The Packers went from Super Bowl contenders to scrambling when Aaron Rodgers was injured on Sunday. The Vikings went from a tenuous place to tied for first in the NFC North (aided as well by Detroit's loss to New Orleans).
RandBall: Change rule after Barr hit on Rodgers?
The full impact of Rodgers' injury, which could keep him out for the rest of the season and certainly will cause him to miss several games, remains to be seen.
But the immediate reactions were varied. Michael David Smith, writing for Yahoo.com, said he thinks Anthony Barr's hit — while legal — should prompt the NFL to consider changing the rules for how quarterbacks are treated.
"I think it may be time for a radical rule change, one that makes hits like Barr's illegal," he wrote. "It may be time for the NFL to consider dramatically expand the roughing the passer rules, and treat quarterbacks like kickers and punters: Basically, you can't hit them at all once they've thrown a pass."
Read Michael Rand's blog at startribune.com/randball. michael.rand@startribune.com.
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Former Wild coach Dean Evason is now leading Columbus, and the Blue Jackets are mourning the death of star winger Johnny Gaudreau.