get hurt in this sport. The guy was not trying to hurt Brady, he was just trying to make a play. So suck it up all you Pat's fans and stop crying. Just remember 18-1. Ok now you can cry.

Clay, you are clearly missing our point here. The discrepencies in the decisions made by the NFL between the two hits is what's got us steamed.

You agree with us that both hits were clean and in the flow of the game. The point we are making is that Wilfork was slapped with a heavy fine after the NFL took a day to review it, which means they should have had plenty of time to assess the play accurately (which they did not, imo). If that play stood as illegal, then Pollard should have received the same penalty. That's our point. Pollard's style of play is moot here. We are simply stating the general lack of consistency on the part of the NFL office.

WAAAA WAAAAAA Crybaby Pats fans.

Let's see if I understand this... Wilfork gets sanctioned for being thrown into Losman's knee last year (yes, it did look like he threw his elbow out toward Losman's knee), and Pollard gets up off the turf and throws his helmet into Brady's knee, and that's legal? BS

No ones a bigger Pats fan than me, however, Morris was a factor in how Pollard landed. I don't think he would have hit Brady where he did if it wasn't for Morris. I don't think Pollard was trying to hit Brady that low.

That being said, this is just a really, really sad time. I've never gone from elated to distraught in such a short period of time.

I refuse to count the Pats out though. I wouldn't be the fan I know I am if I gave up on them. They have alot of talent and I wish them the best.

Typical NFL BS!!! If the hit was against anyone but the Pats he would be fined and suspended. Talk about a double standard!!!

Wow, I hadn't seen the Wilfork hit until I read all these posts and decided to youtube it. If you seriously don't see a difference between the two, then you are letting your Patriots fervor cloud your judgment. Pollard had a player on his back and was trying to fight his way through to get to the quarterback. It wasn't dirty at all, just unfortunate. Wilfork was blocked but came clean off the block and dove at Losman. It's obvious in the film that he realized he wasn't going to get to Losman, so he reached out with his elbow to his Losman's knee. I don't know what fine Wilfork got, but they probably should have suspended him for a game or two as well. That was dirty.

We all know that recent rule changes have been enacted to protect a quarterbacks knees. Given the NFL has deemed Pollard's play within the scope of the rules, Brady, nonetheless, is still left with a torn ACL.
So, NFL, how does a quarterback really get to protect his knees?
Or does Tom just take one for the Gipper?

My nuts are itchy!

This is outrageous and another example of the conspiracy that has become all things "anti-patriot". Pollard should be fined heaviy and suspended for the amount of games Brady needs to miss. I am sure Polian has inserted himself into this farce.

U pats fans have been lucky and spoiled with no serious injuries to Tom for years. Many teams have had their QBs miss many games. Quit taking this so personally. Our QB Big Ben got hit in San Diego 2005. season...similar hit..he got lucky and it was only a hyper-extended knee. Unfortunately, Brady was not as fortunate. Maybe if Kevin F. wasn't smoking dope...he would have been there as a blocker for Tom..instead he was suspended for the game and you had Morris in there.

Yeah, right - Pollard "not a dirty player at all"...I guess that's why his nickname is "bonecrusher"...look I get it that "it is what it is" and that's football - but don't try to sell me the guy wasn't playing extreme...it was a cheap and dirty hit, and probably pissed off as many fans as it pleased - but the character of this patriots team will use this sad event as the catalyst to their 4th ring...and Culpepper and Moss will likely play a big part toward that along with a veteran defense, top notch slot receiver, and yes, Matt Cassel too...

Who cares, players get hurt every year. Maybe its karma still paying them back for cheating all those years, took the perfect season away and now taking away this year too. Its the NFL, you get hit in this league, if they don't like it then start playing soccer. I don't see anyone complaining about the hit Steven Jackson took yesterday, which I think was a whole lot more violent and could have hurt him a lot worse than Brady.

Uh, Morris tackled Pollard. At that point as Pollard was fighting to get to his feet, Morris wrapped an arm around his head, got his hand inside the facemask, and pulled his head around. Pollard lunged thru this MMA move and got to Brady. Illegal hit? Are you kidding me? Morris got beat even after holding Pollard, a nice no call. Pats fans can be myopic. Good luck with Cassell.

Deal with it. Wah!!!!!! Injuries happen, Jets fans didn't whine when we lost 2 QB's to season ending injuries on consecutive plays. No we just dealt with it. Now you can get out of your perfect little world (wait you lost in the SB so its not perfect) and see what life is like in the real world.

I'm pretty sure this is the "Carson Palmer" rule, put in place after Palmer's knee was destroyed in an almost identical manner (blocked defender scrambling on ground and lunging into QB's knee which immediately folds the wrong way). It is surprising, given this similarity, that the current situation (which appears identical to the previous situation) did not trigger the rule (put in place to avoid the previous situation). Either the rule is useless and should be removed, or it was violated.

How many times do we have to see a guy grab a QB's leg and roll forward with 350lbs of bulk bending the knee laterally at a 90 angle before we determine that this is a bad thing? There are numerous examples of why attempting to bring down a QB in this manner is career-threatening. Horse collar tackles are banned, why not this? I don't buy the "speed of the game" argument. When you're grabbing the QB's leg below the knee, I don't buy that you're completely unaware you're doing so.

Guess we'll all need to get used to QBs with 2 giant steel leg braces just like their linemen.

I don't think most here are saying that Pollard is a bad guy. The hit was not dirty and I don't believe Pollard meant to hurt Brady. Would be nice if the NFL could keep their rules consistent from one game to the next.

I don't understand what more Patriot's fans want. You have 4 Super Bowls, an elite QB, a terribly old defense that always somehow gets the job done and now you want to cry foul when someone can get to your QB. Get over it, everyone hates Patriot fans because the piss and moan about everything, I almost hate the whole city of Boston because they have the most ignorant and insufferable fanbase out there, nothing is every good enough, then when you finally do when you come up with excuses on how you were cheated out of so many other championships.......

I agree with Clay - not about being whiney - but that injuries do happen. Was Tom Brady really ready to start after having no preseason snaps?...and Cassell IS better than Brodie and Huard combined. LOL!

Frickin' waah, waah, waah. If you're going to tell fans from other teams to suck it up when star players get hurt - ie Freeney and Harrison last year from the Colts, then man up and do the same.

The NFL has it in for the Pats? Are you insane? TB is The Franchise. The last thing the NFL wants is a star of his caliber to be out.

Karma...enjoy your vacation Brady

Injuries happen. It's part of the game. There have never been two more protected QB's in the league than Brady and Peyton Manning. There was nothing "dirty" about the hit. If Sammy Morris had blocked him properly, it would've never happened.

I hate the Pats and can't stand Tom Brady, but I hate to see any player have their season or career cut short. But to call this hit on one of the most protected players in league history is absurd!

Fans complaining about the hit are embarrassing. I get why you are upset losing your guy, but you homer fans look ridiculous. The hit was legal, and nobody thinks it's dirty except you fans and Randy Moss, who didn't see the play.

A guy crawls into the QB and takes him out on the very first quarter of the very first game? No foul? Somehow our Patriots sure pissed off (on??) the pansies.

How about Tom himself being called for an "illegal BLOCK" in the playoffs a few years back? After being intercepted, while trying to TACKLE the guy who picked his pass, the smartest guy on the field gets called for a foul, adding insult to injury. SUCH B.S.

NFL, (aka Manning Incorporated), you soooooo suck.

Enough of this. If it was illegal, they would have thrown a flag, they didn't. The NFL reviewed it and said it wasn't an illegal hit, either. The NFL has been in the Pats corner for years, so there is no controversy. Wish Tom the best and get behind the backup. You won 3 superbowls with a backup before, remember?

ahh, everyone is out to get the Pats, aren't they.

If you listen to Planet Mikey on WEEI, he thinks there were 35 holds and several face masks NOT called against the Giants on that Manning-to-Tyree play. Of course! IT's the refs! It's the dirty players! It's the League! They're all out to get ya!!!!!

Keep thinking that way.

Wow, you patriot fans are the biggest bunch of girls I have ever heard in my life. Please quit your crying and complaining, it really is pathetic. Man I am glad i dont live in Boston. I might have to shoot myself!

"Pollard was on the ground because he dove to the ground trying to chop Morris, who then fell on top of him. Pollard is then allowed dive into Brady's planted leg? Pollard's dive had nothing to do with Morris"

Ha ha, why would a defensive player try to "chop" a blocking RB? That is an offensive blocking technique. But you're probably just another chowd who's never played a down of competitive football. Aside from you clowns, everyone, not just the NFL in this statement, has sasid the play was clean.

The RB made a terrible block, then jumped on Pollard while he was on the ground, he also held him, and grabbed the face mask,

This is what everyone was saying to the Pats and their fans last year... karma is gonna getcha when you run up the score in the NFL, this isnt college ball. Oh and never forget 18-1.

Yup, the NFL has it out for the Pats - I've never heard anything so ridiculous! How 'bout the tuck rule buddy. Bellicheat should have been black listed from ever coaching in the NFL. He's a cheater and after he got caught cheating, he kept on doing it.

Ever hear of Karma? Bellicheat putting Brady on the injured list all of las year was a complete and total lie, verified by Brady laughing about it.

GO BOYS!!!!

QB's don't wear skirts.

Here is Wilfork's hit:
youtube.com/watch?v=3POT8n2Qk3g
While he was falling toward Losman, the elbow out was what drew the fine. One can't make the argument that he was trying to brace his fall with that arm, because it wouldn't make sense for him to do that; it isn't a natural falling motion to put one's arm out like that. Furthermore, Wilfork hit Losman after he had released the ball (Wilfork was called for a late hit personal foul on the play), while Pollard hit Brady while he was still holding the ball.

Hey it happens. This is the NFL. Its a contact sport. This isnt baseball. On any given play, 300 lbs. guys are flying around the field with reckless abandon. Guys get hurt all the time. This time it was Brady. Looking at the play, there is no way you can say he intentionally hurt him. And even if he did, you can whine about it, but whining and winning generally dont go together.

I guess only Roger Goodell can figure out the difference between the Wilfork hit and this one.

If the Patriots somehow do finish with a winning record, what cheating/unfair advantage/excuse will everyone in the league blame for that, because we all know they won't be able to admit the Patriots happen to be a good team.

Clay - would you like a definition of whiny? It is personified in all the fans from other cities who have been going to Boston fan sites for 7 years now complaining about anything and everything except why their own team can't win. Guys like you show up like clockwork and you all have the same inconsistent and poorly rationalized points.

Clay if you are correct then the NFL should return the fine with interest that Wilfork paid last year. If you actually read what this blog is talking about you'd understand why we are po'd. Pollard should be fined and flagged. Treat everyone equal.

The point you guys don't understand is that it's illegal to go for a QBs legs when you have a choice.

Pollard had no choice because he was on the ground. Whether it was because he was knocked to the ground or fell on his own volition is of no consequence. He was on the ground and the only part of Brady within reach was his legs. It's fair.

Don't get me started on preferential treatment...

I am a Pats fan, and I agree that the fist several poster to this list are whiners. Look, there was absolutely nothing dirty about this hit at all. If you think there was, you shouldn't watch football at all, because 99% of the contact on the field must offend you.

I feel terrible about Tom going down, but that's part of the game. I don't give a hoot what happened last year to Wilfork when he hit Losman. It has absolutely NOTHING to do with this play, this year. Get over it.

Let's hope Matt or whoever end up under center can take this team all the way. This team is more than one person.

Oh please. Wolfork clearly thrust his forearm into Losman's leg, whereas Pollard jumped up attempting to tackle Brady. Waaahhh... the NFL is out to get us!

it aint just pats fans it is all the fans in new england, they whine and moan when things dont go there way and when they do then all of them are absolute angels are playing the game perfectly. so quit whinning and realize that the patriots are nothing without Brady QB for them.

He is out for the year Cheaters finally get what they deserve.

agreed. whiny fans from NE, got to be the most spoiled annoying fans in the country. You still have the C's and the bosox so shut your mouths. The guy from KC didnt do it on purpose and it is blatently obvious.
So all that talent is wasted, finally justice is served for cheating-CHEATERS. Super Bowl loss after going 18-0 and Brady out for the year! Go STEELERS

Get over it. Maybe Cassel will rise to the occasion. You New England fans are too whiny. I agree that it probably means a 9-7 season or worse but he'll be back. Look at all of the injuries that end seasons & careers. This is the sport they have chosen. Pollards hit was not cheap, dirty, or illegal. It just hits home when it's "your guy" . My team is the Steelers. Back in 2004, Tommy Maddox was injured and an unknown guy named Ben R. came off the bench and led them to a 15-1 season. It can happen. Give Matt Cassel a chance. Use your damn running game now that you have to. Bill B. is a highly effective coach and will pull it together. Watch out for the Jets next week........

Legal? Yes. Cheap move by a no name punk? Definitely.

I'm a huge Pats fan but the rest of you guys are really making us look bad. This was clearly not a dirty play. End of story. Yeah, it stinks that it results in a season-ending injury, but nobody can objectively look at that play and say that Pollard was trying to take out Brady's knee. Stuff like this happens in football, and people who complain about this hit definitely never played the game and don't understand the first thing about it.

who cares if it was legal or not- the main problem here is that nothing good ever comes when players dive at a QB's knees like that- only injuries. so whether he meant it or not, the play sucks.

and Pats fans, c'mon- Wilfork dove at Losman last year. i;m a diehard and can admit it because it was painfully obvious on replay. i don't think he meant to hurt him, but he definitely dove at him.

The NFL has it out for the Patriots?? HAHAHAHAHA. That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. The NFL, ESPN, Reebok, and Twizzlers want nothing more than the New Yorks, New Englands, and Dallases to be on every prime time game and to win every super bowl. You are too completely blinded by your own limelight to see that. The Pats have to face adversity now and this year might actually be a challenge- welcome to the life of the average NFL fan. Injuries suck, Wilfork is a dirty player (fact), and the season goes on.

Clay - the point is that the NFL explicitly stated that "our guy's" hit last year was NOT legal. It was SO illegal, in fact, that they had to fine him a big chunk of change. This is a case of the NFL applying the rules differently to different teams, plain and simple.

Unfortunately, their treatment of the whole thing doesn't change Brady's status at all...

Technically it was legal because he did not have an "unrestricted path" to the QB. I also don't believe he tore up Brady's ACL on purpose. But it doesn't suck any less, how in the world do the Pats go back to the Superbowl without Brady? Short answer, they don't. I'm sure fans around the league are rejoicing because they know they can't beat the Pats with a healthy Brady and they all want to see the Patriots and their fans suffer. Congratulations, I'm suffering....

When Wilfork hit Losman, the ball was 30 yards downfield already.

Pollard hit Brady with the ball in his hand.

That's the difference.

Lets not get hysterical. It was legal hit

And it's just the kind of bad luck we have been escaping the past few years. Most teams lose their quarterbacks at some point. Since our O-Line has been more vulnerbale in recent times (see; both Giant games last year), this was bound to happen. Brady was barely touched the past few years (statistically, he is the least hit QB in the league every year). This happens to all teams sooner or later and I doubt we'll get any sympathy from the rest of the league.

Time to stop the whining and move on, people.

#2 I'm a pats fan and dismayed by the Brady injury but your insane if you think the NFL "has it out" for Brady. He is pretty much THE marquee player along, Pats have the highest TV ratings in the league, etc. etc. The NFL is less interesting and less profitable without #12.

typical pats fans snivelling here. brady got injured. tough break but every team has to prepare for those realities. was it legal? in the eyes of the league, yes. so move on. spare us all the "nfl has it out for the patriots" whining. suck it up and move on.

pollard lunged at brady's knees becasue he was crawling on the groud after the interaction (missed chop block on morris) with morris. that was the only way pollard was going to make contact with brady...diving at brady while on the ground. brady's knees were the only place he could have hit brady. if hitting a quarterback unimpedded below the knees is an illegal hit (i believe that is the NFL rule) then pollard's hit was illegal. morris DID NOT block pollard into brady, partially or otherwise.

pollard may not be a "dirty" player but his hit on that play was illegal and perhaps dirty as it appears he intended to hit brady below the knee!

Christine and Tom made the correct points....no more needs to be said. He put his helmet to his knee on purpose.....Morris was out of the play at that point.

I don't think it helps to complain about how Pollard's hit on Brady compares to Wilfork's hit on Pennington.
I do think that the NFL was right to fine Wilfork, not because it was intentional or dirty, but because QBs, by the nature of their position, often are in vulnerable positions and such hits are likely to cause injury.
What needs to happen is that the NFL needs to: 1.) better define a hit at or below the knees and 2.) be more willing to assess penalties for such a hit to discourage them. Even though the Wilfork and Pollard hits were, IMHO legal, they were desperation lunges that should be more vigorously discouraged because they were careless and dangerous, and that's what the NFL needs to guard against.
(And by no means am I suggesting that either of these players is dirty. Each was doing his job, not giving up. What more can you ask of them?)

Just pointing out the inconsistency @ NFL Clay, that is all.
How are we suppose to interpret it when the rules are applied differently to the PATS.

Legal?? Take a look at the photo in the Boston Globe showing Pollard's helmet hitting the knee! pollard was already on the ground and lunged toward Brady's leg.

The NFL has screwed this one up.

Pollard deliberately hit Brady and he did so in the lower legs. It's not legal to go after the lower legs of the QB. I don't see how the block affects this.

At the very least, this is inconsistent with the ruling on the Wilfork case last year. The NFL has given the green light to pass rushers to hit QBs from bad angles in the lower legs and knees.

Clay, this is called an 'argument', not whining. Learn the difference.

Clay, Ur guys hit was a low hit and while it was legal it's a dirty play just lik Wilforks, just like Kimo's hit on Carson just like Finnegan's hit on Harrison a couple of years ago. Pollard knew he was going at the plant leg. He got the job done knocked the starter out. Too bad ur coach and team suck so bad. Go Raiders

The hit was questionable at best... perhaps he didn't mean to INJURE Brady, but the fact is: they guy went for his KNEES. Don't give me any B.S. about being blocked into him - WATCH THE REPLAY. He dove at his knees. Any player who does that should be subjected to consistent punishment from the league. If the NFL doesn't smarten up soon, they will lose the rabid fan base who will quickly tire of watching back-up QB's on Sunday.

Very stupid move by Pollard. Legal or not

LOL, wow, I'll admit that I too am a Chiefs fan so my view is biased, but no way that was a dirty hit. I couldn't believe when I read that it was even reviewed to determine if it was. To see the "analysis" above about whether Pollard was going after a planted leg vs a non-planted or where he was aiming for (above or below the knee). Apparently you all have never actually played football. Its so much easier to analyze things in slow motion with your tivo, try doing it full speed on the football field when your only objective is to get to the QB for a sack. And as for the league looking the other way BECAUSE its the Patriots. Are you freakin' serious?!? Every other team in the league views the league officials as biased TOWARDS the Patriots. Call up the Raiders and ask them about the Tuck Rule or call up any other team who's defensive backs have to cover Moss after his constant push offs downfield. Sorry, no tears lost here boys.

I think folks are allowing their emotions to cloud their memory. First of all it was Losman that Wilfork hit. And secondly even though Wilfork was being blocked, he clearly gave an extra effort to lunge at Losman's legs, after the QB planted his front foot, and extended an elbow to ensure that he was able to make contact. It was the elbow that did the damage.
Pollard did what any good pass rusher would have he tried to get to the QB even after getting knocked down. His extra effort was to flop towards Brady and try to grab his legs (no flying elbow directly to the knee). Unfortunately Brady was stepping up at the same time. Either way I would have no heartburn if the league had fined Pollard, and he probably wouldn't either.
However with the clear intent displayed by Wilfork, the league had no choice. For those who would say that Wilfork would not try and intentionally injure a player, ask Brandon Jacobs about the 3 stooges act that Wilfork tried to pull on him!

Clay,
People are making Pollard out to be a bad guy because he had his head up and knew where he was putting his helmet, and strutted away from the hit like a peacock at about the time a long pass was completed to Randy Moss. After the game he did some mildly veiled gloating when interviewed (I tried to appologize to him, but I don't think he could hear me over his screams). I didn't think it was dirty at first, then I saw the replays and interview. Either dirty or stupid, take your pick. We're both biased, you don't care that we lost our 2x superbowl MVP quarterback, and I don't believe that your boy wasn't trying to act out what the rest of the league has been threatening since last season. As for whinning, thanks for sharing about how bad your QBs are. Although you shouldn't expect any more sympathy than you are giving us.

The NFL has it out for the Patriots?? HAHAHAHAHA. That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. The NFL, ESPN, Reebok, and Twizzlers want nothing more than the New Yorks, New Englands, and Dallases to be on every prime time game and to win every super bowl. You are too completely blinded by your own limelight to see that. The Pats have to face adversity now and this year might actually be a challenge- welcome to the life of the average NFL fan. Injuries stink, Wilfork is a dirty player (FACT), and the season goes on.

Stop whining all the time. It's embarrassing to be a Pats fan.

I dont think it was a dirty hit...but I wonder why quarterbacks in the NFL dont wear knee braces compared to college to help protect the knees? Its not like ...Brady is a slippery runner... and at least knee operations are way more advsanced than when I had my ACL repaired 20 yrs ago....btw...I think the hot line at Vinnie's is ringing....

That sucks. Anyway whining about the leagality of the hit does no good.

As a Redskins fan, I don't really give a crap about Brady, Croyle, Damon or Wilfork. Too bad. I just wish Pollard would dive at the knees of Dan Snyder and Vinny Cerrato.........

It's KARMA...Pats sign a DIRTY player by the name of Rodney Harrison, well known has a CHEAP, DIRTY player throughout his career. That said, it was clearly NOT dirty shot, neither was Wilfork's last year. You fans are just pissed because the NFL world doesn't kiss the Patriot's butts 100 percent of the time. There was an illegal contact that wasn't called on the same play where there was a pass interference that wasn't called on the fourth down play on the goal line, there was a roughing the kicker call that was bogus when the players helmet barely touched the kicker's foot. Pass interference / illegal contact could have been called while they were raping the Chief's tight end the whole game.

Legal hit, and yeah Clay, they need to stop whining. Their guy did ithe knee capper to Loserman last year, and I recall Brady got his first chance a few years back when Bledsoe almost got killed on a huge hit and was out for months. What goes around comes around. The Pats are still very good and who knows, maybe Cassel or whatever vet they bring in will get hot. But they're going to have to fight for the division for once, the Jets and Bills are right there.

So, there is a set of rules for the Patriots and a set for the rest of the league? So now it's open season on the Patriots? Who's next...Moss?...Welker?

If Pollard "lunged" for his knee then why in every picture I have seen, you see Sammy Morris on top of Pollard and Pollard bracing his hands on the turf looking like he is trying to stop himself from going into Brady's knee? You Pats fans want some cheese with the Whine? I hardly doubt the NFL is "out to get" the Pats as well. Players get hurt everyday, it was just Brady's turn on the wheel of fate. Get over it!!! Besides the Pats aren't going to go 4-12 all the sudden. Their schedule is pretty damn easy. What better place for a rookie to come into? That is how Brady got his first start. The difference is Bledsoe never got it back because he was awful.

We can complain about whether it was legal or not. The fact of the matter is that this great game we call football is a most physical sport that is not kind to any joint. He could have touched him or hit him hard. His knee could have been damaged either way.
I feel bad for Tom. It's a long recovery after repairing an ACL. A lost season for him and potentially lost season for the Patriots without his leadership.

Again, not saying Pollard's was dirty. Just pointing out that last year the NFL said Wilfork's hit on Losman (thanks for the correction) was dirty and there was a 15 yard penalty assessed on the play and he was fined a hefty amount.

The NFL needs consistency on these calls. If I were drawing a line, I would say Pollards was worse because he was down first and then went after Brady from that position, where Wilfork was blocked and in the process of falling when he hit Losman.

Honestly, I'm just bummed Tom is out for the season. But in the interests of moving on, I'd like to see them give Cassel the opportunity to be the full-time starter, rather than bring in Simms or, god forbid, Culpepper or Bledsoe.

What about this rule? It was instituted in August 2006.

"If possible, rushing defenders must make a conscious effort to avoid low hits on the quarterback. Previously, defenders were not compelled to make a conscious effort to avoid low hits if momentum was a factor. Penalty: Roughing the passer, loss of 15 yards.
Reason for the change: Player safety. "

Did Bernard Pollard make a conscious effort to avoid a low hit? No, he made a conscious effort to make a low hit. This ruling is Patriots-specific, and it sucks.

that's how a cheap shot, nobody, like Pollard get their 15 minutes of fame. Congratulations dirtbag! You will forever live in infamy as the bitter prick who purposely knocked out of a season and probably of football the greatest quarterback to step on the football field ever. (Culpepper had a knee injury. He was never the same after it, like many others.)

I wish at some point you feel the pain Tom is feeling now and the pain you caused to his fans all over the world!

Geez, Pats fans shut up. Pollard is a hard working player, Morris was laying on top of him, and Pollard continued to try and get after the quarterback. Pollard DID NOT go after Brady's "injured right foot", he went for the QB's legs, the only part of Brady's body he could get to. Get over it. 'Oh my god, that was dirty. Everyones hates the Pats. oh my god'. You guys sounds like children. Get over yourselves.

This is exactly the reason why people prefer rugby to football. A guy gets injured in a sport that has the highest amount of risk, and you pats fans start crying. This happens obviously it's frustrating, I had the pats to win it as well. Rules are rules there aren't any rule changes that favor one team over the other. We all know the Cheat-I mean Patriots are a world class team, and have some faith in the other qb Matt something right?

It's too bad. I have to agree with the NFL's ruling since Pollard was being blocked. Therefore, his hit on Brady was low and not intentional.

Listen football is a very physical game. Injuries happen all the time. All player know thats the case. Does anyone honestly think Pollard was trying to do this to Toms Knee. Lets move on. Good luck Tom in your rehab. Hope all is well. It is a big lose for the pats, but good teams need backup plans. Lets get past all this legal hit or not talk. No one in the NFL want to hurt other player, but sometimes it happens. Buddy's Bounty Bowls left back in the 80's & 90's When Buddy Ryan stopped coaching. For the record I'm not a Pats or Chief's fan. I just love good games. OK Pats show what your made of and move on this year. Tom is a great QB and will be back.

How can you even compare this hit to Wilfork vs Losman?!! Brady still had the ball in his hand when he was hit. Losman had gotten rid of the ball long before Wilfork hit him. The worst thing about this injury is that because TB is such a golden boy of the NFL, and the Pats fans are going to whine so much, the NFL might consider making this type hit illegal. Another 10 years and it will be two hand touch on the QB. Give me a break, this is Football.

I dont think it was a dirty hit...but I wonder why quarterbacks in the NFL dont wear knee braces compared to college to help protect the knees? Its not like ...Brady is a slippery runner... and at least knee operations are way more advsanced than when I had my ACL repaired 20 yrs ago....btw...I think the hot line at Vinnie's is ringing....

Hate to see any great player hurt. With that said......see you boys at the meadowlands Sunday!

heh, seems to me that if the Patriot player, already on top of Pollard with a hold, had kept holding on to him he never would have gotten to Brady. All Patriot OL men hold excessively and get away with it. If Pollard didn't get him the guy coming from the right side might have got him - if not for the fact that he was being held.

Belichick would cry that it was all in the competitive nature of the game if one of his defensive players did this.

vince wilfork against jp losman last year? you reap what you sow.

Geez you Pats/Sox fans are beyond obnoxious. Now there is a conspiracy against the Patriots? Stop your crying...its called FOOTBALL!!!

No ones a bigger Pats fan than me, however, Morris was a factor in how Pollard landed. I don't think he would have hit Brady where he did if it wasn't for Morris. I don't think Pollard was trying to hit Brady that low.

That being said, this is just a really, really sad time. I've never gone from elated to distraught in such a short period of time.

I refuse to count the Pats out though. I wouldn't be the fan I know I am if I gave up on them. They have alot of talent and I wish them the best.

Legal or illegal, Brady is out for the year. Worse yet, however, is the fact that players who return from this surgery rarely return to their pre-injury form. Look at Carson Palmer - he is not nearly the player he was before Olvshansky hit him (a similar hit by the way). Will Brady be as good as he was before? Maybe. However, the numbers suggest that he won't be.

Pollard was on the ground then lunged towards him from the ground. Morris was there yes, but the man had no other option than to go for his knee - in my mind that is illegal, because he decided to go low. Have to stay consistent with rulings...

There must be bunch of whining Pats fans on this site! Seems that every team thinks the league is out to get them. Pats fans are no better that the Oakland fans!

Of course Pollard was trying to hit Brady, Brady had the ball, and it is the game of Football where to goal is to tackle the guy with the ball!

It was an unfortunate turn of events, and it sucks that Brady gets to escape the humiliation of the Pats being another Super Bowl loser to get lost in the shuffle this year.

The Chiefs suck, and they almost beat the Pats. The bigger problem for Pats fans to worry about now is how are the WR's going to hold onto the ball when they play a real defense this year! It was awesome to see Moss (the posterchild cry baby) fall down and fumble all on his own.

Brady being out is just one problem. I am sure more whiners will show themselves throughout the season! Moss can be the band leader.

Blame Sammy Morris. Sorry. And you know what, no one feels bad for the Patriots. You won 18 games last year, you've won 3 super bowls since Bill Clinton. No one feels bad for you.

heh, seems to me that if the Patriot player, already on top of Pollard with a hold, had kept holding on to him he never would have gotten to Brady. All Patriot OL men hold excessively and get away with it. If Pollard didn't get him the guy coming from the right side might have got to Brady - if not for the fact that he was being held.

Belichick would cry that it was all in the competitive nature of the game if one of his defensive players did this.

Legal or not does not matter - Brady is out for the year. Legal or not it was still a cheap shot - going after a guy's knees to knock him out is just a cheap shot by a cheap player.

Boy you Pats fans really do whine alot. Of course when your DB's were getting away with pass interference nearly every play 4 years ago, I bet you did not hold the same opinion that the NFL treats the Pats differently! I like how everything the Pats do is "clean", while everyone else is "dirty". What is really missing here.......well where are the comments such as "Why did our o-line let Pollard penetrate so easily" or "Why was Morris so out of position to pick up the blitzer" or "Brady held onto the ball too long or should have side stepped - where is his pocket presence". Fact is if the Pats were as good as years past, Pollard would have not gotten close to Brady. Cannot wait to see all the whining as the Pats crash and burn this year.

Karma...enjoy your vacation Brady

Posted by Hedofted

Hey Hedofted......KARMA works both you sadistic small minded person. What's your reward going to be for laughing at other people's misfortune? Talk about KARMA. Your's is ALL BAD

Boy you Pats fans really do whine alot. Of course when your DB's were getting away with pass interference nearly every play 4 years ago, I bet you did not hold the same opinion that the NFL treats the Pats differently! I like how everything the Pats do is "clean", while everyone else is "dirty". What is really missing here.......well where are the comments such as "Why did our o-line let Pollard penetrate so easily" or "Why was Morris so out of position to pick up the blitzer" or "Brady held onto the ball too long or should have side stepped - where is his pocket presence". Fact is if the Pats were as good as years past, Pollard would have not gotten close to Brady. Cannot wait to see all the whining as the Pats crash and burn this year.

This is a tough one. Pollard was clearly going for whatever piece of Brady he could get. And that's the whole point of the rule - if "whatever you can get" is below the knees, then it's illegal.

Look at the Wilfork hit on Losman. He falls forward with his elbow extended and he initiates contact. (Most people fall forward with their arms extended if they want to make a tackle.) The Brady hit is different. On the Brady hit, he is stepping forward to make a deep throw and they meet somwhere in the middle. Please look at both videos before you compare these situations. It's apples and oranges.

Poll the rest of the fans around the NFL and the consensus will be the same....injuries happen all the time. Guys go down. Teams have to step up and plug up the hole. That is the REALITY of NFL football. I am from Chicago. We played much of last year without Brian Urlacher, Mike Brown, and Tommie Harris. Nobody is shedding any tears for the New England Patriots. Better move on and figure out a way to beat The Jets this week. The AFC East just became WIDE OPEN.

So far I see three people comparing the hit to Wilfork's, and a billion calling pats fans crybabies. Yet those were probably the very same people who were calling for Wilfork's head last year.

If one hit was clean, so was the other, If one hit was dirty, so was the other.

It's football. People get hurt. Everyone quit your bitching, and Haters quit your hypocrisy.

It happens in NFL and Just happend to be pretty boy Brady.
Great for him, He will have time
to spend with his baby and baby mama this year! (and current girl friend)
What a role model he is....

Sorry Pats fans your playoff hope ended in first week.

HA HA! I love all of these out of towners coming on here telling us what cry babies we are. Seems to me that people were just answering the original question.

Jealousy is a funny thing. All of you losers with crappy football teams (i.e Jets, Buffalo, K.C. etc) now think that you actually have a chance at winning something so all of a sudden you feel better about yourselves. Guess what!? You probably thought the same thing in 2004 when Bledsoe got knocked out! Then what happened? So, when the Pats still end up with 11 wins and make the playoffs and keep your sh*tty teams out, try not to whine & complain.

By NFL rules the hit was illegal and should have been flagged, that being said it is football and things like that happen. Time for the team to regroup and start moving forward. Why the NFL said it was a legal hit is anyone's guess and for the haters out there jealousy is a terrible trait.

Sorry, you can call me a homer if you want but if wilfork's hit last year was a fineable offense then there is no way you can convince me that this one was not!! Pollard had no chance to hit anywhere but below the knees!! The NFL is just afraid of the backlash of a fine because of hte jealousey and blind ignorant hatred from other teams fans around the league!! What a travesty!! What a joke!!! And the comment about if it was manning is right on the mark!!! Shame on the NFL!!

Karma for Spygate....

It needs to be said...

Rodney Harrison, blocked to the ground and lunges towards Peyton Manning, injuring him in the same way Pollard's lunge injures Brady. No doubt we would see a flag, maybe, but, if history holds, the league office would have fined Harrison and we would see all sorts of posts calling Harrison a dirty player to be banned from the NFL for life.

That is the picture of NFL fandom today. The Pats, unfortunately, are reviled outside of this region. Fans want to see bad things happen to the Pats. Consider, for the first time in polls for SB42 of NFL cities, as to which team they wanted to see win, all 30 cities who did not have a team in the SB voted the majority wanted to see the Pats lose, they did not care for history, just to see the Pats lose.

I simply must add my two cents in favor of the Patriots, simply to counter the Patriot haters and all the despicable "cheating" comments. I support the Patriots - the entire organization, and I'm a loyal fan. I've seen the replays of the hit on Brady many times now and it's quite clear that Pollard was heading directly for Tom's knees even before he was pushed. The NFL ruling that it was a legal hit is BOGUS! I feel terrible for Brady - I'm sorry for the rest of the team that now must soldier on without him. But I'm confident that Belichick et al. will find a way to get through the season. Let's back them up and hope for the best!

The Hit Was dirty and ill bet a million Dollars that if that was one of the Mannings or L/T taking that shot and lost for the Season there would be fines suspensions and an investigation by Arlen Sphincter But whats done is done Bitchings not gonna fix Toms knee so what the Pats gotta do now is have its elite players step up and start living up to the hype and first and foremost GET CULPEPPER he has great chemistry with randy Moss and a Huge chip on his shoulder i can almost guarantee he can keep our playoff hopes alive i like cassel but cmon this was the chiefs defense Ryan Leaf could have a great game against them get Daunte work him into the system we make a playoff appearence and save face we have a roster of all-stars lets take the shot.. GO PATS!!!!!

I say we put a bronze statue of Bernard Pollard outside of Gillette "home of the crybaby" stadium. Poor long suffering Boston fans. I feel so sorry for you! You would be crying about a loss also if Bowe wouldn't have dropped that TD pass at the end.

GO CHIEFS!!!!

Wow.....it's true. Patriots fans really are the whiniest bunch of fans in the league. Toughen up cupcakes and deal with it!!!!

All the comments:

"it's football!"

"it's a contact sport!"

"get over it!"

All of those apply to Wilfork's hit. And they apply to any hit that injures someone.
The question is where does this fall under the rules. Is there any question that Pollard lunged for Brady's knee? Maybe that shouldn't be illegal, but it is.

Wow.......one Pats fan says one thing about a bad call and every other fan who roots for loser teams jumps on him........I guess you have to since we dominate in just about everything nowadays, have fun while you can........LOL Losers!!!

I dont think it was a dirty hit...but I wonder why quarterbacks in the NFL dont wear knee braces compared to college to help protect the knees? Its not like ...Brady is a slippery runner... and at least knee operations are way more advsanced than when I had my ACL repaired 20 yrs ago....btw...I think the hot line at Vinnie's is ringing....

The Hit Was dirty and ill bet a million Dollars that if that was one of the Mannings or L/T taking that shot and lost for the Season there would be fines suspensions and an investigation by Arlen Sphincter But whats done is done Bitchings not gonna fix Toms knee so what the Pats gotta do now is have its elite players step up and start living up to the hype and first and foremost GET CULPEPPER he has great chemistry with randy Moss and a Huge chip on his shoulder i can almost guarantee he can keep our playoff hopes alive i like cassel but cmon this was the chiefs defense Ryan Leaf could have a great game against them get Daunte work him into the system we make a playoff appearence and save face we have a roster of all-stars lets take the shot.. GO PATS!!!!!

Guys, I am a Patriots fan as much as you are...but you are embarrassing me. You honestly think that the NFL has it in for the Patriots? Maybe Goddell called Pollard last night and ORDERED him to hit Brady. It is football people! Players get hurt. We lost Drew Bledsoe, Richard Seymour, Rodney Harrison, Ty Law and a whole boatload of other played over the years. Yet, we kept on winning.

"It was NOT a legal hit!!!" Wah, wah, wah! Hey, Patriot fans! Get over it! And for the love of God, get over yourselves! It was a legal hit and now Brady's gone for the year, but don't worry...your coach will find a way to cheat, er, win.

I say we put a bronze statue of Bernard Pollard outside of Gillette "home of the crybaby" stadium. Poor long suffering Boston fans. I feel so sorry for you! You would be crying about a loss also if Bowe wouldn't have dropped that TD pass at the end.

GO CHIEFS!!!!

Faulke made a really poor decision during the off season, he would have been the blocking rback, and would have kept Pollard off Brady. Hey Kevin just say no.
I watched the replay 85 times and I don't see much of a dirty play and I am sick that Brady is out for the year. But now we have to get behind Cassell or Simms or whoever takes the reigns, and guess what, this year might just be a little more exciting, I agree with whoever said that Pat's fans have become complacent, counting on wins like we are entitled. Well lets SUCK IT UP AND MOVE ON!!!!

Did nobody see the entire play? Am I the only person on this thing who saw Tom Brady step' into the man on the ground? True Pollard was being mauled on the ground by 'Kimbo' Morris, but at that point brady was almost 5 yards behind them. Brady took 3 hop steps (it's what QB's do), UP into the pocket at the same time Pollard broke free of Sammy and dove. Brady plants left leg half a yard in front of Pollard, Pollard dives helmet meets knee End of Brady's season. So tell me, how is this Pollards fault? And how is this dirty?

The Hit Was dirty and ill bet a million Dollars that if that was one of the Mannings or L/T taking that shot and lost for the Season there would be fines suspensions and an investigation by Arlen Sphincter But whats done is done Bitchings not gonna fix Toms knee so what the Pats gotta do now is have its elite players step up and start living up to the hype and first and foremost GET CULPEPPER he has great chemistry with randy Moss and a Huge chip on his shoulder i can almost guarantee he can keep our playoff hopes alive i like cassel but cmon this was the chiefs defense Ryan Leaf could have a great game against them get Daunte work him into the system we make a playoff appearence and save face we have a roster of all-stars lets take the shot.. GO PATS!!!!!

Pats fans call in the WHAAAAA-bulance for the deity that is Tom Brady. C'mon, where was the vitrol for Carson Palmer being taken out in a playoff game and Pennington and Losman last year and McNabb a few years back against Arizona?

Injuries are part of this game and unless you tell defensive players that they must be on their feet to hit the QB, this can and might happen to any of the QBs in the league.

Maybe you all should lobby the league office to change the rules and while you're at it, get a skirt for Brady to wear when he gets back next year.

Give me a friggin' break you chowderhead whiners. Strap on a steel set and man-up....injuries are a part of the game, and the sooner you realize this, the better it will be for all of us.

I'm a Packers fan who attended Superbowl XXXI, when the Packers pasted the Patriots 35-21. For 2 full days prior to the game, I had to listen to a bunch of chowderheads flap their gums about how the Pats would destroy the Pack...these same fans were no where to be found after the game.

Shut your frickin pieholes already.

Wilfork should not have been persecuted for his hit and neither should Pollard. Wilfork was not trying to hurt and neither was Pollard. They should refund Wilfork's fine.

I AGREE WITH THE LOT OF YOU. tHE SHOW MUST GO ON NOW, BUT I ALSO KNOW THAT MISSERY LOVES COMPANY AND ALL THOSE JEALOUS LOSERS CAN GO TO HELL. AND I ALSO AGREE WITH THAT EVRYONE HAS IT OUT FOR THE BEST FOOTBALL TEAM IN THE LEAGUE.

Patriots are being picked on by the NFL?

No way. If anything, the Pats have been the darlings of the NFL. After 9/11, the NFL was determined to have a team with a patriotic name go to the Super Bowl.
They invented the Tuck Rule. . .funny how that was a fumble at every level of football -- from Pop Warner to the Canadian Football League.
The year before the Tuck Rule game, the Raiders were in the AFC championship game when Tony Siragusa literally jumped on Rich Gannon, ending his season and the Raiders' chance at another Super Bowl. No flag was thrown, but. . .the NFL fined Siragusa in the week following the game. And then there's the Rob Lytle fumble that wasn't called, in yet another AFC championship game. That makes three AFC Championship games. . .and three more potential Super Bowl wins by the Raiders. . .taken away by poor officiating. And don't even talk about the Immaculate Reception game. And the Pats are picked on by the NFL?

I am sincerely sorry to hear about Tom Brady's injury, though. He's facing a good 6-9 months of serious rehab. That's tough for anyone. . .and I wouldn't wish it on anyone.

Vince Wilfork ruined JP Losmans career! At least Tom Brady had a career!!!!!

With an average QB, the Pats should still have an competitive team; obviously not the same as without Tom. Think how far the Bears went with Grossman a couple of seasons ago. The locker room is probably plastered with clippings saying "Pat done without Brady". I say the Jets get slammed this weekend.

Just pointing out the inconsistency @ NFL Clay, that is all.
How are we suppose to interpret it when the rules are applied differently to the PATS.

Pollard's not a cheap player. I know someone who happens to live a few houses down from him. He just gives 110%, as he was doing on this play. He feels bad about the injury and in no way did it on purpose.

Pats fans are some SERIOUS whiners.

Matt Cassel's passer rating is 116. Thats fourth in the AFC. The Pats offense is tied for second in yards in the AFC.

That bullet Cassel fired to Moss in the back of the end zone was better then Brady.

I think the rest of the NFL is going to be sorry Brady got hurt after the Pats run the table with their backup QB.

For all you people who are talking trash about Pats fans and hate the Patriots, what the hell are you doing here then? Seriously you are a HUGE loser with way too much time on your hands to come to a BOSTON message board to talk trash about a team who you claim to hate. What's the matter your own team not interesting enough to talk about? Idiots.

Are these people seriously saying it was a dirty hit? The purpose of a defender is to stop the offensive player from making a play within the rules. Pollard was going after the man with the ball and was blocked to the ground. Had the blocker continued with his block, we wouldn't be talking about Brady being injured. Instead the blocker gave up on the play as soon as Pollard hit the ground and Pollard continued trying to tackle Brady. The hit was legal. The hit was unfortunate. I'm sorry it happened, but Pats fans need to realize that they weren't complaining too loudly about Wilfork's hit last year.

Case in point -- Brian Urlacher barely scrapped the face mask of payton manning yesterday and receives a penalty for 15 yards, keeps the offense on the field, now you tell me that officiating in the NFL is fair and impartial, yea right !

None of you that are complaining about the hit ever and yes I mean never played football, the game is fast and furious......... The hit was not something that was meant to injury anyone, bottom line.

The hit was indeed legal, I as all of you have watched it now like 100 times since it happened. My concern here is Tom Brady's ability to come back from this injury and have a productive career knowing he now has a vulnerable spot where he did not have one before. This could ruin his confidence to be a top notch QB, and for that I think this incident is terrible. No one wants to see another person get hurt, even with past history (spygate) and a winning record like no one elses in the past few years. Poor Tom man. Seriously.

Pats fans are a bunch of whiners! I loved seeing Moss trying to act like some kind of saint and saying how he doesn't play dirty. Tell it to the parking ticket officer he ran over with his car in Minnesota or all of the fans and former teammates in Oakland he quit on. The whole team is a bunch of cheating lying cry babies. The NFL better keep a look out for the spy cameras b/c the only way they are going to win now is start cheating again.

I'm an avid Pats fan. The hit wasn't dirty. Part of the game. Quit embarrassing the more level headed ones with your whining. Lets suck it up and win as many games as we can.

It was also reported (but not widely through the league) that Pollard was immediately remorseful for having hit Brady in the knee and apologized to him on the spot. A dirty, intentional act would not have brought that kind of immediate response.

It's easy to understand Pats fans being distraut over this, but it was not an intentional dirty play.

I'm sure if Rodney Harrison had "fallen" on Prince Payton's legs during a game, the league, schmuck fans, talking heads, media blow-hards, ex-players, etc would be calling for the Pats first round draft pick, BB to resign, Pats banned from the league or something ridiculous like that.

hey hey hey, good bye

waah waah, the NFL treats the Pats differently

It's the photon particles fault for going into Belicheck's camera lense while it was on, not the Pats cheating

who knew the dynasty would end with a whimper instead of a bang

What a bunch of cry babies. Cry babies who probably never played anything beyond pop warner or backyard football and think they now the game. This hit is completely different from last years hit. Intent, as best as can be determined after the fact, should play into the dtermination of legal vs illegel and that is the differentiator here.

To all those non-Boston fans...jealousy is a scary thing. Whether the hit was legal or not, The Patriots have clearly been the best football team in the league. Tom Brady was hurt and is out for the season - so all the angry people who just love to hate Boston fans can be happy for awhile.

It is only whining because non-Patriot fans don't want to hear it!

I don't think Pats fans are whining. Tom Brady is our all star quarterback and everyone cares what happens to him (and other important players). It is a real loss for our team and for Tom Brady. What a shame because I definitely don't think Cassel is going to be able to do the job no matter what Belichik does to rearrange the lineup.

While my gut reaction is "Season Over...Go Celts", logic tells me :
1. the Pats have a very easy schedule this year which could bail us out, and
2. defense wins championships not offense.

That said, why don't the Pats try to acquire Kurt Warner from Arizona for a 1-year contract? Three reason why:
1. Warner is a proven success (even at his advanced age) especially when he has a strong receiving corp (like the Pats have) to which he can throw.
2. Some of the Arizona coaches prefer Leinert to Warner and would support the trade.
3. Arizona ownership already paid up to get Leinert and view him as the team's future.
4. Warner would love to play for the Kraft family in particular.

I think we should trade Matt Casell and possibly one other player for Warner NOW!

Funny business. Out of the last 20 or so comments, one was from a Pats fan who agreed that the hit was questionable but probably not illegal.
The other 19 were from a bunch of losers who are gleeful about the damage to Brady's knee yet can't get past their hatred of the Pats for being winners and have to add what a bunch of whiners the Pats and their fans are.
I'm a football fn and not even a Pats fan. I like to see good players perform well and Brady has always been exemplary in that regard. Also, I've never heard or seen reports of him denugrating an opponent. He is always a gentleman when discussing opponents.

What a bunch of classless IDIOTS. The best QB to ever play the game gets hurt, out for the year on a dirty hit. ( he was getting back up to his hands and knees grads Brady's legs and hits Brady in the knee with his shoulder pads) .And all many of you SOBs can do is laugh and celebrate. Just goes to show you are a bunch of CLASSLESS JERKS, probably most of you are from NY. I hate the Manning bros. love to see them HUMILIATED but never wish them to be injured. The NFL needs to apply rules the same across the board. Brady was wit by Pollard on his second effort, he was diving at his knee. Definately illegal.

To the New England haters around the league.....Celts win the Title, Sox are about to repeat, and we all remember what happened in 2001 when another beloved QB went down to injury. That turned into a SuperBowl that year too. Enjoy the ride Patriot fans. It's gonna be fun! Did you really want to watch the Pats destroy teams week after week? It's getting old. A little competition makes the games so much more interesting. Remember, there's still 21 of 22 players out there and the best coach in football history.

Tom's the man and I hate to see him go down in the first game of the season but I have to tell you for fans who have watched their team win a ton of games and multiple Super Bowls in the last five years you guys are some whinny babies. "Oh so Wilfork's hit was illegal but not Pollard's". The conspiracy theorist are working overtime today. IT WAS A LEGAL HIT! Champions don't cry oh wait the people on this post don't actually play the games. Now let's see just how good the Pats really are. Remember this is a team sport. Eleven on Offense, Eleven on defense, Eleven on all the various Special Teams. All told that makes up a 53 man roster. If the Pats were only as good as one guy then Brady wouldn't have got hurt because he would be Superman.

Did anyone see the video on boston.com yesterday where Sammy Morris said he was letting Pollard up and thats when he went at Brady. Why would he let him up? The play wasn't over. He should have continued driving him into the ground until the play was dead! This is all on Morris...finish your blocks!!!

I think Tom Brady got what he deserves. The Patriots are a bunch of smug, cheating punks. Karma has finally caught up with them.

As Artie Lange would say......WaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaH. Hey, at least the Pats can secure some prime tee times now when the playoffs start up WITHOUT 'EM.

A bad call and decision on the Wilfork hit last year doesn't make this hit any less of an incidental contact. It's football for goodness sake. Stuff happens. Cassels got big shoes to fill. Everyone else are just 'haters' who are tired of the Pats beating the crap out of them year after year. Let's call a spade a spade. It's time for the Pats to 'Man up' without Brady and if the Pat's don't win it all and someone else does, there will always be the question of "What if the Pat's had Brady?" But That's football. Too bad for the NFL and Patriots. They'll both suffer monetarily without a Tom Brady. Quarterbacks of his quality don't come around often. Cassel is a good quarterback. The question is, will a great team have the confidence to be lead by him.

Watch the replay. The up back had illegally blocked Pollard and has his hand jammed into Pollard's helmet - which puts him to the ground. Pollard scrambles to get back up and the fullback rides him into Brady's knee. There would have been zero momentum if Pollard was just crawiling on the ground and hit Brady's leg. The blocking back drove him straight back into Brady. Watch the damn video!

how can that hit be legall because to begin with with he dove at morris's legs (also a penalty) then dove at brady's knee.the NFL "council"said he hit him on the knee because of morris's block but he dove at morris's legs , morris land on him pollard got up on his knees and dove at brady almost after he released the ball.another point to be made is the guy who made the call that it was a legall hit greww up and lives in kansas city

Why do the people that hate patriots keep on putting the spygate? Did they cheat there way in to the superbowl 42? Did they cheat the whole 16-0 last season? ask that to yourself cause most of you are sounding really stupid. Spygate is over the pats won 16-0 period. They did lose to giants but its a game everyone lose. You can't always be a winner. As for the video its kinda intentional but its football everyone gets injured. I suggest you to watch the AFC playoffs 3 years against steelers and bengals. Watch the hit by one of steelers lineman to carson palmer its pretty much the same thing happen to brady. It's sad to lose brady but i bet you he will redeem himself next year. Just watch.

What a bunch of whiners. Brady's out (hahahahaha) and the hit was legal. Get over it!

These statements, especially the one by Tom Miller, shock me. If anybody wants to see cheap shots, watch Rodney Harrison, one of the dirtiest players in the league. It was a perfectly legit play. There was nothing dirty about it. Pats' fans are still whining because Brady got knocked on his butt 28 times in the Super Bowl.
If the NFL was out to get get the Pats, it would taken the Pats' higher draft pick last year and Jabar Gaffney's questionable "catch" against Baltimore would have been ruled no catch, the way it should have been.

amazing! So many bitter, angry, loser fans from other teams have posted here. The fact that you morons have posted more than 70% of posts here, shows that you are still scared to death of the patriots. You should be. Bogeyman is coming for you again this season! As for the NFL ruling, it's a open seaopen for the patriots defenders... starting with grandfather farve next week.

"Quit your whining" is what all the anti-Pats fans say. Give me a break--all Pats fans have heard is whining from the rest of the league losers (Jets fans in particular). Oh, the tuck rule. Oh, spy gate (when the rest of the league was doing the same thing). Oh, they are running up the score (is it pop warner). Wah, wah, wah.

Yes, Pats fans should be upset about Brady's injury but to say they are all whiners is pretty hypocrytical.

Those of you commenters who are not Pats fans and are coming on here to rub it in, talk about an absence of class. We just lost the face of our franchise in the first quarter of the first game. There isn't a single fan base in the world that doesn't bristle with pride (and obnoxiousness) when their team is on top of the world. That's how it works!

I understand if you want to come talk trash before and after games are played, but a man just had his season ended on a very unfortunate play, a man who happens to be our best player. A man who has shown nothing but the highest respect for the game since he entered the league. Losing Tom Brady at the height of his abilities is a tragedy for all true fans of good football. Be envious of the Pats. Be jealous. I would feel the same towards the Jets if they went on a run like this. I carried these emotions with the Yankees throughout their late 90's run.

But don't be spiteful and vindictive when the face of our franchise just lost a year of his prime, when we just lost one of our icons. You're kicking a man with steel-toed boots while he's on the ground. We're venting our frustrations. Every sports fan should be allowed this. Otherwise, postmen wouldn't touch the rampages football fans would go on. Give us time to mourn our lost. Any true fan deserves that.

"Oh but wait - I'm sure the rules are applied differently against the Patriots. Forgot about that."
Dear Patriot Fans:
After three Super Bowls wins and a wrist slap for Spygate please do not try to tell fans of other teams that the Patriots are persecuted by the league and the refs. Do the words "Tuck rule" ring a bell.
By all means though, I am sorry to see your fine quarterback injured. He is a good guy.

I love all the jerks who sit there and claim that the Patriots have gotten calls and such. I have news for you clueless wonders. Other teams have received calls against the Patriots. Calls that clearly were NOT in the Patriots favor. I can name dozens like that. So please stop. You only are making fools of yourself.

The FACT is that Pollard DOVE at Brady and hit him below the knee after he had cut block Morris and had Morris land on him.

Wilfork got fined last year for hitting Losman in the lower leg. The problem is that ANYONE with half a brain and who isn't a Patriot hater could see that Brad Badger (a cheap shot artist coming out of college) had BLOCKED Wilfork into Losman to begin with.

For the NFL to say that Pollard's hit was OK and that Wilfork's hit wasn't is laughable.

Those of you who are sitting there claiming KARMA should take a step back and look at yourselves in the mirror and call yourselfs the hypocrites that you are because Brady didn't do anything to deserve getting hit like that. All you do with idiotic comments like that is prove how much of a hater you are and how worthless your opinion is.

we would like to thank the kansas city chiefs for the best hit (so far) of the season. please give us your address so we can send you a nice basket of fruit.

Yeah, the NFL really has it out for the Pats after they tried to hush up the whole Spygate thing, and it took an act of a Congressman to make any progress on it. Can anyone say karma?

You whining, sniveling, crybaby Patriot fans are the last people in the world that should be crying foul. Your coach is one of the all time cheats. Dirty hit or not, the Pats got a little Karma. Have a nice season, turd balls.

WELCOME TO WHINER WORLD!

For as many Championships the Pats have won, the fans sure are a bunch of whiners. The hit was legal, the rules are the same for the pats. . . .even though they cheat.

Everyone is making such an issue of this. I am not an AFC East fan so maybe I can provide some impartial, reasonable perspective.

I played football through college and coached it in college. Things like this happen, and they are not good. Whatever Wilfork or any other player ever did with other refs during another season in another game is irrelevant. There is no way to condemn Pollard. It is not clear that he did it on purpose. You can speculate that he may have been trying to, but you are just fooling youself. It is not reasonable to conclude that. There is no way to reverse the Wilfork penalty. There is no way to bring Brady back.

However, do not count the Patriots out. Cassel is a system guy. Brady is great, but I will bet Cassel is not going to make mistakes and the Pats will still be a force. I hate the Pats because I like underdogs. I like many of the Pats players but not the team. But in all fairness, they will play well. They have one of the very best coaching staffs and one of the best TEAMS. They play well together and love each other. That means even the QB position, if filled by a guy with the right attitude, will be prosperous.

Yes, it would be fun to cackle and watch the implosion, but do it when the TEAM is weak, not just one player injury.

Illegal hit absolutely! the league has it in for the Patriots. Belichick will prove once again how great a coach he is and choose the right quarterback to fill the spot. So watch out AFC and all the Pats haters most of your teams still suck anyway.

To the fans that are happy that a player went down in his prime you show that you have no class and want your "honest" teams to win no matter what it cost to the other team - I feel sorry for you because you obviously do not enjoy watching the sport you just want your teams to win. I suppose that if your son's or daughter's got hurt playing a sport you would be the parent that would want the player that hurt them banned from the league and you would sue -

The Pats are down but not out. I enjoy watching Tom Brady on the field he makes the game exciting - win or lose. He doesn't cheat - he did not get caught cheating - he is an individual that now faces a long rehab because of a sport he loves to play -

They fined Wilfork and dragged his name through the mud for a hit on Losman that was clearly less intentional than this hit was.

That's the NFL for you: fair, even handed and unbiased - huh!

While my emotional gut reaction was "Season Over", logic tells me :
1. the Pats have an easier schedule this year which could bail them out, and
2. defense wins championships not offense.

That said, why don't the Pats attempt to acquire Kurt Warner from Arizona for a 1-year contract? Four reasons why:
1. Warner is a proven success (even at his advanced age) especially when he has a strong receiving corp (like the Pats have) to which he can throw.
2. Some of the Arizona coaches prefer Leinert to Warner and would support the trade.
3. Arizona ownership already paid up to get Leinert and view him as the team's future.
4. Warner would love to play for the Kraft family in particular.

I think the Pats should trade Matt Casell and possibly one other player for Warner NOW!

Been Pats fan for 30+ years, through all the ups and downs. Have seen some nasty stuff done to and by the Pats, but this looked to me liked one of those things that just happen. Really tough luck, but gotta, as someone else said, man up...and move on.

To the fans that are happy that a player went down in his prime you show that you have no class and want your "honest" teams to win no matter what it cost to the other team - I feel sorry for you because you obviously do not enjoy watching the sport you just want your teams to win. I suppose that if your son's or daughter's got hurt playing a sport you would be the parent that would want the player that hurt them banned from the league and you would sue -

The Pats are down but not out. I enjoy watching Tom Brady on the field he makes the game exciting - win or lose. He doesn't cheat - he did not get caught cheating - he is an individual that now faces a long rehab because of a sport he loves to play -

Let's Go Jets!

boston fans...get over it, you get every break every year and it is still not enough. i am so sick of hearing boston fans whine...always the same w/ red sox fans (the WORST) i travel the country and you are the WORST!!!!!

FANS OUTSIDE OF NEW ENGLAND: ENJOY YOUR MOMENT. TITLE-TOWN HAD A BAD DAY - THAT IS ALL. WE ARE STILL REIGNING CHAMPS OF MLB AND BASKETBALL AND YES, WE WILL WILL - WITHOUT BRADY - PROBABLY WIN MORE GAMES THAN YOUR TEAM FROM YOUR PATHETIC PART OF THE COUNTRY. SO GET YOUR GIDDY GLEE FOR ONE LOUSY DAY. WE LOVE OUR PART OF THE WORLD (THE MOST BEAUTIFUL PLACE ON THE PLANET TO BE THIS TIME OF YEAR!!) AND OUR VASTLY SUPERIOR SPORTS TEAMS. WATCH AND LEARN AS THE PATS AND BILL B. ADAPT AND PUT UP THE W'S WITHOUT BRADY. IT WILL BE PAINFUL FOR YOU BUT A GOOD LEARNING EXPERIENCE. HAHA. OH, AND GO SOX!!!!! (ANOTHER TITLE COMING) BWAWAWAWAWA

If there's a team who can adjust quickly to adversity it's the Patriots. A nightmare scenario it's true, but anyone who knows Belichick knows he can figure this out too. Let's get on with the season and show them what we're made of! I'm betting the Pats will go at least 11 - 5 and make the playoffs too. We'll start with the Jets next week...

This is gonna be the most exciting season we've had in years: Imagine going into a game where we aren't sure we'll win. How long has it been since we felt like that?

Please get over it. All of you. Those of you calling Pats fans whiners and losers, go cry in your own lives. Don't you have anything better to do than to come taunt us? Really, you should be ashamed of yourselves.

Boston fans have a right to be proud of their teams. Since 2001 we've had a great run. We've been dealt a blow with the loss of Brady. Arguing over what happened is just silly. Conspiracy theories are just silly. It's not going to bring Brady back any sooner. Let's BE FANS and stand behind our team.

Everyone else can just go away and cheer for their teams.

Pollard was blocked to the ground...end of play #1. Then, he continues lunging forward and strikes Brady in the knee with his head gear...end of play #2.

To link these two plays as one continuous play is inaccurate and the NFL should reconsider the penalty and fine for Pollard. Otherwise, they should refund Wilfork's fine and declare open season on all NFL QBs.

RICK YOU ARE WHAT IS WRONG WITH BOSTON!!!! THAT IS THE KIND OF ATTITUDE THAT EVERYONE ELSE IN THE COUNTRY CANNOT STAND YOU FOR...THINKING YOU ARE BETTER THAN EVERYONE ELSE. GUESS WHAT?? YOU ARE NOT!!!!

I hate Patriots fans. Get over it. Tom Brady was hit, and he's hurt. The hit was clean. A lot of you have an issue with the fact that Pollard is not getting fined and wasn't flagged, but the only reason you find fault with this is because Brady got hurt. If Brady did not get hurt on the play, and rather just fell down, and there was no flag or fine, nobody here would have even noticed the play and certainly nobody would be calling for Pollard to get fined. It was just bad luck that Brady got hurt on the play. There was clearly no malicious intent in the play and Pollard was just doing his job by going after the QB. It sucks for the Pats, but what would an unjust fine do? Nothing. Cry me a river Pats fans.

Wow. It was a clean hit. You are in the heat of the battle. He was trying to tackle the guy. He was blocked. He saw he had a chance to get him. As Brady was throwing he tackled his knee. Bad timing. I really don't care since I am a NFC fan. Get over it Patriot fans. You whine way too much

I'm wondering if this is the way all these lunatics who normally posted to the Forums will now have to post? Well, it's seems that it will just the same as the Forums! I feel bad that Tom is out, but this could easily happen to any team in the NFL. This could happen to Peyton Manning, and where would the Colts be without their Franchise player? Nowhere! We can only hope that Matt Cassel will deliver and the defense, as aging as it is, gets the job done. There is no I in Team people! Let's go Pats! Let's see if they can prove those that say they can't do it without Brady!

PS: I thought that there was no profanity allowed on the Forums, why here? If that is allowed, all "heck" will break loose! Does anybody monitor this blog?

Ha ha ha!!!! Its not the PATRIOTS fans who are crying losers. Its the whole bunch of you thats crying cos you never got to WIN like us. Match our records and then you get a legitimate right to type crap. Brady was the best of the bunch of sissies you host for QB's. FACE IT. We certainly lost Brady but watch out for you still have to deal with the rest of the team who have made you look like kids in all the games . So long!! You just got lucky this year that the best of the rest is hurt. TRY and get a win while you can, if you can!

When looked at the play from 1 angle that chiefs player w/ his Helmet his Brady right in the Knee that could have been avoided but It wasn't there should be a Rule in the NFL they are not allow to do they or they get suspended w/ out pay, and have to pay a fine many people think it wasn't a dirty play but if you look at that play That could have been avoided him hitting his HELEMET ON BRADYS KNEE CAP which ended brady career maybe and all because the guy had to hit him w/ his helmet in the knee cheap shot

"How can Patriot fans argue whether something is legal or illegal? Your whole run has been tainted with vagaries of truth and twisting of rulebooks (tuck rule). Karma, people.

Maybe now you'll respect the game."

Read the rule book loser, ala the Tuck Rule. That wasn't a "twist".

what is all the big fuss about? legal or illegal does that bring Tom Brady back?

Amen to those who have said this is football, and this happens sometimes. I'm sad about Brady, but it's the Patriots team I root for, and have since well before they were winners in the past seven years. I'll still be watching the games and hoping for the best.

Now I'm going to go watch the Sox make a run for the AL East, and it's not much more than a month until the World Champion Celtics begin their season by raising banner #17 to the rafters. It's still good to be a Boston fan, folks.

And anyone who relishes in another person being seriously injured is totally CLASSLESS. The irony of being called losers by such cretins is breathtaking.

some of these pro pats posts are the worst ever, and they should make patriots fans (and boston sports fans) embarassed at some of their counterparts

im very surprised youre all assuming the season will go on now that brady is out and the pats are a super long shot to win the championship. I mean, why even bother with the other 16 weeks?

"if it was the pats then wah wah wah, but because it was against the pats wah wah wah"

i dont even know why im writing this. no pats fan will think about it

Pretty Pathetic that it takes Brady going down for any other team to have a chance. Oh yeah...the Giants will be a one hit wonder...mark my words. If you aren't from New England, you're a sore loser.

The NFL doesn't want the controversy that would engulf a player and the league if they ruled that KC's player wiped out Brady's knee on an unsportsmanlike play.

It's a double standard. Yes, he was blocked into Brady but he was lunging at Brady's knees.

Vince Wilfork got nailed to the cross last year for a similar scenario at Buffalo and he didn't even hit the guy to the degree that Brady was hit and injured.

If a guy hits a QB in the knees while he's throwing, it's a cheap shot. It's a blindside hit and the QB has no chance to defend against it. Pure and simple.

Most of you bozo's who applaud the injury have obviously never played a "down" in your life.

Have another beer, you losers.

How can a team that employs Rodney Harrison talk about dirty hits? Trent Green has never been the same. Also, Rodney's hit was dirty and in the preseason.

To everyone that posted here regarding running up the score. You are all idiots. As a professional athlete if you don't want to be scored upon stop the other team. That is what you get paid to do. All of the talking heads said the same thing. As far as playing the starters in the last game they were chasing a perfect game, any coach would have done the same thing, so please don't think it was just the Pats. I do agree with you that whether the hit was legal or not does not change the fact that Brady is done for the season. The Pats need to find a way to get past this and win in order to proved that they are a great team.

Another classic example of the NFL's rules application - one set of rules for the league, another for the Pats. Pollard should be fined and suspended, if not we want him to have a wresting match with Wilfork!

Brady,

I feel sorry for you. Get better and we'll see you in 2009. In the meantime, we'll try to win this season. I hope the rest of the team uses this as fuel to go 19-0 this season!

Is this what the message board looked like in '01 when Bledsoe got hurt? Ya never know, Cassel could be the next Tom Brady...suck it up Patsies...

Hey all you Pats whiners...all these other pussies on this board hate you cuz if you're winning...they must be losing!!!! It's the same crowd that will be calling the Red Sox fans whiners...Fans of the opposition...

I think it is time for the NFL nation to tip a cold beverage to the loss of Brady.

Now, that the Sox have gotten over the jinx (for now) it is time to see the Patsies will do with terrific Tom.

I can't wait to hear Bostonians call the hit foul just like the Buckner play. The Pats will be just like the Sox in the early 1900's and your franchise is heading into a deep freeze.

Enjoy Patriot Nation!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's called K-A-R-M-A, Mr. Brady.

I think it is time for the NFL nation to tip a cold beverage to the loss of Brady.

Now, that the Sox have gotten over the jinx (for now) it is time to see the Patsies will do with terrific Tom.

I can't wait to hear Bostonians call the hit foul just like the Buckner play. The Pats will be just like the Sox in the early 1900's and your franchise is heading into a deep freeze.

Enjoy Patriot Nation!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It was a cheap shot, lets be real. But it's all good because once we win this year through the adversity it will be so much sweeter, and we will be on top as usual. One man don't make a team, granted he is a BIG part of it. But we still have the best talent in the AFC if not the NFL, so get ready suckers and haters PATRIOT NATION is just getting warmed up for another us against the world run that will end in us celebrating with champaign and the Lombardi trophy. In fact after this season the trophy will have to be renamed the Bellichick trophy as he will be the greatest coach in the history of the NFL without a doubt!!

Man I have never in my life heard more crying and bitching in my life. I was always a Red Sox fan but you whinners have about turned me into a Yankee's fan. I am a Chiefs fan and I am sorry for what happened to Brady. I can assure you that Pollard didn't mean to hit his knee. It is called football people. Pollard was trying to make a tackle...nothing more.

Why would a player from the Kansas City Chiefs, a team that really has no hope of making it to the playoffs, intentionally injure Tom Brady? You guys really need to take a pill. Injuries happen, and in all honesty you guys should be thanking your lucky starts that TB has stayed as healthy as he has through the years. He's been much more fortunate in that regard than a lot of other quarterbacks.

i'm going to do my best to be impartial......he dove at Brady's knees, plain and simple. whether it was manning, big ben, brett favre, leagal or not, I'm going with my gut and calling it a less than ethical play. I'd bet Pallard, deep down, knew what he was doing. why do you think he was so quick to run and tell everyone and anyone who would listen that it was legal? Feeling a little guilty maybe?

Regardless of what i think, what the NFL thinks, or what Patriot haters think, the NFL lost one of the best, most respected, and classiest players in the league.
in my opinion, a league full of Pac-Man's can ill-afford to lose playerslike Brady.

I wish him a speedy recovery and i look forwad to seeing him do what he does next season.

People who say that watching it in slow motion is unfair are idiots. Yeah the game is fast but Pollard dived helmet first face down into his knee and only after hitting Brady did Morris land on Pollard.

Pats welcome back to the land of disrespect.

By all accounts Brady was screaming in pain.

Normally I would never wish an injury on anyone....except Tawmmy, Belicheat, Kraft and the rest of pompus Massholes in the razor.

I've never met a ruder fan base than these shitweasles, and yes, that includes Raiders fans.

Karma biitches, karma.

Tootles,

-sdbound

If there's a team who can adjust quickly to adversity it's the Patriots. A nightmare scenario it's true, but anyone who knows Belichick knows he can figure this out too. Let's get on with the season and show them what we're made of! I'm betting the Pats will go at least 11 - 5 at make the playoffs too. We'll start with the Jets next week. This is gonna be the most exciting season we've had in years: Imagine going into a game where we aren't sure we'll win. How long has it been since we felt like that?

As for those of you who are rejoicing in a season ending injury, you're disgusting. I wouldn't wish that injury on any player.

clearly a cheap shot.
anyone posting here that is not from new england or a pats fan needs to get a life. you call us crybabies and whiners. whatever. go back to your own message boards and your miserable lives. i will never understand you trolls, are your lives so fruitless, sad and pointless that you feel the need to go to other cities web sites and spew ignorance. you are obviously obsessed and jealous, why else would you post here. nobody cares what you think. the patriots will prevail, even without Brady.

I can't believe fans of a team that has won as much as NE has lately would cry and whine and moan this much about such a freak incident. Oh, boo hoo, woe is me, everyone hates us, everyone else gets to cheat against us, life isn't fair.

Stand up and take it like men. This is pathetic.

Right now, the only other person involved with football in any way, shape, or form who agrees with those who say the hit was dirty is RANDY FREAKING MOSS. Congratulations, you all have followed the same logic and reached the same conclusion as that shining paramount of virtue and decision-making. Be proud.

clearly a cheap shot.
anyone posting here that is not from new england or a pats fan needs to get a life. you call us crybabies and whiners. whatever. go back to your own message boards and your miserable lives. i will never understand you trolls, are your lives so fruitless, sad and pointless that you feel the need to go to other cities web sites and spew ignorance. you are obviously obsessed and jealous, why else would you post here. nobody cares what you think. the patriots will prevail, even without Brady.

OK. I'm over it. Thanks for the advice! As a Pats fan, I don't think it was an intentional attempt to injure so I wouldn't classify it as a "dirty" hit. It was, however, certainly an illegal hit. The replay clearly shows that the defender had released Pollard. Pollard then lunged at full speed without any defender touching him straight into the back of Brady's knee. No question it was illegal. No one touched Pollard from the time he dove until after the damage was done. Any player would have ruptured the ligaments in their knee if they were hit the same way. It's a tought break but I think the Pats will still win 11 games. Remember I wrote that!

Are you guys serious? First off if you look at the tape Morris was partially on top of Pollard. If you notice whenever Pollard dives towards Brady so does Morris. Is it because Morris is partially on top of him or kind of holding him down. Maybe instead of blaming Pollard you should blame Morris? Furthermore the hit of Wilfork last year was not the same at all. Wilfork was blocked took two more steps then dove at Losman's knee leading with his elbow. Really is it all a conspiracy? Or is it the game of football? Stuff happens now you can find out how good a football team you really are!

i dont care if the hit was legal or not
im glad tom brady is out for the season
the pats deserve it because they are cheaters

A big Patriot fan and Brady supporter. I watched the hit a dozen times and can't fault Pollard. He did what he is supposed to do. It was just a terrible accident. Oh well.....

i dont care if the hit was legal or not
im glad tom brady is out for the season
the pats deserve it because they are cheaters

HaHaHaHa

read comment 144 again. he has it exactly right. pollard might not have lunged if he had been able to see what he was hitting, but, his head was turned. he's a young player, give him a break.

I HAD thought the rule stated that a player could not go after the QB below the knees.

Anyone able to quote the related rule.

See ya next season Tom.

Get well quickly.

"some of these pro pats posts are the worst ever, and they should make patriots fans (and boston sports fans) embarassed at some of their counterparts"

And some of these anti-Pats posts are the worst ever. I can understand not liking the team, I can understand not liking Brady, but to say things like he deserved it... that it's karma (what did Tom Brady do, exactly, to earn this?), that's just immature.

I'm embarrassed for those people. Talking trash about a guy who has an extremely painful injury and has to undergo surgery.

Yes, there are some extreme Pats fans out there, just like there are extreme fans of just about every other team. But some of us are level headed... some of us enjoy watching the game, and even talking to other fans about their teams.

"I mean, why even bother with the other 16 weeks?"

Because it's a game, and even with setbacks, the game has to continue. The Patriots have a Pro Bowl offensive line, they have a great running game, and they have great wide receivers. The season isn't over, especially with how the rest of the AFC looked on Sunday.

WOW! I am amazed! It happened and it is done. Coach has already moved on, why can't we???? What happened the last time a NE QB was sidelined with a MAJOR injury??? Oh yeah I remember, BRADY! He is one of a kind and no one would dispute that, but we have a lot of football to play before we give up. Let's be honest, SD and Indy didn't look so great and considering all we have been through we should ALWYS be optomistic....I mean it did take a backup QB to make our Super Bowl dream come true, and then twice more

Okay Pats Fans...I request you look once again at the difference in the two hits you keep complaining about.

Wilfork blatantly puts his elbow into the hit on Losman. It has the stink of malicious intent.

Pollard scrambled and dove, he was impeded, and with arms out stretched struck Brady in the knee. He appeared to be trying to get any piece of the QB he could.

You need to take a look without your huge fan goggles on. It sucks that Brady is out, but the NFL is not out to get the Pats. If they were they would not have destoyed all of the tapes you turned over to them. They would have actually had to admit to possible wrong-doing.

Get off your high horse, you lost fair and square last year and you will face a season with out one of your stars...you still have a team better than half the league without Brady...have some faith at least you do not live in Detroit.

"Obi Wan, you're my only hope"

Let's face it, with Brady out for the season, this has to be a great feeling for all of these fans who follow teams that otherwise, wouldn't have a chance in Hell of going 8-8 let alone going the playoffs. So let them be happy. After all, they must be getting tired of the Patriots kicking the sh!t out of their team and embarrassing them year in and year out. It has to be tough for these losers.

Hey, if it takes the end of the season for the best quarterback in the history of the NFL to help your season when your players, coaching staff and general management couldn't do it under normal circumstances, all the power to them.

brady's done, youre done, they cheated, quit crying...

GO RAYS!

All of you talk about the tuck rule as if it was differently interpreted in behalf of the Pats. If my memory serves me correctly THAT WAS THE RULE. It was an awfully shitty rule and lacked any sort of logic behind it, but they made the call to the T. It was called word for word as was stated in the NFL's rule book, but was changed the next season for obvious reasons. Now, while I don't believe Pollard's hit was in any way malicious, it was still against the rules. The Wilfork incident is a perfect example of the NFL's "flipflopping" with this particular situation however hard some of you try to argue otherwise. You can't possibly argue that Wilfork's hit was more intentional than Pollard's. Period. The dude was on his knees and decided to lung at Brady, while Wilfork was pushed and uncontrollably threw out his arm trying to make contact. Just look at the picture on the front of today's globe. It's pretty obvious how controlled Pollard's movement was. Simply said, however unintentional Pollard's result was, what he did was stupid, against the rules, and he should be punished according to league rules involving illegal contact with a QB below the knees. Is that not what happened? It looks pretty black and white to me. And lastly, true some New England fans need to educate themselves in neutrality and find sources other than Barstoolsports.com for their information, but the overwhelming jealousy that the haters of less fortunate fanbases so adamantly display does certainly get annoying. We react to success the same way you would (although you'll probably never experience it on such a widespread level), and I understand how you could lose sleep over long prayers asking for such fortune. It is not only despicable, but I would think a waste of time and energy wishing bad luck upon anyone or anything. You are all truly pathetic.

It's too bad for Brady. Good thing he as 3 rings to keep him company during his injury.

Everyone hates us becasue they ain't us.

GO SOX....

lmmfao! You patsie fans are a bunch of idiots. Has 1 KC fan cried about your boy blatently driving Croyles shoulder into the turf? No. Look I hate to see any player hurt. But you guys are some whining ass pussies. Defenders dont block for one, (as poster #2 stated). The kid was trying to make a play. And while being face masked, held and jumped upon, did just that. Moss is butt hurt cause he wont get as many touchdowns. He was the only person with any football knowledge saying it was dirty. Poor Randy. Grow up, get a life. Better yet learn the game. The NFL ruled it legal. It happens to the best, but you dont pitch a bitch unless it's your boy.

What i see here is a bunch of people still living in the past. The Wilfork thing happened LAST YEAR, GET OVER IT. The Pollard hit was CLEAN, GET OVER IT. Its amazing that pats fans only say its dirty when its their guy. whats even more amazing is that the pats have the DIRTIEST PLAYER in the LEAGUE at safety. I have to admit (this is my living in the past moment) i was ESTATIC to see the Giants win. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA. GO CHIEFS!!!!!!

Derek from philly, please shoot yourself anyway and do us all a favor.

Why don't they just have armed guards around the QB?That will protect their franchise and save them lots of money from their $200 ticket prices..

This is called Football as you ex players now. Crap happens in any sport, I am not a Pat fan but it sucks when an injury like this happens no matter who it is.

They still have a potent offense and defense. They'll be in the playoffs.

It sure didn't look like the Refs had it in for the patriots when your Dback tackled Dwayne Bowe on the last play of the game....or did we whining, spoiled Boston sports fans forget about that one. You lost your star cuz of a clean hit!!! Boo hoo, quit crying and hope at least your red sox can give you something to watch till the Celtics season starts cuz the PATS are DONE!!! Maybe it is just Karma for all the times Belichick ran the score up on everyone last year!!

I've not heard conspiracy theories run rampant like this since...well...Mel Gibson's movie "Conspiracy Theory." To those of you who claim it is a conspiracy, ask yourself a question. Answer honestly. Why would the league not fine the pants off anyone who damages the poster boy for the NFL, especially if the hit is remotely close to dirty? Hmm. That's a mystery.

Second, to the guy who said it was the turf. Dude. Really?

Third. Your best bud, Rodney has more cheapshot/dirty hits, as a Pat, than anyone in this league. Yet you want to sweep all those under the rug. Maybe your just peeved that he's been beaten to the punch? What if the roles were reversed? Methinks you'd be screaming "legal, legal, legal, clean!"

Lastly, if you want to tally the legalities and illegalities of that play, Sam-I-Am wins hands down. Let's see...holding, check...illegal hands to the face, check...personal foul face mask, check...criminal sodomy, check.

One word ...... Karma. I will use one of Tom Brady's Super Bowl Week quotes here. "Is Plax gonna play defense". No Tom, Plaxico plays offense and unfortunately for you, you don't play either anymore. Maybe next year unless of course it is career ending and the I say go play hide the helmet with Gisele. Adios!

the guy dove at brady's knee; a clean football tackle involves wrapping the player up, not targeting a vunerable joint.

brady got the throw off and completed the pass; it was nearly late contact.

plus the guy jumped up and was thrilled by what he'd done. then tried to subdue himself after realizing that millions of people witnessed what had happened.

others are right in that if this had happened to one of the mannings or favre there would be no doubt that he deserved to be fined and suspended.

i'm not even a Patriot's fan.

i'm just sick from watching wide angle, slow motion replays of the incident and hearing that there was no dirty play involved!

You Patsey fans need to get over the hit. When you got caught cheating, Brady was
aware and using the information to throw 50 TD passes.

Unfortunately for Tom God was watching.

Law of averages was bound to catch up with Brady (Injury-wise that is) its just too bad his first mentionable injury in years is a season ender. (He played last year with the ankle) Im hoping to get to see O'Connell play since I thought he might be the eventual Brady replacement when Tommy moves on to modeling full time.

willfork's hit on losman was a wwe atomic elbow , the hit on brady was karma . i watch brady cry if he gets touched so its no suprise they are crying foul cause he thinks its illegal to bump into him in the tunnel . he's good but that doesnt make him have a special set of rules and he reminds me of this kid from school that such a hard person to like .

All the tears of fans of other teams.. yummy.. I love watching you get giddy over the Brady injury, it shows how fearful you are. The reason they brought up the Wilfork hit was that it shows that the league didn't make this decision based on any rules or facts, they want parity in the league and are happy that Brady is down because it gives other teams a better shot. I bet Goodell purchased one of these shirts. As for the tuck rule, it was called before that game and has been called since.. the Pats not only went onto the SB, they won it, and two others, and went to a fourth.. the Raiders have done what since then? Stop crying.. stick to what you know best, dressing like it's halloween.

In the past, the NFL has ruled that hitting the QB below the knee or in the head is illegal. By not fining Pollard they have unequivocally stated that in certain instances it is perfectly acceptable to drive your helmet into the QB's knee. Well done NFL. Nice consistency.

Yes Rob, the NFL was just praying so hard for one of their superstars to get hurt. It makes so much sense...Any impartial source is saying Pollard's hit was clean so it is pretty hard to listen to Patriots fans whine that it wasn't. Could it be that they are speaking with their emotions rather than rationally? Also I can understand that you can make an argument about Wilfork being blocked into Losman but wow did that hit look bad in replays. Wilfork was blocked into the quarterback but on the way down the dude stuck out his elbow and honestly appeared to be aiming it directly at the QB's knee. I am willing to say it could have been just as accidental as Pollard's, I'm just making the point that it looked way way worse.

wilford sticks and elbow out. no one on his back.........pollard is receaching. with 230 lbs on his back.... hey wait a min.......wasn't green of the chiefs taken out by a falling def lineman with a blocker in on his back........jeeze get over it ....new england has been whining about getting picked on since 1773

Guess what Patriots haters-it doesn't matter-Pats still win and you haters STILL don't get that Pats are great because they are a team and play as a team. Of course the hit was illegal-ask someone who is learning the rules of the game in high school. Does not matter how much you hate grows-it still inspires the Pat's to win in spite of your childish rants.