Jalen Carter indefensible; Andy Reid, loser; Cowboys, delusional; Aaron Rodgers, back: NFL, Week 1

In the current political surreality in the United States, it’s become depressingly commonplace for otherwise decent human beings to defend the indefensible. Little wonder, then, that all sorts of straw-man fallacies cropped up after serial unsportsmanlike conduct-ee Jalen Carter spat on Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott before the first play from scrimmage Thursday night.

What seems lost on the people who consider this to be an act that either was provoked or otherwise justifiable are these issues:

» READ MORE: Eagles vs. Chiefs in Week 2: Here are the numbers that matter

Carter crossed the line of scrimmage during a dead ball situation involving one of his teammates who was on the ground, facing a career-threatening injury, and approached the Cowboys huddle to taunt an opposing player. Prescott stepped toward Carter and spat on the ground, innocuously, before he properly rebuked Carter — whose response to being properly rebuked was to spit on Prescott’s chest.

In front of an official.

In the prime-time season kickoff game of the NFL, the most powerful sports league on earth.

In the past, NFL players have only been fined for spitting on each other, but a fine in this instance is not enough. This was not a visceral reaction in the heat of battle. This was a situation created, then escalated, by Carter, and by Carter alone. Carter should be suspended for at least one game, if not more.

The most remarkable aspect of the entire exchange was Prescott’s response: He just looked at the official, incredulous and expectant. He didn’t spit back. He didn’t swing. He did exactly the right thing, after Carter did exactly the wrong thing. Again. In just two seasons Carter has been fined a total of four times for $57,672 for a late hit, unnecessary roughness, and twice for fighting the Commanders in two separate incidents last season.

If Carter is not suspended, it sends this message: Any insignificant player can spit on a more significant player, provoke a fight, and get the superior player ejected.

Further, it sends the message that spitting is OK. The public perception of NFL players is that they make too much money, anyway, and that fines are easily absorbed.

And what about the children?

One radio show caller to 94.1 WIP on Friday lamented that parents now would have to explain to children why Carter spat on Dak. Sure enough, the host acknowledged that he faced that exact situation with his own children before he came in for his shift.

» READ MORE: Mike Sielski: Nick Sirianni has grown up as a head coach. His handling of Jalen Carter will show how much.

And before you argue that copycats won’t happen, less than 48 hours later Florida defensive lineman Brendan Bett spat on South Florida offensive lineman Cole Skinner, was ejected, and the penalty helped USF set up a late, game-winning field goal.

The NFL’s spin-doctor media contingent quickly floated the argument that, since Carter grossed everyone out before the first offensive play, he, in effect, served a suspension. Except he didn’t. He didn’t lose a game check, and the team preparing for the Eagles didn’t get to game plan for his absence.

This argument is the only thing stupider to come from Week 1 than Carter spitting on Dak.

And — from launched loogies to big names in big games to prime-time hootenannies — what a glorious Week 1 it was.

Just joking.

However, the Eagles did beat the Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX, and the Chargers did beat Kansas City Friday night in Brazil in the Chiefs’ season opener … so, technically, the Chiefs did lose two games in a row. Big deal? Yeah. It’s just the second time The Kingdom has lost consecutive games since Week 3 of 2021.

There is no shame in either loss. Losing big in the Super Bowl to what clearly was and still is the best team, then losing on the road to a very good Chargers team with Jim Harbaugh, possibly the most underrated head coach of his generation, do not merit panic or alarm. But it will be interesting to see how a franchise so spoiled by success responds to declarations of its demise.

» READ MORE: What we know (and don’t) about the Eagles entering Week 2 vs. the Chiefs

Especially when the narrative of demise gains momentum if the Eagles win on Sunday in K.C. and hand the Chiefs their first (technically) three-game slide since 2017 — which would be the first three-game losing streak since Patrick Mahomes took over for Alex Smith as the starter.

For the most part, in Jerry Jones’ world, all things Cowboys are good trending to great, but he seemed especially deluded after Thursday night’s 24-20 loss.

“I can’t say enough about this effort.”

The Cowboys scored 20 points against a team with a rebuilt defense that played without Carter, its best defensive player.

“I thought Dak may have played one of the best games I’ve ever seen him play.”

Prescott went 21-for-34 for 188 yards and no touchdowns. He ran one time for 3 yards. His passer rating Thursday, a whopping 76.6, ranks 98th among the 123 regular-season games in his career.

“We got better in the second half on defense.”

» READ MORE: David Murphy: Forget all the Week 1 questions: The Eagles are still better than the Chiefs

Or, Landon Dickerson, the Eagles’ Pro Bowl left guard, injured his back and was either hobbled or absent the rest of the game.

Mr. Jones cannot receive enough credit for his weekly analyses of the state of the Cowboys, a feat no other owner in any sport has the professionalism, knowledge, and guts to perform. Sure, he loves the attention, and while he made his money selling home and auto policies, he was also a captain on his college football team.

But lately, these postgame, in-tunnel, impromptu press conferences sound a lot less like a guy who won a national championship at Arkansas and a lot more like a guy who’s still selling insurance for his daddy’s company.

The best current player to change teams this offseason was Micah Parsons, whom Jones traded to Green Bay to ensure that his Cowboys keep losing. But Parsons isn’t the best all-time player to find a new home this summer, and he certainly didn’t have the best debut.

Those distinctions belong to future Hall of Famer and lifetime Ayn Rand disciple Aaron Rodgers.

In the past three years, Rodgers annoyed the Packers and Jets so much they shed themselves of him. Now 41, after an offseason of posing and dithering, he finally chose Pittsburgh as his next and possibly (please God) final NFL team. On Sunday, he delivered.

Rodgers tied Tom Brady when he played a 28th game with at least four touchdown passes and zero interceptions, his first such game since 2021. A four-time NFL MVP, a Super Bowl champion, and the career leader in passer rating (102.6), Rodgers has battled injury, incompetence, and his own arrogance these past three seasons. Maybe the Steelers’ unyielding culture will harness whatever of his magnificence remains.

Meanwhile, back in Green Bay, the Packers have their best defensive player since Reggie White, and yes, that includes Charles Woodson and LeRoy Butler.

Parsons didn’t play even half the snaps against the visiting Lions, who last season led the NFL in scoring and who scored at least 16 points in every game. Sunday, with Parsons wreaking part-time havoc, the Lions lost, 27-13. Parsons had one sack and pressured Jared Goff on Goff’s only interception.

Last year, Saquon Barkley left Brian Daboll and the Giants for the Eagles and became the NFL’s best player.

This year, Daniel Jones left Brian Daboll and the Giants for the Colts and had his best game in years. Jones threw for a touchdown and ran for two more in a 33-8 win over the Dolphins, the first time in 11 years the Colts won their season opener. The Colts also became the first team since 1977 to score on every possession in a game, according to ESPN.

The last time Jones played this well was, arguably, pre-Daboll, on Dec. 22, 2019, when Pat Shurmur was the coach, in a meaningless game at Washington back when the team’s nickname was still racist.

On Sunday, Daboll & Co., now featuring Russell Wilson, lost, 21-6, again at Washington. Wilson went 17-for-37, managed 168 passing yards, and stunk, except Daboll said he didn’t.

The Brian Daboll Countdown continues.

On Sunday Night Football, reigning MVP Josh Allen willed his homestanding Bills to beat the Ravens by scoring 16 points in the last 7 minutes, 16 seconds, throwing for a TD and running for another. …

The Hoodie’s narcissism rages on: There are just 32 NFL employers, but UNC coach Bill Belichick has banned the Patriots from scouting his players on campus because the Patriots, his former employers, have banned him from their facilities. North Carolina is betraying its student-athletes. Watch one of these players sue after he goes undrafted and unsigned after this season, claiming the university and Belichick unfairly limited his access to employment.