10 NFL Truths: There's a Reason Receivers Are Crazy

If you're an NFL wide receiver, or someone in total denial of Sarah Palin's incompetence, do not read this week's NFL Truths.

10. My reaction to the Al Davis news conference: The NFL made a huge mistake when it began implementing rules in the 1970s that made the wide-receiver position non-contact.

Wide receivers and their petulant, irresponsible behavior and attitude pose the greatest threat to the NFL's popularity and a coach's job security, and it's all because the rules provide them more protection than any other position, except kicker/punter.

Receivers are free to act like idiots because, for the most part, they can avoid the play-to-play beating that most other players experience. And, yes, I saw the hit Anquan Boldin absorbed.

What did Al Davis say that made me come to this realization? His complaint that Lane Kiffin didn't want Randy Moss.

Some experts have wrongly concluded that Kiffin and Davis' difference of opinion about overweight and unprepared quarterback JaDaunte CulpeppeRussell led to Kiffin's dismissal.

Nope. It was Moss, the man who cost Dennis Green his job and split up Brett Favre and the Green Bay Packers.

Davis was a fountain of truthful information.

He mentioned that Green Bay General Manager Ted Thompson incorrectly concluded that Moss could no longer run. Davis complained that the Patriots tampered with Moss when he was still an Oakland Raider.

Davis, like Brett Favre, is pissed that Moss went to New England and helped Tom Brady set every offensive record known to man. Davis believes JaMarcus Russell could be an effective quarterback if all he had to do was stare down Moss and fling bombs to him.

9. More proof of my theory about receivers can be found in Dallas, where Terrell Owens whined about only getting 20 opportunities to help the Cowboys beat the Washington Redskins.

Keep in mind, Owens, like Moss, has never won a Super Bowl, but he portrays himself as the ultimate authority on winning in the NFL.

Owens is now in the process of costing Wade Phillips his job. Phillips and Offensive Coordinator Jason Garrett are so afraid of Owens becoming a disruptive force that the Cowboys abandoned their running game and forced the ball in Owens' direction against the Redskins.

Of course, the gameplan failed to make T.O. happy, and he immediately threw Phillips, Garrett, and QB Tony Romo under a bus. Phillips, Garrett, and Romo might want to call Jeff Garcia, Andy Reid, and Donovan McNabb for a little insight on how the rest of this season might play out.

I was really proud of ESPN's analysis of Owens' behavior. The addition of Carter (and subtraction of Emmitt Smith) to this crew has made ESPN's pre and postgame show my favorite.

8. A little more proof of my theory that receivers are the NFL's most dangerous plague can be found in Cincinnati, where Chad Johnson talked about his love of the Dallas Cowboys, his desire to play with Terrell Owens, and his plan to kiss the midfield star at Texas Stadium.

Care to guess whom the Cincinnati Bengals play this week?

Yep, the Dallas Cowboys. On a conference call with Dallas-area reporters, Ocho Cinco was at his bojangling best.

"If I was in Dallas, they would have to change all of our damn games to pay-per-view because you need to pay to see that," Johnson said. "I'm serious. I'm so serious. They would have to put all the games on pay-per-view. Because you can't just watch a show like that for free. 81 and 85? Come on, now."

It would be a remake of Spike Lee's movie Bamboozled. Johnson would be Mantan and Owens would be Sleep n' Eat.

7. Have I mentioned Plaxico Burress' troubles in New York and how they fit my theory that receivers are the NFL's biggest group of idiots?

What about Steve Smith sucker-punching a teammate during training camp?

I could mention Matt Jones, Chris Henry, and even Marvin Harrison's offseason incidents, but it would just be piling on.

NFL receivers are coddled, dysfunctional, and unstable. Spare the rod; spoil the child. The rules limiting downfield contact with receivers need to be rolled back to the 1960s.

6. I don't blame Tom Cable for taking the Raiders head-coaching job. Art Shell is the only coach who had his reputation hurt by working for Shallow Al.

Yes, Cable will soon be blamed by Davis for everything that is wrong with the Raiders, but Gruden landed a job with the Buccaneers, Bill Callahan became head coach at Nebraska, Mike Shanahan won Super Bowls with the Broncos, and Norv Turner took over the San Diego Chargers.

Getting dumped by Shallow Al pretty much enhances your reputation. Lane Kiffin is likely to get a nice head-coaching position in the college ranks, probably at the BCS level.

Cable will collect a nice check and won't receive any of the blame when JaMarcus Russell proves to be a bust.

5. One last thought on the Raiders and Shallow Al Davis: What he said about former front-office executive Michael Lombardi rang true to me.

Shallow Al fingered Lombardi as a snitch to the media and as someone who bad-mouthed Art Shell. I don't have a problem with anyone bad-mouthing Shell. I used to rip Shell when he was winning games with the Raiders the first time he was head coach. Let me also add that I've met, and like, Lombardi.

I just always suspected that Lombardi was the guy who fed Bill "The Sports Guy" Simmons the information that provided the substance to the hilarious columns Simmons would write about Shell.

Also, I'd like to mention that my favorite blogger, Mike Florio at profootballtalk.com, is mysteriously in the tank for Shallow Al and the way he fired Kiffin. I can't figure out what Florio's angle is on this one.

Are Florio and Shallow Al exchanging e-mails? I can't believe my man Florio would play favorites when his reputation is built on blasting agents and reporters who play favorites.

4. Breaking news: Tony Mandarich also revealed, in his shocking interview with Inside the NFL, that he is white and tall.

I just would've never believed that Mandarich used steroids and is tall and white. I had no freaking idea about any of this. I can't wait to get my hands on his book that is due out in March. According to my sources, Tony will also reveal that the earth is round, I'm fat, and Bill Clinton cheated on Hillary.

3. The Tennessee Titans would be fools to give Kerry Collins a lucrative contract extension, no matter how many games he "wins" for the Titans.

Can you say Derek Anderson?

Any veteran who can avoid making big mistakes could win with the Titans. Collins is a slightly better version of Trent Dilfer. Yes, that makes Collins a significant upgrade over Vince Young, but it would be foolish to give Collins any real money.

2. I feel sorry for Aaron Rodgers.

Brett Favre threw six touchdown passes last week. This week, he'll keep his ironman streak alive. The Packers are 2-2 and Ted Thompson and Mike McCarthy are under immense pressure to prove they didn't make a mistake pushing Favre out of Green Bay. And Rodgers has a bum shoulder.

That's a recipe for ignoring sound medical advice and playing before you're ready. Rodgers should get it over with early and sit out this week's game. He doesn't have to pretend to be Cal Ripken.

1. Sarah Palin vs. Joe Biden tonight feels like Super Bowl III, the New York Jets vs. the Baltimore Colts.

Honestly, I would skip the Super Bowl to watch Paris Palin try to string together coherent thoughts on issues she's just heard about in the past week. Tonight's debate is easily the most anticipated television event in my lifetime.

I would rather watch Paris Palin make a mockery of our corrupt, substance-less political process than watch the series finale of The Wire.

If Paris Palin pulls an upset, it will go down as the biggest surprise since Broadway Joe derailed the Colts.

This article originally published on FOXSports.com.

To read more of Jason's columns, click here.