2 Bears, 4 Lions fined by NFL

[November 19, 2011]  NEW YORK (AP) -- Four Detroit Lions, including quarterback Matthew Stafford, and two Chicago Bears were fined Friday by the NFL for incidents in their game last Sunday.

Stafford instigated a scuffle when he grabbed the helmet of Bears defensive back D. J. Moore and threw him to the ground. Stafford was fined $7,500, while Moore was hit for $15,000 for striking back at Stafford and being ejected.

Also docked $15,000 was Lions rookie DT Nick Fairley for driving Bears QB Jay Cutler into the ground.

Chicago receiver Earl Bennett was fined $10,000 for wearing orange shoes, his second uniform violation.

Detroit DE Kyle Vanden Bosch was docked $7,500 for unnecessary roughness: Vanden Bosch threw Bears RB Matt Forte to the ground late.

Detroit guard Rob Sims also was hit for $7,500 for a late tackle.

Baltimore quarterback Joe Flacco was fined $7,500 for a horse-collar tackle on Seattle linebacker David Hawthorne, who had intercepted a pass.

Three Panthers were fined $7,500 each from the Tennessee-Carolina game, all for the same thing: striking an opponent in the face or facemask. Fined were Panthers tackles Byron Bell and Jordan Gross and defensive end Charles Johnson. Johnson fouled Titans tackle David Stewart.

Titans safety Michael Griffin was fined the same amount for a late hit in the head area with his helmet.

Browns guard Shawn Lauvao also received a $7,500 fine for unnecessary roughness in a loss to Houston on Nov. 6.

[Associated Press]

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