CHICAGO — Somewhere Al Davis is rolling over in his jumpsuit.
The late Raiders owner is known for his defensive doctrine: the other team's quarterback must go down and he must go down hard.
But when it comes to hitting the passer, the NFL has gone soft.
It's all Aaron Rodgers' fault. In a game last October, he was driven into the ground by Vikings linebacker Anthony Barr, breaking his collarbone.
In an effort to protect their biggest stars, the league reacted — or perhaps overreacted — by implementing Rule 12, Section 2, Article 9 of the NFL rulebook saying a defensive player may not unnecessarily or violently throw the QB down or land on top of him with some of most of the defender's weight.