What, dear fan, are you more willing to accept? Quarterbacks pummeled and possibly hurt on a weekly basis? Or rule enforcement that protects them but at times makes a mockery of the effort? If we've learned anything during the first two weeks of the 2018 season, it's that the NFL has bet on the latter -- even as that bet escalates into one of the biggest stories of the year.
On multiple fronts, and with little public warning, the league has further elevated its extreme measures to protect quarterbacks. There were another six roughing-the-passer penalties during the first 15 games of Week 2, including a questionably-interpreted but game-altering call against Green Bay Packers linebacker Clay Matthews.