Flacco feels for defenders while NFL attempts to protect QBs

Joe Flacco isn't a fan of the NFL's new tackling rules designed to keep him and other quarterbacks safer.

"It's a violent sport - it's meant to be that way," the Baltimore Ravens signal-caller said Wednesday, via ESPN's Jamison Hensley. "I definitely have feelings for those guys over there because not only are they penalizing people and affecting outcomes of games but they're also taking paychecks away from people and they're acting like it's no big deal. But it is a big deal. That's a lot of money for anybody. So, there's a lot of issues with it, I think."

Defensive penalties involving quarterbacks have been a major issue over the first two weeks of the season.

Several flags have been thrown for harmless-looking shoves or tackles, including one against Clay Matthews of the Green Bay Packers that changed the outcome of last week's game versus the Minnesota Vikings.

"This is football, man," said Flacco. "We all sign up to get hit. We all sign up where you might get hurt. That's what makes this league a little bit different than any other in professional sports."

New Orleans Saints defensive tackle David Onyemata felt the weight of the new rules after Week 1, as he was fined more money than he made on his game check.