Mike Freeman's 10-Point Stance: Dominic Raiola Doesn't Belong in Today's NFL

1. It's no longer the 1950s NFL

Dominic Raiola harkens back to a different time in the NFL. Decades ago. When dudes routinely got punched in the nuts. Stomped on. Elbowed in the face. Clubbed. Deacon Jones used to knock guys out by bashing them in the head. Some of that happens now, but long ago, this was the norm. Refs looked the other way. The NFL did. Just a part of NFL life.

Raiola's ankle stomp, for which he received a one-game suspension, is something a middle linebacker would have done in 1950, or even 1970. But this is the 21st century, and those types of acts have to be put into football's past.

Raiola stomping on Ego Ferguson's ankle is another example of how the players can be their own worst enemies. Players complain about what they perceive as the softening of football, but if the league didn't crack down, idiots like Raiola would take football back in time, to a place it doesn't want to return.

If lawlessness returned to football, what do you think would happen to the sport's glorious ratings? They'd plummet. Americans love their violence, but they're not in favor of lawlessness (most aren't at least). The line is fine, but it's still there to see.

The NFL knows this, which is why it cracks down on illegal or borderline hits. Lower ratings means less money for everyone, including the players.

This is Raiola's sixth safety-related rules violation since 2010, according to the NFL. 

Leon Halip/Getty Images

This also needs to be addressed: Bears wide receiver Brandon Marshall, who has been diagnosed with borderline personality disorder, said this on his ESPN radio show recently in regard to what he claims Raiola said to him before a game last year:

"

See, a lot of people [ask], 'Why do you call Detroit [Chicago's] little brother?' I apologize again, Detroit. I retract that statement. But I was really mad at [Raiola] because in the game, I'm just warming up. I'm just standing there. He's like, 'Go take your medicine. Go do this you freaking weirdo, you freaking crazy guy. Go take your medicine.'

Before the game. ... Like, bro, we play football and I understand we're rivals. But at the end of the day, this is a brotherhood. We're all men here. This is only a platform for us to be better. You're sitting here being defined by this sport. It's terrible.

"

Mocking mental illness is also very old school and extremely ugly.

The NFL is trying to prevent that return to its brutal past. No, NFL execs haven't always been perfect, but someone has to keep players like Raiola from dragging football back in time.

2. Top five quarterbacks

Andy Lyons/Getty Images

When I tweeted out my top five quarterbacks, it caused quite a kerfuffle. I think the highlight of the barrage of insults and trolling that followed was a nine-year-old kid whose Twitter motto was something like: "B---h shut your mouth." Oh, kids today.

My top five:

Andrew Luck, one of my favorite players, is out of my top five. He commits far too many turnovers. So is Peyton Manning.

Anyone who puts Manning in their top five now is doing so based on legacy, not his actual game. He tossed four picks against the Bengals, including a pick-six, with home-field advantage on the line. If Johnny Manziel did that, we'd all crush him.

And that's the key to my top five. It's based on the here and now, not legacy. Not what they were doing in September. Or 2003. Now.

I could engineer a pretty solid argument that Russell Wilson should be higher. He's playing just as well as any quarterback right now. Just because Wilson doesn't throw for 400 yards doesn't mean he isn't highly skilled. He also doesn't throw four picks in a game.

The legitimate beef with my list is no Philip Rivers. It's admittedly close.

So go ahead, take your shots, and happy holidays!

3. Seattle's Kryptonite

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When the Seahawks get home-field advantage—no longer if, but when—they will be almost unbeatable. But there is one team that can defeat them in Seattle. It's Dallas.

That sounds crazy, I know. Particularly considering Tony Romo's history of choke-ification in the postseason. But these aren't those Cowboys. These Cowboys are tough physically and mentally, and as we saw when they beat the Seahawks in Seattle earlier this year, they aren't intimidated playing there.

Good running game, strong defense—and Dez Bryant is the kind of fast and physical receiver who can beat the Seahawks secondary. In short, the Cowboys match up perfectly with Seattle.

Dallas is the only team in the NFC that does.

4. Taunting penalties are the devil

I get the intention, but some of the taunting calls are just dumb. When Adam "Pacman" Jones intercepted Manning, one of the Bengals players was flagged for taunting. It was harmless what he did. Not like players gave the Broncos the finger.

The No Fun League is back.

5. "What will happen will happen"

As Fox Sports' Jay Glazer reported, the decision on Jim Harbaugh will come quickly once the season ends. There will be no lengthy process. Harbaugh will be gone.

One thing that's interesting: There is still great interest in Harbaugh, according to several team officials, but that interest has decreased slightly as interested teams have done extensive homework on him. The issue isn't how good a coach he is; it's his tendency to burn out people around him quickly.

That downside is being constantly discussed by a number of teams interested in him.

Some of the teams' interest, because of that fact, has dwindled slightly. It's to the point where some teams believe it's now 50-50 between Harbaugh going to Michigan or staying in the NFL. That's right, 50-50.

"What will happen will happen," Harbaugh told reporters. "What won't happen won't happen. I work at the pleasure of the organization and let them have the floor on that."

Thanks for that, Jim.

6. How bad? This bad

Bob Leverone/Associated Press

It's so bad in Cleveland right now with the quarterbacks that Rex Grossman declined to play there. Rex. Grossman.

I said Rex Grossman.

Next thing you're going to tell me is Tim Tebow said no.

7. Great Forte

Charles Rex Arbogast/Associated Press

I'll keep saying this: Maybe the most underrated player in football—possibly in all of sports—is Matt Forte. He constantly busts his ass, is smart and never stops playing hard despite having a knucklehead for a quarterback in Jay Cutler. Imagine if Forte played for a non-knucklehead. Imagine how much better he'd be.

As it is, Forte is pretty awesome. Forte has 94 catches this season. He passed Charlie Garner (91 in 2002) and Roger Craig (92 in 1985) for fourth-most catches by a running back in a season, according to the league.

Player, team	Year	Receptions
Larry Centers, Cardinals	1995	101
LaDainian Tomlinson, Chargers	2003	100
Larry Centers, Cardinals	1996	99
Matt Forte, Bears	2014	94
Roger Craig, 49ers	1985	92
Charlie Garner, Raiders	2002	91

I think Craig was the best pass-catching back of all time. Second best was Larry Centers.

Forte might end up being better than all of them.

8. Great company

Scott Halleran/Getty Images

J.J. Watt got another sack Sunday. It's become such a regular occurrence for Watt to dominate a game that we take what he's doing for granted. He has 54 sacks. That's the third-most sacks for a player in his first four years since the sack became an official statistic in 1982, according to the league:

Player, team	Years	Sacks
Reggie White, Eagles	1985-88	70
Derrick Thomas, Chiefs	1989-92	58
J.J. Watt, Texans	2011-14	54
DeMarcus Ware, Cowboys	2005-08	53.5
Dwight Freeney, Colts	2002-05	51

He still has a game to play, and look at the names he's already passed: DeMarcus Ware and Dwight Freeney. Freeney is a future Hall of Famer. Now, look at the names ahead of Watt: Derrick Thomas and Reggie White.

Watt just keeps dominating. No sign of slowing, either.

9. Lightning strike

Since I'm a science nerd, this from MD Direct may only interest me. The lightning strike surrounding the Buccaneers game was extremely rare. Interesting stuff for fellow nerds.

10. Happy holidays

The San Francisco Chronicle's Ann Killion this week reported one of the best stories I've ever seen. Ever will see. Genuine act of kindness in a Twitter-rized, heartless world. Thank you.

Mike Freeman covers the NFL for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter at @mikefreemanNFL.