A horse collar tackle by cornerback Cary Williams on Darren Sproles’ kickoff return late in last Saturday’s game cost the Eagles 15 yards that the Saints used to set up their game-winning field goal.
It wound up costing Williams more than $15,000. PFT has confirmed with the league that Williams has been fined $15,750 for the infraction.
Williams’ penalty was costly, but it might have saved a touchdown. Sproles was sprinting up the sideline and nearing midfield without many Eagles in position to stop him when Williams dragged him down at the Saints’ 37-yard line. The penalty put the Saints into Eagles territory and New Orleans picked up 34 more yards, most of them on the ground, before Shayne Graham’s 32-yard field goal won the game.
Williams said after the game that his goal was to get Sproles down no matter the cost in a penalty. He didn’t mention the cost to himself, but the league took care of that this week.