FanHouse Bart Scott

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell was on the Hill Wednesday talking to Congress about "Legal Issues Relating to Football Head Injuries." So, naturally, Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) used the forum as an opportunity to grill Goodell about Rush Limbaugh's interest in becoming part owner of the St. Louis Rams.

Video after the jump, but here's all you need to know: After King warmly welcomed the commissioner he got right down to business.

Rush Limbaugh, radio personality, has made a handsome living out of spreading his brand of conservatism. Bart Scott is an NFL linebacker, outspoken about most things, including politics.

During the 2006 mid-term elections Scott, then with the Ravens, spoke about his political philosophy with USA Today's Skip Wood.

"We get a break by that, but then our family members are overtaxed. You know, tax cuts for the rich. Well, it's a Catch-22. Do you want to save more of your money, when you can afford to pay the taxes, or do you want your families to save more of their money, when sometimes maybe they're really being burdened? A lot of guys say, 'Now that I've got money, I'm going to have to vote Republican, but I'll go back to being a Democrat when I retire.' To me, that's just selfish."

Comments from Titans fullback Ahmard Hall have eliminated any doubt. One of the running themes of this year's NFL season is going to be trash talk and the New York Jets. Up until this point, the Jets have been the ones running their mouths with the explicit approval of new coach Rex Ryan, but it was inevitable that some of it would get lobbed back in their direction.

We thought it happened last week, but it turned out to be a fake Rodney Harrison doing the tweeting. Now, though, we've got our first actual return of fire. Hall isn't a fan of Jets linebacker Bart Scott's running on-field commentary. On the eve of this Sunday's game, Hall told Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean exactly why.

The 2009 Patriots look nothing like the Bill Belichick and Scott Pioli creations that dominated the league for most of this decade. Tom Brady's reconstructed knee has something to do with that, but the complete lack of a defense hasn't helped much, either. Especially in the second half.

"This was a problem against the Bills and an insurmountable one against the Jets, who rang up 197 yards and 13 points in the second half to 57 yards and a field goal in the first. Worse, the first two quarterbacks they've faced, Trent Edwards and rookie Mark Sanchez, finished with passer ratings of 114.1 and 101.1. It is unlikely the last game either plays this season will be the Pro Bowl."

That was Ron Borges, who has made a living panning Belichick and the organization, even as they reeled off three Super Bowls in four years. But he actually makes a good point here (hey, it happens). Of course, no Borges column would be complete without getting in a few shots, and this time he targets Randy Moss.

Maybe Rex Ryan's midweek gum-flapping had nothing to do with the Monday night Jets-Ravens game. Or maybe it did. Either way, rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez found out two plays into his first NFL start that he wasn't facing the University of Washington.

On his first pass attempt, Sanchez threw a pick-six to defensive tackle Haloti Ngata, but not before getting knocked silly by linebacker Ray Lewis. And on his second pass attempt, Sanchez would have thrown another pick-six had Lewis not dropped it.

Before proclaiming that Sanchez isn't yet ready for the New York City spotlight or the rigors of life as an NFL starting quarterback, it's probably worth repeating this tweet from Football Outsiders: "Basing your QB decision on preseason play is like deciding on a NASCAR career because you won at go-karts."

New Vikings quarterback Brett Favre completed one pass in four tries against the Chiefs on Thursday. It was his first action since singlehandedly running the Jets' once-promising season into the ground last winter.

Now, after eight months at the ol' fishin' hole, Favre is the guy tasked with saving Brad Childress' job. (Nope, that doesn't sound any less ridiculous when read instead of spoken aloud.) One man's trash is another man's ... well, trash. Or at least it should be.

The Daily News' Gary Myers writes that new Jets head coach Rex Ryan's decision to not pursue Favre meant that the team could go after linebacker Bart Scott in free agency and trade up for Mark Sanchez on draft day.

CORTLAND, N.Y.(AP) -- Mark Sanchez reared back and lofted a pretty pass downfield that landed in Jerricho Cotchery's hands for a touchdown.

It was the first play of team drills and the beginning of a brilliant practice Saturday for the New York Jets rookie quarterback.

"I put it in a place where only J-Co can get it," Sanchez said, "and he made a great adjustment for the ball."

Working exclusively with the first-team offense for the first time this summer, Sanchez completed 10 of 19 passes for two touchdowns and an interception. He also further solidified his edge over Kellen Clemens in the team's quarterback competition.