We all know it happens. The Patriots do it. Other teams do it. It's when a player feigns an injury to slow the opposing team. During yesterday's game, the Jets pulled the trick a minimum of three times when Bart Scott (twice) and Brodney Pool went down with an "injury" each time the Patriots started gaining momentum on offense. I believe Kyle Arrington did it once as well, but Darius Butler was given more playing time after Arrington went down- still, Arrington soon returned. The fact that players can be so "injured" that they stop the clock and the game, only to return one play later, in ludicrous and I believe it goes against the spirit of competition.
Peyton Manning and the Colts deal with this tactic all the time. It's also just one more rule that's turning Football into Futbol. Many defensive players complain of playing "two hand touch" with the quarterback, yet they continue to fake their own injuries to stop the opposing team. I'm not sure either classifies as "smash mouth football." However, I believe this issue has a simple solution.
Currently, players who are taken off the field with injuries can return after sitting out one play. I believe the rule should be changed so that players who are taken off the field with injuries must sit out for the rest of the possession. This will discourage teams from faking injuries to stop the no hurry offense and I believe the rule change would be in the spirit of competition. Faking injuries is a technique that every team in the league uses, but I believe it's a technique that needs to be stopped.
Thoughts?