Week 6 pre-game fights could prompt fines and reminders to teams, officials

Monday night was ablaze with intensity before the Cowboys and Chargers game, and those involved are about to face the consequences in more ways than one.

Way back in 2005, a fiery brawl between the Eagles and Falcons prior to a Monday night showdown resulted in the punishment of nine players through fines. To add fuel to the fire, Eagles linebacker Jeremiah Trotter was ejected before the game even kicked off.

Last night, Cowboys pass rusher Dante Fowler should have also faced ejection due to the brutal blow targeting the head that forcibly removed Chargers’ running back Austin Ekeler’s helmet.

This recent incident marked the second consecutive day featuring a pre-game skirmish. Prior to Sunday’s game in Cleveland, the 49ers and Browns found themselves locked in a scuffle. (Don’t miss Trent Williams unexpectedly joining the fray in this must-see video clip.)

Unsurprisingly, this will likely prompt the ever-reactive NFL to issue memos and reminders to players and officials regarding the key rules designed to maintain the separation between teams before kickoff. Strangely enough, these rules were disregarded on both Sunday and Monday. It wouldn’t be surprising if this document finds its way into the hands of a league-affiliated reporter before the commencement of Week 7 on Thursday night.

Moreover, anticipate a substantial tally of fines being added to this week’s list of financial penalties announced by the league. Interestingly, the league now publicly unveils these penalties on Saturdays.