Cards' Fitzgerald fined $24K for crackback block vs. Texans

NEW YORK (AP) - Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald was fined $24,309 by the NFL on Friday for an illegal crackback block against the Houston Texans last Sunday.

Fitzgerald was assessed a 15-yard penalty after Adrian Peterson was stopped for no gain on the play, which occurred midway through the first quarter of the Cardinals' 31-21 loss in Houston.

Seattle safety Earl Thomas was also docked $24,309 for his hit on Atlanta's Levine Toilolo, who caught a touchdown pass to give the Falcons a 31-20 lead in the third quarter last Monday night. Thomas was penalized for hitting Toilolo in the helmet with his shoulder in the end zone.

Kansas City linebacker Terrance Smith was fined the same amount for his blindside helmet-to-helmet hit on Giants long snapper Zak DeOssie during a punt return late in the second quarter of New York's 12-9 win.

Philadelphia quarterback Carson Wentz threw a low block on a Dallas defender last Sunday night, and it cost him $9,115. The play occurred during a failed 2-point conversion by the Eagles early in the fourth quarter of Philadelphia's 37-9 win.

Washington's Preston Smith, Miami's Kiko Alonso, Detroit's Jeremiah Valoaga and Green Bay's Dean Lowry were all fined $18,231 for rough hits on quarterbacks.

Oakland's Johnny Holton was docked $12,154 for unsportsmanlike conduct, stemming from when he smacked New England cornerback Jonathan Jones on his helmet after a play.

Fined $9,115 by the NFL were: Chicago's Kyle Long (unnecessary roughness), New Orleans' P.J. Williams (unnecessary roughness), Pittsburgh's Marcus Gilbert (facemask) and Tampa Bay's T.J. Ward (taunting).

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