Mark Craig: Concussion system is easily skirted

Cowboys tight end Jason Witten thought he was leaving the game for one play just to regain his senses.

"I felt OK," he told reporters this week.

But Dr. Robert Fowler of the Cowboys' medical staff disagreed. According to Fowler's sideline diagnosis, Witten had suffered a concussion while being tackled in the fourth quarter of last week's 27-20 loss to the Bears.

"I didn't feel like it was a concussion," said Witten, who did, however, admit to feeling "woozy there for a little bit."

Witten was furious. He argued with Fowler as cameras captured the heated exchange. But the system worked in this case because per the NFL's new guidelines on dealing with concussions, Witten wasn't allowed to return, no matter how mad he got.

Unfortunately, the system hasn't always worked this season.

One particularly troubling situation happened at Philadelphia in Week 1. Eagles linebacker Stewart Bradley and quarterback Kevin Kolb both were allowed to return briefly after suffering concussions. Further tests revealed the concussions, and they sat out the second half and the following week in Detroit.

The NFL and the NFL Players' Association both said the Eagles followed the league's new policy, which states: "The player should not be considered for return-to-football activities until he is fully asymptomatic, both at rest and after exertion, has a normal neurological examination, normal neuropsychological testing, and has been cleared to return by both his team physician(s) and the independent neurological consultant."

One would think TV replays of a player staggering sideways, falling down and being helped from the field would constitute three symptoms of a concussion.

Football is inherently dangerous and there will always be concussions. But the league can do more to reduce the chances of an already concussed player suffering further and more devastating concussions.

It won't be easy though. It requires the will to protect players from their own worst nightmare: themselves.

Last week in Detroit, Lions outside linebacker Zack Follett suffered a concussion in a loss to the Eagles. But he passed his sideline concussion test and was allowed to continue playing. Only after the game did he say, "I mean, I still knew what was going on but it had like a hazy feel, like a dream."

"I am not too worried about it. It's in God's hands, not mine."

Obviously, we're going to see more concussions in a league that's now focusing on them. So more players are going to have to miss more games.