The Raiders are going to be upset about the suspension that cost them middle linebacker Vontaze Burfict, and that’s their prerogative.
He’s their teammate, seems to be well liked, and no one questions Burfict’s football acumen or preparation. Defensive coordinator Paul Guenther, who was with the Cincinnati Bengals, has seen almost every infraction Burfict ever committed and swears by the guy. Fellow linebacker Tahir Whitehead took to Twitter with a partly profane reaction when the 12-game suspension was initially reported.
But Burfict remains stuck in a 1960s time warp, unable to control himself from the kind of play that used to be popular back in the day but is gradually being legislated out of the NFL.