ALAMEDA, Calif. — Oakland receiver Michael Crabtree and Denver cornerback Aqib Talib have been suspended two games each without pay for fighting.
NFL Vice President of Football Operations Jon Runyan announced the suspensions on Monday, a day after the two players brawled during Oakland’s 21-14 victory. Both players can appeal the suspensions.
The fight was a continuation of a dispute that started last season when Talib ripped Crabtree’s chain off during the season finale. Crabtree missed the first game between the teams this year but went after Talib early in this latest game.
On the second play of Oakland’s second drive, Crabtree aggressively blocked Talib on a running play and drove him to the ground on the Broncos’ sideline. Talib ripped Crabtree’s chain off his neck while they were tangled up, and a brawl ensued.
49ERS: Coach Kyle Shanahan isn’t ready to decide between quarterbacks C.J. Beathard and Jimmy Garoppolo just yet.
The San Francisco 49ers’ coach is waiting to see how Beathard recovers from the hip and knee injuries that forced him out of Sunday’s loss to Seattle. Garoppolo replaced him late in the game, and now Tom Brady’s former backup could get his first start for San Francisco next week against the Bears.
Garoppolo threw a touchdown on the final play against the Seahawks after Beathard was sidelined with 1:07 left. Shanahan said he’ll announce his starter by Wednesday in order to maximize practice time ahead of Chicago.
BRONCOS: Quarterback Paxton Lynch will miss 2 to 4 weeks with a high right ankle sprain, Coach Vance Joseph announced on his weekly radio show.
So, it’s back to Trevor Siemian, who started the season but was benched a month ago in favor of Brock Osweiler, who was supplanted last week by Lynch.
GIANTS: New York placed four more players on injured reserve, increasing its total of players out for the season to 19.
In addition to putting offensive lineman D.J. Fluker (toe), cornerback Donte Deayon (forearm), and linebackers Curtis Grant (knee) and Deontae Skinner (hamstring) on IR – the Giants have six linebackers on the list – the team was awarded linebacker Ray-Ray Armstrong off waivers from the San Francisco 49ers. New York also signed free-agent linebacker Jeremy Cash.
BILLS: Buffalo receiver Kelvin Benjamin does indeed have torn cartilage in his right knee.
The Bills revealed the exact nature of the injury on Monday when correcting a comment Coach Sean McDermott made earlier in the day.
McDermott said “No,” when asked if Benjamin had a torn meniscus.
A team spokesman, however, informed reporters about a half hour later that the player’s meniscus was torn, while saying McDermott misunderstood the question.
MONDAY’S GAME
RAVENS 23, TEXANS 16: Terrell Suggs led an aggressive Baltimore defense that kept Houston out of the end zone for the final 51 minutes, and the Ravens (6-5) went deep in the playbook on offense to squeeze out a win at home.
The Ravens forced three turnovers, two in the final five minutes.
After Suggs stripped the ball from quarterback Tom Savage and Baltimore recovered, Justin Tucker kicked a field goal with 2:53 remaining for a seven-point cushion.
Houston (4-7) has lost 4 of 5.
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