The “Roy Williams Rule.”  It was put into place because the Dallas Cowboy safety was the player primarily responsible for ending several player’s seasons via the horse collar tackle.  Williams has been at this since entering the league, and it’s time the NFL makes an example out of him.

Most recently, Williams put the hurtin’ on Eagle’s QB Donovan McNabb.  Though McNabb was not seriously injured on the play, Williams drew a 15-yard penalty.  Williams’ current teammate and former Eagle, Terrell Owens, was a 2004 victim of Williams and ended up missing the team’s first two playoff games, almost costing them a trip to the Super Bowl.

The horse collar tackle adds significant and unnecessary risk to the game.  Through the years, it has caused many Achilles and calf injuries, and also has broken several ankles.  It’s frustrating and painful for the injured player to go through rehab, his team is worse off without him, and the fans become angry. 

Though Williams is not the only culprit in this crime, the rule was put into place because of him and he remains today the primary offender, as the McNabb penalty was Williams’ fourth in the last two seasons.

A one-game suspension is not nearly enough, as it has now become blatantly obvious that Williams has not learned from his previous mistakes.  He should be given a 5-game suspension, and be forced to serve it during the playoffs if the Cowboys advance.  This sort of punishment is unprecedented, but it’s high time the NFL take proactive action against this ferocious penalty.  And Williams should be made the example.

Dallas coach Wade Phillips, furthermore, is off his rocker for defending his player.  Attributing his actions to having “strong hands” and not being able to adjust to the new rule, Phillips apparently gives merit to the appeal that Williams filed today.  Phillips continued “And the way it is now, they tape those jerseys in the back, so you can't grab them, you can't hold on to them.”  Yeah, Wade, they do it so their career doesn’t come to an abrupt end, no thanks to foul play from a certain Cowboy defender.

Here’s hoping the NFL upholds the suspension and issues warning that further penalties, especially from Roy Williams, will not be taken lightly.