Jonathan Dwyer, Not Ray Rice, Is NFL's Test Case

The Ray Rice incident is "The Big One" in terms of the NFL and its half-hearted personal conduct policy. Not only did we hear about it, but we saw it with our own eyes.

And it wasn't just some name on the back of the jersey. This was THE Ray Rice. Super Bowl Champion. Star. Pro Bowler. Driving force behind Baltimore quarterback Joe Flacco's uncanny ability to throw the ball to no one and yet have someone run under it. The Ravens' decline in 2013 can be directly traced to Rice's decline in production.

And now, the Rice incident is allegedly a part of a massive cover-up by both the Ravens and the NFL.

While it's the case that will get all the attention and may ultimately change NFL and NFL Players' Association policy, it's not the only case. In fact, it's not even the most important one. For that, everyone needs to start looking west.

Arizona Cardinals running back Jonathan Dwyer is now the fourth player--at least that we know of--to face legal issues with domestic violence. Dwyer was arrested and booked last Wednesday for an incident that took place on Sept. 11.

His case is no more egregious than any other case, including Rice. The difference is that there is no video evidence. We know that the NFL will be typically reactionary to what is caught on tape. But what will they do in a case where no one is watching?

In football terms, Dwyer is obscure compared to Rice. He was cut twice by the Pittsburgh Steelers when the team was bereft of competent running backs. He has had some success in his limited time with the Cardinals, but certainly nothing to raise eyebrows in anyone's fantasy league.

It will be interesting to see how the league responds to the low-profile cases, because those are the ones that they've stuffed behind the couch for years. Terrell Suggs would be an example of that mentality. The "Disciplinarian" Commissioner Roger Goodell, the owners, and their underlings have scarcely said a word about Greg Hardy, Ray McDonald, or Adrian Peterson--until the public relations nightmare got too scary.

The NFL and Goodell, who finally appeared from the Bat Cave last Friday, are talking a good game about getting serious about this sociological, societal and personal mess that they have enabled. But are they just mugging (sorry, poor wording) for the cameras or do they truly mean business?

Cases like Dwyer will tell the tale. If the League is honest about taking care of players and families--and that is highly questionable at this point--then they'll spend much more time on Dwyer than Rice. The case is textbook for all of the issues that surround Domestic Violence issues and policies, including laws and law enforcement.

Dwyer's wife, Kayla, has called the police several times, but was frightened to press the issue because Dwyer threatened to commit suicide. That raises the issue of why women stay in abusive situations. They often fear for the lives of themselves, their children, or someone else.

Teammates described Dwyer as "always smiling" and said that no visible signs of problems existed. Often, law enforcement is the first (and perhaps only) entity to have full knowledge of the issues at hand. Domestic violence is all about covering the truth, and the NFL has excelled in perpetuating the issue. In spite of their immense resources and power, the league and its member teams have refused to take a deeper look at this issue.

The Cardinals cannot activate Dwyer this season because he's under psychiatric evaluation. Now we have the issue of mental illness, the kind that is largely ignored and untreated in all segments of society. It also an issue that strikes players with concussions and brain injuries.

Finally, there is the issue of the legal system. Law enforcement could neither stop and/or help Dwyer nor protect his family. The full weight of that responsibility fell on a terrified wife. Rather than yelling about changing the NFL, perhaps we should spend more time looking at the domestic violence laws in our respective states. Something has to be done to give law enforcement fair power to intervene.

Thankfully, the Cardinals saw fit to keep Dwyer from playing until this matter is somehow resolved. Perhaps they were smart enough to learn from the mistakes of the NFL, the NFLPA, and at least four other teams that have botched every aspect of dealing with domestic violence issues.

Even still, it certainly didn't hurt that Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians is married to a lawyer who is an advocate for abused children. The rest of the league would be wise to find lawyers like Christine Arians, who deals daily with domestic violence issues. That might teach them how to help prevent and deal with domestic violence. And it's a much better option for the League than scrambling for defense attorneys and PR reps.

This case could be the poster child for helping with all of the issues that involve domestic violence. While the NFL is not obligated to deal with these issues, it certainly has a moral responsibility to give its best efforts to help.

The Dwyer case will be the one that tells us if the NFL truly cares about its players, families, and society as a whole. No, they cannot be the Morality Police of America, but they could use their billions of non-profit dollars to make a statement on this issue. Forming panels and advisory committees is nice, but it will amount to nothing if the league refuses to take action, with or without video evidence.

The NFL is pretty much like the Mafia that we see in the movies. They can do what they want, take what they choose, and influence whom they please. It's time for them to press the domestic violence issue to its limit in every arena of life.

Jonathan Dwyer is in a position that he never expected. His case may well determine if the NFL is really going to be a force for good in the society it so powerfully influences, or if it will simply continue to run the PR machine to its advantage.

I hate to say this. But with Roger Goodell at the helm and billions of dollars at stake, I fear that the latter is going to rule the day. And the NFL will miss an opportunity to have an impact that goes well beyond their most recent TV deal.

Steelers' Organization Has Some Growing Up to Do

It’s hard to say that a team with the pedigree of the Pittsburgh Steelers needs to become more “mature” in its approach.  They are inarguably the most successful NFL franchise since the NFL merger.

Their history prior to 1970 is not good; but it is, nonetheless, history.  The Rooney family is legendary.  You have to dress up to go to church in Pittsburgh—unless, of course, it’s a playoff Sunday.  Even the preacher can wear a jersey on those days, as long as it’s not a Ben Roethlisberger.

The are two statues that greet you when you get off the plane at the Pittsburgh airport.  One is of George Washington; and the other is Franco Harris making the Immaculate Reception.  And there is little debate about which statue Pittsburgh natives consider most important.

How can this organization possibly need to grow up?

The answer is fairly basic and obvious.  The Steelers have a great reputation for patience and loyalty, for generosity and thrift, for wisdom and winning.  Those values will be put to the test with some players, coaches, and organizational approaches.

Here are a few of the “grown up” decisions that the Steelers need to make:

1.  To keep or cut?
Hines Ward and James Farrior have the Steelers in a tough situation,  but there are some tough decisions to make across the board.  Will the front office make the smart business move, as they did in 2000 with Levon Kirkland and Dermontti Dawson?  Players may take the Jerome Bettis route and accept a pay cut in order to stay (my personal preference).  Farrior and Ward would probably consider that option.

2.  Will the coaching staff remain stagnant?
It’s hard to imagine a more polarizing figure than offensive coordinator Bruce Arians.  During the wild card game in Denver, Phil Simms asked why Arians is never considered for any head coaching jobs.  Perhaps Mike Tomlin and the front office should think long and hard about that question.

For those who want Dick LeBeau to be fired:  Stop it.  The Steeler staff may have 99 problems, but LeBeau ain’t one.  It’s the other side of the ball that presents a problem.

Forget the fancy passing stats.  The running game has declined.  Red-zone offense is maddeningly inconsistent.  Play-calling and schemes are predictable.  Weapons such as Heath Miller, along with newcomers Weslye Saunders and Isaac Redman, are under-utilized.  Ben Roethlisberger still holds the ball too long and takes a UFC-esque beating every play.

If Mike Tomlin wants any of this to change, he better change the person running the offense.  Roethlisberger may like Arians, but it may also be time for Big Ben to listen to a different point of view.

3.  Speaking of Roethlisberger…
I love Big Ben.  If I had to choose a quarterback to win one game or take a team on one drive, it would be THE #7.  But Big Ben needs to make changes as well.  It remains to be seen if Big Ben will take the next step in his development as a quarterback.  That step will tell whether or not he can be good as an old quarterback.

It’s well-known that Roethlisberger is a diva who loves to pull a “Willis Reed” and come hobbling onto the field to lead his team to victory.    Realistically, he’s been sacked more than any quarterback in the NFL since 2004, and his 30-year old body is being held together by duct tape.  Diva or not, he is tough as nails.  But he needs to think more with his head than with other parts of the male anatomy.

Part of the problem is scheme (see item #2).  But the other problem is his refusal to take the check-down to his very capable 3/4/5 options (again, Miller/Saunders/Redman).  Roethlisberger must learn to do that, or he must be made to do that whether he likes it or not.

That leads us straight to the head coach.

4.  Like Mike…if I Could Be Like Mike…
That’s not a reference to Jordan.  It’s a reference to Tomlin.

I will shamefully admit my “man crush” on Mike Tomlin.  Any coach who quotes Robert Frost on the way to the Super Bowl is great with me.  But Tomlin is young, both in age and coaching experience, and he still has a lot of room to grow into his position.

The things that make me love Tomlin are also the things that drive me insane.  He is confident and unwavering in the decisions that he makes.  However, that sometimes looks stubborn and unwilling to change.  If he keeps the status quo this off-season, my fear is that he will repeat this year’s ending, losing games with a team that resembles a MASH unit.

And finally…

5.  The Colbert Report
Will Mike Tomlin and Kevin Colbert work together to address personnel changes on the field and in the draft?

A lot of Steeler fans will accuse me of dismissing the work of Rashard Mendenhall.  It’s not that Mendenhall is bad, but Isaac “Red Zone” Redman has earned the right to try his hand as the starter in Pittsburgh.

I like the Steelers offensive line a lot more than I have in the last three seasons.  But they are built for the run more than the pass.  They have a chance to be a solid running team behind this group, if Tomlin and Colbert will allow an unknown free agent to take the place of a first-round pick.  Redman has all the tools to be the starter, and Mendenhall will soon be too expensive to keep.

Speaking of the line, it’s time for Colbert to find a way to improve the fronts on both sides.  Good lines can make up for ills in a lot of other areas, and it’s time to make that a priority.  If they cannot get draft picks to fill the need, then the wallet needs to open up to bring in some free agents that are more than some other team’s leftovers.

Judging from the teams that remain in the playoffs, tight end could use a boost.  I believe that Weslye Saunders is a “sleeping giant” at the position; and, along with Heath Miller, the Steelers have a serious dual threat.  If they organization does not see that, they need to seek help elsewhere at tight end.
The priority for the off-season should be protecting Big Ben.  That means Tomlin is going to have to make some changes on his coaching staff and his offense.  Kevin Colbert has to let go of some top draft picks and start finding ways to build up his front line guys.  Whether or not the Steelers are willing to make those changes will dictate their ability to challenge for title #7.

They need to grow up fast, before their history becomes a distant image in the rearview mirror.