‘It’s going to cost them…’ NFL announces punishment for two Las Vegas Raiders stars after costly mistakes in bruising Week 3 clash… heavy fines revealed in official league report as fans left stunned by what came next… - suong
Two Las Vegas Raiders players, Isaiah Pola-Mao and Devin White, face fines after the NFL announced penalties. It was a tough outing for the Silver and Black in Week 3 against the Washington Commanders, and both players made mistakes that proved costly to them financially.
On September 27, the NFL published its weekly Gameday Accountability report. Created in agreement with the NFL Players Association, the report highlights game-related rule violations that may result in accountability measures, aiming to protect players and preserve both competitive balance and the integrity of the game.
Pola-Mao received the larger fine of the two Raiders players. The 26-year-old was fined for unnecessary roughness during a first-quarter play against the Commanders at the 5:01 mark, when he used his helmet. As a result, the NFL has fined Pola-Mao $17,278 for the incident.
As for White, the unnecessary roughness play that he was fined for came in the fourth quarter at the 11:31 mark after he gave a hip drop tackle. Because of this incident, the NFL fined the 27-year-old $6,500.
Raiders Defenders Will Need to Move Forward
Pola-Mao and White will have to put these issues behind them as the Raiders defense need these two playing at the top of their game against the Chicago Bears.
Raiders defensive lineman Thomas Booker IV will be looking to help slow down Williams and the Bears. Furthermore, he explained what the defense needs to do to give the team the best chance to win.
“I think [Williams is] starting to kind of figure it out—when he should stay in the pocket and when he should get out of there,” Booker told reporters on September 24
“In terms of being improvisational and scrambling, he can really make plays on the move. For us, it’s about containing him and creating as many opportunities as possible to keep him in the pocket, so he doesn’t get out and run wild. That’s what we’ll be focusing on this week.”
Bears QB Caleb Williams Has the Raiders Defense on Alert
Booker isn’t the only one aware of what Williams brings against a defense. Raiders head coach Pete Carroll is praising the quarterback as well, noting he’s been following him closely since his USC days.
“I did watch him a lot [at USC] and had a chance to check him out,” Carroll told reporters on September 24. “He’s a very, very special athlete and
“They have a really nice system. You can see it already coming through. [Ben Johnson] is doing a nice job teaching these guys what he believes is important in offense. You can see that there are a lot of changes from last year. Caleb can do whatever you want him to do, so he’s a very dangerous player to play against.”
‘This is why you have depth…’ Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni breaks silence after star pass rusher Nolan Smith Jr. is ruled out with injury… admits no one player can replace him as Philly turns to its depth chart in search of answers… - suong
The Philadelphia Eagles will be without their top pass rusher for the foreseeable future. EDGE Nolan Smith Jr., a first-round pick out of Georgia in the 2023 draft, was placed on Injured Reserve (IR) this week with a triceps injury. Per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Eagles are expecting Smith to be out through the team’s Week 9 bye, and hope for him return in Week 10 against the Packers on November 10.
In the meantime, other players will have to step up in Smith’s absence. He’s the team’s best pass rusher off the edge and won’t be easy to replace, but Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni is confident Philadelphia can manage.
“Yeah, this is why you have depth,” he said to reporters on Friday. “This is why I’m so appreciative of [Eagles general manager] Howie [Roseman] and his staff, of the players they bring in. We’ve got a lot of depth there.”
“So it’s never — as you guys have asked me this before, it’s like, ‘who replaces this guy’s production’ — well, it never just has to be one, right? Just like how you play defense, it’s not one guys just has to make the tackle. Sometimes he does, but you play as a team. Well it’s the same thing. You’ve got group tackles, you’ve got gang tackles, and it’s like, it’s the same thing here. Not one guy has to take the production or take the reps, we’ve got a lot of guys with that ability. And we’re really excited about our depth and the guys we have in that room.”
Who Will Step Up for the Philadelphia Eagles with Nolan Smith Jr. Out?
Mitchell Leff/GettyPHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – AUGUST 7: Nolan Smith Jr. #3 of the Philadelphia Eagles looks on prior to the NFL Preseason 2025 game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Lincoln Financial Field on August 7, 2025 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Eagles defeated the Bengals 34-27. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
Last season, Smith had 42 tackles, six sacks, a forced fumble, two fumble recoveries, and two passes defensed in a less demanding role. With ED Josh Sweat departing for Arizona in free agency, Smith stepped up as the team’s top option. He was a starter last year, as well, but more was being asked of him this year.
Through three games in 2025, Smith has 10 tackles and a forced fumble. He doesn’t have a sack yet, but his presence has been felt in every game. The pressure he can generate one-on-one is difficult to replicate.
Now, the Eagles will have to rely on their depth. Second-year man Jalyx Hunt, Smith’s fellow starter on the other side, will be asked to do even more. Veteran pass rusher Za’Darius Smith is both capable and productive, and the team also has former Giants starter Azeez Ojulari waiting in the wings.
Big Showdown with the Bucs Awaits the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday
Last week, the Eagles had a gut-check come-from-behind win over the Rams to remain undefeated and score a critical tiebreaker over their NFC rivals. This week, the Eagles have a chance to do that once again against the Bucs.
Both teams are 3-0 and leading their respective divisions. Winning this game would give the Eagles wins over two projected NFC division winners, giving them a huge leg up in the race for the NFC’s No. 1 seed.
