The Thursday Line - Santana Claus On The "Naughty" List?

I find it extraordinarily intriguing that the American public as well as the media seem generally outraged when steroids and performance-enhancing substances are sniffed in baseball, but when it comes to the NFL, a much more ho-hum note is struck. Don't get me wrong, there will be plenty of discussion and debate on the issue of Santana Moss and performance-enhancing drugs over the next few months. (Memo to Wizards: Sorry Mr. Leonsis...you had a few hours in the spotlight but even the #1 overall draft pick is not going to move this one off the front page.)

I am not suggesting that the use of steroids and performance-enhancers is okay, or even that people should not be punished. I am merely suggesting that it doesn't seem to matter as much in football that these guys are doing it. It would even seem that the general consensus is that A LOT of guys are doing it in the NFL. Either way, that is not necessarily the flavor of today's Line. Maybe the after-taste...but not the main flavor.

Over/Under---Amount of games Santana Moss is suspended: 0.5
I am essentially asking you if you think he is going to be suspended. Is there a positive test? Is there a confession out of Moss? The absence of these things make it hard to place a player in the doghouse...unless your name is Roger Goodell. I will take the Over because Goodell uses the Wyatt Earp playbook. He won't back down from the issue and he is not afraid to get into a skirmish. After all, he is the law. We learned from the Ben Roethlisberger suspension that a player does not have to be charged with anything to get reprimanded by the league. If there is any legitimate smoke here, expect Roger to come out firing.

Over/Under---Players in the league you think use Performance-Enhancers: 50%
This number seems rather high, and I feel compelled to take the Under, but I find it insulting when insiders suggest that the number is closer to 10%. Let's just get it out there: do we think more than half of the players in today's NFL use some form of performing enhancing substance? I think the right number is closer to 50%, and I feel like if it is over 50%, it is considerably over.

Over/Under---Chances a wide receiver from the Redskins makes the Pro Bowl in 2010: 33%

This one has a lot of variables, I think. Is Devin Thomas going to break out as I have screamed at every opportunity? Is Santana Moss going to have enough stats to get in? Will Donovan McNabb add the kind of exponential value necessary to send one of our guys to Hawaii (is it back to Hawaii this year?) I'll take the Under.

Over/Under---Chances a tight end from the Redskins makes the Pro Bowl in 2010: 50%
Now you're talking. After Chris Cooley went down last season, how many times did we hear telecasters talk about Fred Davis' "Pro Bowl potential?" Cooley has the juice to get there...he has already proven he can hang with Witten at the top of the NFC. Will Davis and Cooley cannibalize each other's stats? Will our wide receivers be good enough to open up routes for our tight ends? I'm taking the Over here. I think tight end is our strength and I think the Shanahans play to that strength all season. If you like the Over here, give me a name. I am going to do the dumb thing and say Fred Davis. Sorry Fred...I probably just jinxed you.