We Have Some Hot Heads In The NFL This Week

First, the issue of Terence Newman of the Dallas Cowboys.

Dallas Cowboys cornerback Terence Newman has been put on notice by the NFL after indicating his desire for revenge on Detroit quarterback Jon Kitna.

Posted on Newman's locker Thursday was a letter he received from the NFL after making comments about Kitna during a satellite radio interview. Newman refused comment to reporters when he walked through the locker room.

"Be advised that your comments will now compel us to carefully monitor your activities in this weekend's Cowboys-Lions game," read part of the letter signed by Ray Anderson, NFL executive vice president for football operations. "As you know, flagrant fouls may subject a player not only to fines, but to suspension as well. So conduct yourself accordingly."

Kitna threw four touchdown passes in the regular-season finale in Dallas last year to end a 3-13 season for Detroit. In an interview the following week with a radio station in Seattle, where the Cowboys had to go for the playoffs, Kitna called out the Dallas defense, specifically linebacker Bradie James.

The Cowboys (11-1), who have already clinched another playoff spot this season, play at Detroit on Sunday. Kitna's bulletin-board remarks from January have been widely discussed.

While Newman hasn't spoken to local media this week, he issued what amounted to a warning for Kitna during an interview Tuesday on Sirius NFL Radio.

"Basically what it boils down to is you've got to watch what you say. Your mouth can't write checks that your [expletive] can't cash. That's what it comes down to," Newman said. "Everybody's going to see those quotes. He better just hope I don't blitz off the edge, because I've got 15, 25, 30 [thousand dollars], however much it would be for a fine. I've got that much for one fine. Revenge will be sweet definitely."

In the NFL letter to Newman, Anderson wrote those comments were 'thoughtless and irresponsible" and "contrary to all the NFL stands for."

Cowboys coach Wade Phillips said he didn't know about the letter until Newman told him about it during practice Thursday.

So let me get this straight. First, the NFL cracks down on touchdown celebrations....and now trash talking is against the rules to? Not only that, players who trash talk will be scrutinized to the point where if they tackle someone they will be fined because its unclear whether the play who trash talked intended to hurt another player? This is all just trash talk among players and nothing more. I doubt Newman wants to kill Kitna, just get inside his head a little.

The trash talking continues.....

The New England Patriots have their own guarantee: They'd never guarantee a victory like Pittsburgh's Anthony Smith did.

Some of them can't even guarantee they'd recognize him.

"I know Aaron Smith," Patriots defensive end Ty Warren said Thursday. "I don't know Anthony Smith."

Aaron Smith is in his ninth season with the Steelers, a standout defensive end who made the 2005 Pro Bowl and will be pressuring Tom Brady on Sunday when the NFL's best team meets the league's top-rated defense.

Anthony Smith is a free safety in his second pro season and starting only because Ryan Clark's season ended in late October with an inflamed spleen that was removed last month.

He's also the guy who may be too sure of himself.

"We're going to win," he said Wednesday. "Yeah, I can guarantee a win. As long as we come out and do what we got to do. Both sides of the ball are rolling, and if our special teams come through for us, we've got a good chance to win."

"I didn't know who he was until we started preparing for them," Brady said.

Again, more pointless trash talking among that Steelers player to hype the game up and give the media something to turn their heads to. The funny thing is that even if the Steelers do win this game, I doubt Smith's statement would have had any effect on the performance of the Steelers. Also, the Patriots and that coach of theirs do thrive on statements made against them like this. Not to mention this statement will make Smith look that much more silly when they lose. Unlike Kitna, some unknown player can't get into Tom Brady's head.........but perhaps some static or a little crowd noise can.