NFL Announces Punishment for 2 Players for Lions Actions
The Detroit Lions are used to getting roughed up on the field, and anybody who plays football, or any sport, for the Motor City has grit and can handle it. But, sometimes, players go too far, and when that happens, the NFL is there to step in and make sure those players are properly punished.
Now, ahead of the highly-anticipated “Sunday Night Football” matchup between the Lions and Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, November 16, the NFL has stepped in and punished two players for incidents involved the Detroit Lions. The incidents happened during the Lions and Washington Commanders game on Sunday, November 9, on the road.
On Saturdays during the season, the NFL hands down punishments to players for actions taken during the previous week’s games. The NFL states on their website that these actions are “to protect players from unnecessary risk and preserve competitive balance and game integrity.” Also, before the season even started, the NFL and NFL Players Association agreed on the set of game-related rules violations that may result in accountability measures.
Players Disciplined Ahead of Detroit Lions and Philadelphia Eagles game
So, one day before the Detroit Lions and Philadelphia Eagles game, the NFL handed down hefty punishments to two players from last weekend’s Commanders game. On the league’s Week 10 report, Commanders linebacker Ale Kaho was hit with the biggest punishment of the week in a $46,371 fine for unnecessary roughness and “use of the helmet” in the third quarter of the game. Washington defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw was also fined $28,555 for unsportsmanlike conduct and “conduct with an official” in the second quarter of the game, which was also one of the largest punishments of the week.
So, the Washington Commanders didn’t play nice, and the league noticed. Those funds will go to a good cause, though. According to the NFL, the funds raised from those fines will go to the Professional Athletes Foundation to “support legends in need and the NFL Foundation to further support the health, safety and wellness of athletes across all levels, including youth football and the communities that support the game.”
Also, players may choose to challenge these penalties, but that doesn’t usually happen unless there’s also a game suspension involved. The NFL states that “league staff members examine the plays identified as having potential infractions to determine whether there is cause for additional review.”
The Detroit Lions didn’t escape the Commanders game without any punishments, though. Also on November 15, the NFL gave wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown a punishment of $12,172 fine for unnecessary roughness under the “striking/kicking/tripping/kneeing” category. The event happened in the second quarter of the Lions’ game against the Commanders.
The Detroit Lions ‘Can Still Go Nuclear’
Looking at the Lions and Eagles game, going into the NFL’s Week 11 power rankings, the Lions and Eagles are literally one stop away from each other on the NFL’s tally, with the Eagles being No. 4 and Lions at No. 5.
“Dan Campbell took over offensive play-calling, and the Lions had arguably their most productive showing of the season on that side of the ball,” Eric Edholm of the NFL’s website noted, adding that “tougher challenges await, but the Lions gave a reminder that they can still go nuclear when they’re on.”
Campbell has stated that he’ll be making the offensive play calls for the rest of the Lions’ season, in place of first-year offensive coordinator John Morton. So, expect to see even more Campbell than usual on the sidelines.
How Cairo Santos, Bears special teams rebounded to pull off another wild win
He wanted the ball for his kicker.
“Once I heard the ball kicked, I looked up to see where it’s going, and I had full faith it was going to go in,” Daly said after the Bears’ 19-17 win over the Minnesota Vikings, “and just making sure I was able to get that ball to Cairo, as he deserved it.”
Daly stood holding the ball as Santos hugged his teammates. He presented it to the kicker and said, “So happy for you. Way to bounce back, dude.”
Santos and the Bears’ special teams unit bounced back in the best way after two blunders in the fourth quarter created the situation that required a game-winning kick. And then it was Santos and kickoff returner Devin Duvernay who made sure the third phase went from goat to hero.
“I love where our team is at right now. It’s not always pretty,” Santos told his teammates and coaches when he received a game ball. “I made a mistake, and I don’t want to put our team in that situation again. But we all trust each other and have faith we’re all going to come clutch in the end.”
Life as a special-teamer: It can be a roller coaster.
Take cornerback Josh Blackwell, a stalwart on special teams since he arrived in 2022, yet he got his feet caught up on a punt and ran into the returner, which led to a 15-yard penalty. Then it was Blackwell whose block helped spring Duvernay on his 56-yard return.
“Man, just a lot of green grass and eyes lit up,” Duvernay said. “Moment to make a play.”
The coverage units had been stout most of the afternoon, especially on kickoffs. Then they let punt returner Miles Page get loose for 43 yards, setting up the Vikings’ first touchdown of the fourth quarter. Several of those players were on the field for Duvernay’s clutch return, his longest of the season.
“This team has done a great job. Like, we don’t really flinch,” linebacker Amen Ogbongbemiga said. “Yeah, we gave up a long return, but there is never a doubt. Nobody was worried. It’s like, man, it’s our time to make a play, so we trusted it.”
The Bears entered Sunday 21st in the league in kickoff returns. Duvernay ranked 25th in return average. His lone return in Minnesota came with 50 seconds on the clock.
Quarterback Caleb Williams had a feeling before the game that Duvernay would get loose for a long return. It just happened to be the most important return of the season.
Duvernay said that earlier in his career, in a situation like this, he might have tried to force it and done too much, knowing how critical a long return was.
“That doesn’t always work out,” he said. “So just let the game come to you.”
The kickoff went to Duvernay at the 4-yard line, and he ran up the numbers before veering right. Blackwell had his block, and Duvernay just had to outrun No. 96, linebacker Tyler Batty.
“Honestly, I was just trying to get down the sidelines, maximize the return, and just put ourselves in a great position to get some points to win the game,” he said.
Ogbongbemiga was on the back side of the play, and knowing what the design was and how the Vikings would attack it, he believed Duvernay could spring one.
“I felt them crash the whole time, you know. We could tell where they were heading because they would tilt themselves,” he said. “So as soon as I saw them tilt, I knew they were going to crash in, and we just have to move our feet, sustain our blocks for a tick, and (Duvernay) has got to show why he gets paid, and he did. He’s an All-Pro, Pro Bowl returner in this league, and that’s why he’s been doing it for so long.”
Duvernay got pushed out at the Vikings’ 40-yard line, which was actually in Santos’ range. He said he hit a 61-yard field goal in pregame warmups and felt great about the 54-yard field goal he made in the third quarter, which set the Bears’ franchise record for most 50-plus-yard field goals in a career (24).
Running back D’Andre Swift’s 7-yard run on third down made it a more reasonable 48-yard kick, but Santos’ earlier miss — in the same direction — was from 45 yards out.
“We made some big kicks early on in the game like this,” he said. “I’m in such a good rhythm, such good confidence going into that kick. And to miss it in any way is frustrating. Kind of a summary of how the season’s gone for me. Not a lot of things have gone my way. And I’m always gonna keep battling and keep fighting for opportunities like this to show what I wanna do for this team.”
