MIAMI -- As this city, host of Super Bowl XXXIII, woke from its big-game-eve hangover Sunday morning, it was faced with the news of Falcons safety Eugene Robinson.

Robinson, 35, was arrested on a sexual solicitation charge Saturday night, 21 hours before the scheduled kickoff of his third straight Super Bowl appearance. A veteran of 14 seasons, Robinson is known as the consummate player, a leader among his peers. But -- if he is found guilty -- from here on out he will be known as a selfish, foolish athlete who put his personal urges before everything else that was important.

But let's get one thing straight: Robinson should be playing today. This is an off-the-field problem that should be his alone. The Atlanta Falcons and their fans should not be punished.

Robinson started in the Atlanta secondary. Denver threw in his direction on the first play of the game and he was beaten by Broncos' receiver Rod Smith for an 80-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter.

Now let's forget about the game for a moment. Robinson has embarrassed his wife and two children. He has embarrassed the National Football League and the Falcons' organization, when the spotlight has never been hotter.

"That is something that is a family matter," Falcons coach Dan Reeves said of what Robinson now faces. "We're going to treat it as a family matter. I love Eugene unconditionally."

Will his fans still love him? He has let them down. Some will forgive, some won't.

Worst of all, he has to face himself and look in the mirror every morning, and wonder why he made such a ridiculously poor decision.

Although the timing should not matter, it could not be worse. The Robinson situation will be the focus of attention today and take away from whatever happens in the game. Everyone who cares will have an opinion on Robinson and what should happen next.

As Robinson faced his teammates this morning to apologize -- it was reported that he told them to forget about him and focus on the task at hand -- the NFL said that Robinson was free to play and that it was a decision for Falcons' management.

Reeves immediately put it back on Robinson, saying the decision will belong to the player.

"That's strictly up to Eugene," Reeves said. "As far as I'm concerned, and as far as the league is concerned, he can play."

The league and Falcons management have made the right decision. So did Robinson, who has decided to play.

But how did he go about it? Robinson should ask his teammates for forgiveness and allow them to make the ultimate decision on his playing status. It is hard to imagine the team not wanting their Pro Bowl safety in the lineup, but it comes with a price.

What if Robinson makes a costly mistake in today's game? The scrutiny that accompanies a Super Bowl is intense enough without the the kind of self-inflicted pressure Robinson will face.

Innocent until proven guilty, Robinson, in time, will face his accusers. Caught in a sting, he is charged with soliciting oral sex for $40, according to the police report.

Such behavior certainly doesn't seem consistent with Robinson's persona. During his 11-year career with the Seahawks, Robinson was a four-time "Man of the Year" for his philanthropic work in the Seattle area.

What adds to Robinson's problems is the fact that he speaks often of his Christianity, making the hypocrisy of the incident more evident. On Saturday morning, he was honored with the Bart Starr Award by the religious group Athletes in Action.

"Unfortunately, even as Christians we do things wrong," Reeves said. "We're all sinners."

On the surface, this crime is minor, and, unfortunately, will be overexposed because of the nature of the event. As far as football is concerned, we should all forgive and forget and let the game go on unscathed. Let Robinson and his Falcons play the game with a clear conscience and give the Broncos the best game possible.

When the game is over, Robinson should begin his penance as he faces his family and that mirror for the first time.

Maybe Samuel Robinson, Eugene's father, said it best: "There is a lesson here somewhere."

Jim Jenks is the executive producer of ESPN.com.