Texans linebacker Brian Cushing was penalized both by the officials and the league office for a hit on Cam Newton on Sunday.
The league office’s penalty was $10,000, as reported today.
The 15-yard penalty was costly on the field for the Texans. It came after Newton had thrown an incomplete pass on second-and-10, and the extra 15 yards helped the Panthers march down the field for a touchdown.
Prior to that game against the Panthers, the Texans were in the lead for home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs. Now they’ve lost two in a row, both to teams with losing records, and are likely headed for the AFC No. 3 seed.