I’d have become an Andrew Whitworth fan today. Can’t tell you how glad I was to see one of our guys show some balls.

Henderson’s illegal hands to face occured during the play, a play in which Fitz hit TJ for a substantial gain. The personal fouls occured after the play was over. I understand the offsetting penalties, but how can the NFL justify erasing the Bengals’ substantial gain, particularly when it was the Jaguars who committed a foul during the play? How about this – PF’s offset, but enforce the illegal hands to face or allow the Bengals to accept the result of the play.

This pisses me off because the Jags ended up getting momentum from this play (because it erased the Bengals gain), a momentum shift that resulted in the Field Goal/Fumbled Kickoff sequence.

Henderson should be suspended for his actions – if Goodell suspends Whitworth, may a pox befall the Goodell family for three generations. How can the league expect a player to not retaliate when his eyes are being gouged?

 Yes, the Bengals wrecked their run at perfection this past Sunday. No longer staring down the prospect of 0-16. Or rather, embracing it. The Bengals beat a team that came into town on a half tank of gas and decimated by injuries. Which describes the Bengals on most Sundays too. Congratulations to the Bengals for avoiding the distinction of becoming the first team in the History of the NFL to go 0-16 in the regular season. It still doesn’t change the team’s ownership or the 98-180 record Mike Brown has built. Let’s discuss the only important moment of yesterday’s sad affair.

  John Henderson vs Andrew Whitworth. It started with an uppercut from Henderson that ripped Whitworth’s helmet off during a play. As the two continued to lock limbs and struggle. Henderon reached around Whitworth’s unprotected head, in a half head lock motion, and rake at Whitworth’s eyes four or five times. At this point, Whitworth began defending himself, throwing numerous punches into rookie’s facemask.

  Both squads on the field began to join the fray. Referees attempted to control the situation. Yellow flags flew. Whitworth gathered himself, then started yelling across to Henderson. Henderson never regained control. Teammates led Henderson off the field as he continued to display what could only be called, uncontrolled anger. Finally regaining some cool once he reached the sideline. The stadium crowd awoke from their listlessness sleep of 2008. And the referees tossed both players.

  Looking at the incident in hindsight, Whitworth was within his rights to defend his eyesight. Frankly, he would have been within his rights to retrieve his helmet and crown Henderson to the ground with it. Henderson’s actions are no less reprehensible than a Titan’s player stomping on another player’s head. Henderson should be suspended for 4 games if not the remaining games of the 2008 season.

 Henderson should also make a public acknowledgement of his actions. The NFL should make it a condition of his reinstatement. And the Jaguars front-office should require it too.