DE Muhammad Wilkerson and LB Quinton Coples confirmed their fines from the NFL for their almost simultaneous hits on the play that ended Titans QB Jake Locker's game and part of his season on Sunday. And both are appealing their fines.
"I was going to appeal, regardless," Wilkerson told reporters after today's practice at the Atlantic Health Jets Training Center. "It didn't matter the amount. If it was $5,000, I still would've appealed. I don't think it was a dirty hit. I don't think I should've gotten fined."
Wilkerson was hit for $15,785 and Coples for $7,875. The interesting part of the fines is that two very interested QB parties thought the play was hard but not cheap.
"I didn't feel like that on the field and after watching it, it wasn't anything malicious," Locker said in Nashville. "I kind of got bounced into the second guy. I didn't feel like they were out to get me, no."
And Falcons QB Matt Ryan, who'll be up next to face Wilk, Q and the rest of the Jets' defense, said the same.
"I didn't think they were cheap shots," Ryan said. "I thought it was just a bang-bang play and those were hard hits, but that's the unfortunate part of the game. You don't like to see anybody go down, and certainly I wish the best for Jake going forward and hope he has a speedy recovery. But I don't think they were at all dirty."
"I just play hard, physical football like I'm supposed to and how I was brought up and taught," Wilkerson said. "I'm going to continue to do that and play ball the way I know how to play ball."
Tennessee S Michael Griffin said Wednesday that he was fined $21,000 by the league for his hit on WR Stephen Hill, who suffered a concussion. Griffin also is appealing his fine.
Injury Report
Our first injury report of the week has six players not participating in team drills today — WRs Stephen Hill (concussion) and Santonio Holmes (foot/hamstring), RB Chris Ivory (hamstring), CB Dee Milliner (hamstring), TE Kellen Winslow (knee) and T Oday Aboushi (knee). Two more — WR Clyde Gates (knee) and CB Darrin Walls (shoulder) — were limited.
The Falcons list two starters who are definitely out for Monday night's game — LT Sam Baker (knee) and MLB Akeem Dent (ankle). Three more didn't practice today in Atlanta — RB Steven Jackson (hamstring), CB Asante Samuel (thigh) and LB Paul Worrilow (knee) — and three more more starters were limited — WRs Julio Jones (knee) and Roddy White (ankle) and DT Jonathan Babineaux (foot).
