The NFL fined New Orleans Saints cornerback Marshon Lattimore $16,391 for an unnecessary roughness penalty in last week’s win over the New England Patriots, the league announced Saturday. Lattimore was fouled early in the fifth quarter for an illegal hit on Patriots wide receiver Demario Douglas that turned a 24-yard completion into a 39-yard gain, moving the New England offense from midfield and into Saints territory.
To add another aggravating factor to the play, Saints head coach Dennis Allen unsuccessfully challenged the ruling of a completed pass, costing the team a timeout just 10 minutes into regulation.
Fortunately none of it impacted the game’s outcome. That Patriots drive continued with a 3-yard run by Ezekiel Elliott, a 4-yard tackle for loss by Carl Granderson and a critical open-field tackle by Johnathan Abram that stopped Mike Gesicki short of the sticks. New England missed a 48-yard field goal try and the Saints went on to win the day 34-0.
As for Lattimore’s fine: he’s earning $60,000 each week in his regular game checks on top of the hefty signing bonus he received earlier this year after restructuring his contract, so this isn’t going to break his bank. But you’d still like to see the Saints avoid self-inflicted wounds like this as a team. Here’s to a clean game on Sunday.
