The Detroit Lions had a bye week in Week 8, and that gave them a week to celebrate their 24-9 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Ford Field on Sunday, October 19. The Week 7 victory was a statement win for the Lions and gave them a strong record of 5-2 going into their week off.
But, the week off also gave people more time to think about some of the things that went down during, and after, the game. NFL games are usually filled with controversy, and that was certainly the case with the the Lions vs. Buccaneers game. Some of the NFL players on the Tampa Bay side weren’t happy with how the refs made calls, and Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield made his thoughts known about it after the game.
“A third down defensive holding call that wasn’t called, and also I’m still pretty damn confused about the double review,” Mayfield said after the game, according to NBC Sports. “A lot of things in that game that were a little questionable.”
He added, “A lot of frustration at the end of that. It might be displaced onto John Hussey in the moment, but I work my… off and I put a lot into this game, so when things I don’t seem are deemed fair, I’m gonna let somebody know.”
Baker Mayfield Gets Final Resolution on Penalty for Detroit Lions Game
The NFL doesn’t like it when players complain about the refs after the game. They often crack down on players and staffers who criticize the officials.
Who can forget when the NFL fined Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid and quarterback Patrick Mahomes for criticizing the officials following a loss to Bills in 2023? According to the NFL’s official website, “Reid received a $100,000 fine for publicly criticizing the officials, while Mahomes’ $50,000 fine was due to unsportsmanlike conduct for abusive, threatening or insulting language to officials, plus publicly criticizing the referees.”
Every week during the regular NFL season, the league penalizes players for their actions in the previous week’s games. The NFL notes on their website that these actions are “to protect players from unnecessary risk and preserve competitive balance and game integrity, the NFL and NFL Players Association have agreed on a set of game-related rules violations that may result in accountability measures.”
So, Mayfield certainly could have been fined. But, the NFL has made its final decision, and they didn’t fine him.
Detroit Lions Does Get Punished
However, one Lions play did get fined. In the NFL’s report for Week 7, defensive end Tyrus Wheat was given a $5,722 fine for “unnecessary roughness” and “striking/kicking/tripping/kneeing.” Wheat tripped Tampa Bay Buccaneers Mayfield in the pocket while trying to make a pass. In the game, the refs didn’t call it as a foul against the Detroit Lions and instead gave Wheat the sack.
According to the NFL, 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.”
The Detroit Lions just ended their NFL bye week, and their next game is against the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday, November 2. The Minnesota Vikings are in quarterback purgatory right now, which should only help the Lions.
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