The Detroit Lions capped off a solid win over the Washington Commanders on Sunday, November 9, at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Maryland, with a 44-22 final score. The win meant a lot to the Lions, because it was a rematch of sorts after the fallout from last season’s divisional round, which saw the Commanders pull off an upset win over the Lions in a 45-31 loss.
So, the Detroit Lions got their win, and it was in front of the Commanders’ crowd. It wasn’t an easy and clean win, though. The game brought drama, and one moment on the field that drew attention was when Washington Commanders defensive tackle Daron Payne was ejected in the second quarter after punching Detroit Lions receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown.
The exchange happened after the Lions scored their third touchdown of the first half. Payne punched St. Brown with his right hand after the two exchanged words. The referees immediately gave him an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty and automatic ejection. It was an uncharacteristic moment for Payne, because it marked the first time he was ejected in his eighth season.
Washington Commanders Player Who Punched Detroit Lions’ Amon-Ra St. Brown Bracing for Penalty
So, Payne had to leave the game, but it’s not over. Punching another NFL player is cause for additional punishment, and on Monday, November 10, the NFL announced that Payne will be suspended for one game without pay because of his actions against St. Brown.
Payne has a right to appeal the suspension. If he loses the appeal, he’ll have to stay home when the Commanders go to Madrid to play in Sunday, November 16th, game against the Dolphins. If the suspension goes through, Payne will lose $1.087 million this season, since that’s what he makes in one game, according to research from Over the Cap.
If he hadn’t been suspended, the NFL would have hit him with a gameday accountability punishment on Saturday, November 15. Unnecessary roughness penalties often stretch into five figures, but nothing like losing the kind of bag Payne will.
The Commanders would have appreciated the help if Payne hadn’t made the hit and stayed in the game. Without their franchise quarterback Jayden Daniels, the team has lost five consecutive games.
Daniels suffered an elbow injury during the team’s game against the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday, November 2, but the injury was not as serious as anticipated, and he wasn’t put on injured reserve. According to the NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, medical examinations showed there was no ligament damage to Daniels’ elbow and that the player won’t need surgery. Putting Daniels on injured reserve would have meant that he would have to miss at least four weeks. Plus, he would have missed more time once cleared from injured reserve.
After Washington Commanders Game, Detroit Lions’ Schedule Gets Harder
The Detroit Lions’ schedule doesn’t get any easier after the win over the Washington Commanders. The team takes on the championship-winning Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, November 16, on the road, for an evening Sunday Night Football contest.
The last time the Lions took on the Eagles was back in September of 2022, when Dan Campbell was still getting his footing as a head coach. The Lions lost that game with a 38-35 final score, but today’s Lions is totally different from where they stood in 2022, so the Eagles better be ready.
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