FanHouse RobertGeathers

Zimmer was Atlanta's coordinator in 2007 and was credited as coordinator in Dallas for moving its defense from a three-linebacker to four-linebacker scheme, a possibility this offseason with the Bengals

In a bit of a surprise ruling, the NFL has decided not to fine Robert Geathers for the hit that caused Trent Green's concussion.

I say surprised because I was convinced that the NFL would assess a fine, not because I necessarily felt that he deserved it. The NFL has been rather paranoid about protecting its QBs, and considering the violent impact Trent Green's head made with the ground, it seemed quite likely to me that some form of punishment would come, even if a flag did not.

Doubtless, Kansas City officials and fans will not be happy. Ever since Paul Tagliabue ragged on the Chiefs' defense, the Chiefs and their fans have felt that the NFL has an agenda against them, from the consistently difficult schedule to the officiating.

However, the NFL made the right call. They are also continuing a nice trend in that they are elaborating, with pretty good detail, on their decisions. Last year, they began a weekly feature with Mike Pereira, the NFL's director of officiating, in which he would explain whether the most controversial calls of the week were correctly decided or not. Today, the NFL explained exactly why they were not fining Geathers, and further provided an example from last week of what they would actually consider to be a finable offense.

This is a good trend. I still don't approve of their blanket restriction on postgame comments about the referees, but their willingness for at least partial disclosure of their decisions is a positive step for the NFL.

Let me acknowledge that in speaking with a lot of Bengals fans, I have nothing but admiration for the class that they've shown over the past few days. Their fans had a genuine concern about Trent Green's health after a scary hit on Sunday. Too often, in allegiance to our respective team, we forget that football players are people too. The number one priority, hopefully, to all NFL fans is that Trent Green gets out of this whole ordeal without any major lingering injuries. Kudos to Bengals fans for understanding that.

That aside, I've watched the tape backwards, forwards, inside-out, rightside-in. Here's where I stand:
Cheap shot? No. Worthy of a fine? Inconclusive. Worthy of a flag? Yes.

Cheap shot?
Was it a cheap shot? No. Robert Geathers was a defender trying to make a big hit. It happens. Cheap shots are blatantly flagrant, unnecessary hits and this hit does not fall into that category. For example, when a quarterback is hit hard after an interception simply because he becomes a legal defender--that is a legal block, but it's also a cheap shot, because most of the time the quarterback isn't in position to make a play. Geathers, on the other hand, was in on the play and chose to make it by driving his shoulder into the quarterback. The hit was not a cheap shot, just a little bit reckless.