The NFL reached Peak No Fun League this season, the result of another attempt to crack down on the kind of insidious, soul-draining behavior that threatens to undermine the fabric of the game. In other words, spontaneous joy is out. So are most forms of celebration and darn near every ounce of shade players toss at one another. Taunting penalties have spiked, at one point up more than 200 percent compared with last season. Unsportsmanlike conduct penalties have risen, and ejections have nearly tripled last season's total.
How to make sense of a world scared straight?