Bears get bittersweet news as NFL lays the hammer down on Panthers Derrick Brown while also fining one Bears player
Carolina Panthers defensive lineman Derrick Brown was fined for his roughing the passer hit on Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams, but the NFL also handed down punishment on Bears wide receiver Jahdae Walker.
The Chicago Bears and Carolina Panthers are both eager to move on to Week 2, for opposite reasons, but before they can turn the page to Sunday’s games, the NFL laid down some last minute punishment on two players.
The biggest fine was handed out to Panthers defensive lineman Derrick Brown for his roughing the passer hit on Bears quarterback Caleb Williams. Brown was fined $17,911 for the hit on Williams, the third largest fine handed out from Week 1.
One Bears player faced some discipline as well. Bears wide receiver Jahdae Walker was fined $5,620 for taunting after a big block he laid on a Panthers defender.
That roughing the passer play was a costly play for Derrick Brown in more ways than one
Going back to the hit by Derrick Brown on Caleb Williams, that was a costly play for the Panthers well before this fine was announced. It was a second-and-20 play for the Bears when the game was tied 31-31. If the Panthers forced a field goal there, they would have been in a good spot.
Williams pass on that play was incomplete and would have been a third-and-20 if not for Brown’s penalty. Three plays later, Chicago scored to make it 38-31.
“I thought I was within one step,” Brown explained after the game. “But I mean, as I said, it was a bonehead move. Shouldn’t have done it.”
One play isn’t what changed that game for the Panthers, who lost 59-37, but it certainly was a turning point. Getting hit with a $17,911 fine on top of it makes things even worse for Brown.
Jahdae Walker got a little too excited on Sunday
Walker had a strong game for the Bears. He was exceptional on special teams and was laying big blocks all game long. He was eventually rewarded with a touchdown later in the game for his efforts, but I guess he got a little too excited on that one block.
“(Ben Johnson) says, ‘no block, no rock,’ and that gets us going because we all want the ball,” Walker said. “That’s pretty much all we are thinking about. You’ve got to buy into it or you’re going to get left.”
Walker laid a big hit on the outside that opened up room for wide receiver Kalif Raymond to get a four-yard gain. After laying the hit, Walker stood over the defender and that’s what the league determined was too much and worth a fine. Even though the officials didn’t deem it worth a penalty.
With those two fines now dished out, we can now close the book on that game and move on to Week 2. The Chicago Bears will be hosting the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday while the Carolina Panthers travel to take on the Atlanta Falcons.
