What Gregg Williams did wasn’t all that different from what football coaches have been doing since the game was invented. He just kept detailed records.

Violence is the coin of the realm in the NFL, but based on the headlines, you would think targeting players to gain a competitive advantage – or to pocket a few extra bucks – was something Williams thought up during stints in Buffalo and Washington, then perfected as defensive coordinator in New Orleans. No.

Think back six weeks to the days after the Giants beat the 49ers in the NFC championship game, in part because San Francisco return man Kyle Williams bungled one punt that yielded a touchdown and fumbled a second that set up New York’s game-winning field goal in overtime.