Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Vontaze Burfict is the perfect villain. Thats what I hear, and when I turn on the tape, I can understand why. Just look at how he knocked out?Antonio Brown in the AFC wild-card game last season.You cant have that hit. Shoulder pad to the helmet at the worst possible time. The resulting penalty cost the Bengals a playoff win and contributed to Burfict landing a three-game suspension to start this season for repeated violations of player safety rules.No one knows Burficts intent on that particular hit. He plays fast. He plays hard. Guys can cross the line at times. Thats how a lot of defensive players are wired. That doesnt mean they are malicious in how they play the game. Maybe he could have pulled up. Heck, maybe he could have avoided the hit all together, I guess.But as Burfict returns to the field on Thursday night, this also needs to be said: Id love to play with this dude because he can change the flow of the game.?And I can tell you that a lot of other guys would too.This is hard to understand, so let me explain:As a defender, if you can physically intimidate the opponent, that will make every offensive player sit up a little straighter in the film room when youre next on the schedule. And it alters how opposing offenses practice and play -- because they know youre going to hit.Burfict gives that to his team. Hes going to shorten some arms of wide receivers who want to work the middle of the field. Everyone on the?Miami Dolphins offense will be aware of where Burfict is at all times during Thursdays contest in Cincinnati.As a defensive back, you love that. It means some basket picks: balls that flutter into the air and land in your lap; free gifts because of that linebacker patrolling the middle of the field and delivering blows. Boom. And no one on offense wants to get close to a guy like that. Thats when wide receivers start telling the quarterback to avoid those inside routes.Look back to the Bengals loss on Sunday to the Denver Broncos. Would Gary Kubiaks team have been able to put together that go-ahead, fourth-quarter drive with Trevor Siemian throwing slants, inside hitch routes and wide receiver screens if Burfict was running to the ball and driving through ball carriers? Thats just something to think about here when we talk about the impact a physical player like Burfict can have.What Burfict needs to understand is that the game has changed. And every player has to adapt to the new rules. Look at Luke Kuechlys hit on Demaryius Thomas over the middle in Super Bowl 50. Thats a clean strike -- and I can promise you it stuck in the back of Thomas mind all night.The lesson? Theres no substitute for physicality and intimidation -- but that physicality and intimidation need not draw 15-yard penalties and three-game suspensions.Its a fine line, a tightrope defenders have to walk in this league on a weekly basis. You gotta hit or you wont last very long; and in 2016, you gotta do it cleanly or you wont last very long, either. Because of his history, Burfict will be watched closer than most. But as long as hes out there patrolling the middle of the field, his effect on his teammates and the Bengals defense will be palpable.Remember, defenses that can read, run, hit and intimidate dictate the tempo of the game. You can intimidate through execution, but its still football. It also helps to have that guy who creates a little fear. Burfict is that guy.ESPN.com NFL analyst Matt Bowen played seven seasons as a defensive back in the NFL. Wholesale Magic Jerseys . Peter Gammons, an analyst for Major League Baseballs network and website, drew the ire of hockey fans on Sunday when he criticized the two NHL teams on Twitter for their physical game the night before. Darrell Armstrong Jersey . "I was fortunate to play many years at this level with a great organization and unbelievable teammates," said Hejduk in a statement. https://www.cheapmagiconline.com/ . -- Josh Sterk scored once and set up two more as the Oshawa Generals edged the visiting Belleville Bulls 3-2 on Friday in Ontario Hockey League action. Mohamed Bamba Jersey .com) - Richie Incognito has reportedly been admitted to a psychiatric care unit in Arizona. Markelle Fultz Jersey . John Lucas, signed as a mentor for rookie Trey Burke, showed he can score if required, scoring 12 points of his 16 points in the second quarter as Utah built an 18-point lead. NEW YORK -- Boston Colleges Jerome Robinson could not miss in the first half and Richmond trailed by eight. Once the Spiders started defending Robinson better and T.J. Cline got rolling, they were on their way to a win.Cline scored 14 of his 23 points in the second half and Richmond rallied to beat Boston College 67-54 in the third-place game of the Barclays Center Classic on Saturday night.Jerome Robinson led all scorers with a career-high 27 points for the Eagles (3-3). Robinson made his first seven shots, finished 10 of 20 overall and made a career-high six 3-pointers.Being alert to Jerome (was big), who I know is a great, great player, Richmond coach Chris Mooney said. We recruited him hard out of high school and I think the world of him. Tonight he was just incredible.The second half was a different story on both sides. Robinson faced more aggressive defenders and misfired on nine of 12 attempts as Richmond outscored Boston College 42-21. ShawnDre Jones added 17 points, and Julius Johnson scored all 12 of his points after halftime for the Spiders.While Robinson was facing an improved defense, Cline picked it up after halftime. He shot 9 of 16 overall and 5 of 7 in the final 20 minutes to go along with 10 rebounds after nearly getting a triple double in Fridays overtime loss to Maryland.After getting blown out by Kansas State 72-54 on Friday, the Eagles shot 36 percent. They misfired on 22 of 30 shots in the second half.Im more concerned with the possessions, Boston College coach Jim Christian said. I wanted to play right. We didnt play right last night. We didnt move the ball well. We moved the ball well tonight.The way we played tonight was so much better than yesterday in terms of how we played the game. We just got to get some guys a little bit more confident and we have to make shots.dddddddddddd We took good shots tonight, we just didnt make them, Christian said.Richmond scored the first nine points of the second half and took a one-point lead on a basket by Fore with 15:26 left. The Spiders surged ahead to a 47-39 lead on consecutive 3-pointers by Johnson and Jones around the nine-minute mark.Richmond continued pulling away and sealed it when DeMonte Buckingham blocked Robinsons layup attempt and started a fast break. Khwan Fore finished the break with a layup, giving the Spiders a 61-49 lead with about 90 seconds remaining.BIG PICTURE:Boston College: What happens when Jerome Robinson does not touch the ball, is getting a break, or not scoring? The answer for Boston Colleges offense was not much. Robinson had 13 points as the Eagles opened a lead 17-8. He did not get the ball on subsequent possessions and was on the bench for a few minutes as the Spiders scored 10 unanswered points. Robinson made 10 of 20 shots. The rest of the Eagles were a combined 10 of 36.Richmond: The Spiders seem to be as good as T.J. Cline is going at any given moment. He was 4 of 10 in the first half when Richmond trailed by eight. After halftime, Cline began rolling. He made 6 of 7 shots and wound up getting 23 points.NOTABLE:Richmond: The Spiders have 20 wins over power conference teams in the last decade.Boston College: Robinson set his career high for the third time this season. He scored 24 against Towson State on Tuesday, and 22 against Stony Brook on Sunday.UP NEXT:Richmond: Visits Bucknell on Wednesday.Boston College: Hosts Dartmouth on Dec. 3. ' ' '