I’ve mentioned before that I think eventually an NFL player will be killed on the field. The players are too large, strong, fast and effective, and no rule changes will be able to overcome that. What you may have missed from this Sunday’s slate of games, since the main story from the media was that the replacement refs suck, was that Houston quarterback Matt Schaub lost part of his ear during a bruising hit. He lost part of his ear! And who knows down the line what that hit will mean for his brain function. From Chuck Schilken in the L.A Times:

“Matt Schaub is just fine. Don’t worry about the Houston Texans quarterback, who lost his helmet and had to miss a play following a brutal — and illegal — hit by Denver Broncos defender Joe Mays.

‘I felt fine,’ Schaub said. ‘I just lost a piece of my ear. I was bleeding and my helmet came off. So I had to come out for a play, but I was fine.’

Wait … what?!

Is it just me or does Schaub seem a little nonchalant for a guy who just lost a piece of his ear?

Well, technically, it’s a piece of his ear lobe.”