Vince Will Fork Over the Dough

It's better than a suspension.

NT Vince Wilfork had a reluctant visit with commish Roger Goodell about his elbow to the helmet of Denver Broncos QB Jay Cutler. While a suspension was an option, Goodell showed some leniency and just fined Wilfork, but it is a hefty fine.

The cost of that hit on Cutler is $35,000, which is more than what some people make in a year. That's not the case for Wilfork, but he will feel the loss of Benjamins.

Unfortunately the story doesn't end after he pays the fine and promises to be careful in the future. From here on out, the league will be watching.

St. Louis said they would send tapes of plays the officials should had called penalties on. In that game the Patriots did not get penalized. They were flagged once, but the penalty was declined. The Rams feel they have proof that New England was guilty of more than one infraction and St. Louis will bring them to the league's attention.

I'm sure at least one of the plays will be an accused late hit by DT Richard Seymour. They showed the replays of the hit on Rams QB Mac Bulger and it was on the fringe. Considering how the refs are calling personal fouls nowadays, it wouldn't had surprised me if Seymour was penalized on that play, if not more on Sunday.

We already know the league won't brush off the Rams. The NFL is very interested in protecting the property. They've used tape to levy fines and suspensions before. Just ask New York Jets safety Eric Smith. He was fined $50,000 and suspended a game for his hit on Arizona receiver Anquan Boldin in the season opener. Or talk to Pittsburgh's Hines Ward who was fined for what looked like clean blocks.

Bottom line: The league is cracking down like never before on hard hits. What used to be good football is being legislated out and deemed excessive. And the Patriots will be one of the teams under the spotlight.

It doesn't matter that S Rodney Harrison, the consensus dirtiest player in the league, is on injured reserve. Seymour has been accused of being a dirty player already. And Wilfork was fined a total of $35,000 last year for four infractions, including a low hit on Buffalo passer J.P. Losman and the Three Stooges-like finger through the facemask of Giants running back Brandon Jacobs.

They won't be the only Pats that must be on their best behavior. Their teammates will be guilty by association until they prove otherwise. So when WR Randy Moss goes up for a jumpball in the endzone, he better be careful with his hands or that will be offensive pass interference. The defensive backs can't even get too physical with opposing wide outs. The whole team is on notice.