Was Sean Taylor out of line?

The answer is no. Now that that is settled...

Well yea, he was out of line, at least according to Pro Football Talk (scroll way down). I love PFT for their rumors, which are often times spot on, but care less for their frequent moralizing. Actually I take that back, when they're laying it on Terrell Owens I actually find it entertaining. I'm awarded no points for consistency.

Although the Pro Bowl hit from Redskins safety Sean Taylor on Brian Moorman was fun to watch, there's a strong feeling in league circles that Taylor's decision to blow up the Bills punter violates an unwritten rule that applies to the NFL's annual exhibition game in Hawaii.

Despite the fact that Moorman is being magnanimous (thank you, Tiki) about the whole thing, Taylor had no business slamming his body at full speed into Moorman.

And then they take a cheap shot over ATVs and spitting.

I'm focused only on The Hit and I suppose reasonable minds can disagree. If you part ways with me, feel free to express your disdain in the comments section. You don't have to play in the Pro Bowl (Chris Samuels didn't), and I suppose hits like this might discourage people from doing so in the future.

My attitude is that if you're suited up, running with the football, and heading down field towards a 1st down on a fake punt, then anything the rulebook allows is on. Let us not forget that Taylor made a brilliant, heads-up defensive play that helped his team -- though they ultimately lost.

I will say that I might feel differently had Moorman not gotten up. But he did, and all is well that ends well. If there really is an "unspoken rule", then I wonder why his NFC teammates along with Moorman, took the time to congratulate Sean Taylor on something they all viewed as excessive and implicitly forbidden.

What a hit though.