I have seen the Mike Smith-DeAngelo Hall ruckus on the Falcons' sideline (and there were plenty of other players involved, too, it should be noted) a few times now, and I just don't have a problem with a coach yelling at an opposing player whose team just issued a late hit on their franchise quarterback.

The league might think otherwise. It is reviewing the tape and likely will hand down any fines that might come from the situation by Friday.

But for me, without knowing what Smith said, I don't take much issue with the coach's involvement. After LaRon Landry hit Matt Ryan on the scramble, when he was fully out of bounds, madness ensued there for a few minutes. The players are the coach's responsibility, and it appeared that he was trying to get his guys in order. Was there a chance to say something to the Redskins? Yeah, but near as I can tell, Smith didn't get feisty until Hall, who was clearly agitated in this game, entered the fracas.

And why did he, exactly? Didn't look to me like Hall was coming to Landry's defense. It looked like a guy who was wanted to make some silly statement against his former team, and that's what he did, getting mixed up in a sea of red Falcons jerseys.

Smith entered the fray at this point. He threw no punches. He grabbed no unfriendly jerseys. All he did was mouth off, and even not knowing what he said exactly, who really cares? These are grown men. The language on the field is salty enough, so why can't it be a little testy on the sideline when a coach is trying to diffuse a fight, not get it going like Hall appeared to be.

I did not for one second feel that this was a Woody hayes situation of a coach grabbing an opposing player. The court of public opinion also appears to be leaning heavily towards Smith, or at least away from Hall. He doesn't have a great reputation with some people around the league and, fair or not, that probably led most people to think he was in the wrong in this near melee.

But I am going just by what I saw. I saw a fired-up player coming from nowhere to enter a fight he was not a part of, and I saw a coach trying like heck to tear guys away on his sideline.

Case closed: A fine for Hall wouldn't bother me at all, but please, NFL, don't touch Smith's wallet. The guy did nothing.