Two Lions Fined, No Chiefs

Two Detroit Lions received fines in the team's Week 6 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.

Linebacker Alex Anzalone and defensive tackle Tyler Lacy were both fined for Striking/Kicking/Tripping/Kneeing by the NFL. Anzalone was fined $12,172, while Lacy was fined $5,722. No Chiefs were fined after Sunday's game.

The Lions will be without safety Brian Branch in Monday's game, as he was suspended for his role in a postgame scuffle with Chiefs wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster.

After being blocked in the back late in Sunday's game, Branch approached Chiefs wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster and threw an open-handed punch to set off the scrum. Smith-Schuster emerged from the pile with blood on his nose, and both Branch and Lions head coach Dan Campbell issued apologies after the game.

With the Lions' bye week set for next week, Branch will be set to return to action in Week 9 against the Minnesota Vikings.

Plenty of fanfare has ensued from the incident, with Branch being in a spotlight as the result of his actions. With an NFL video being critical of the defender and numerous comments from analysts across the league, the Lions have united around him.

Campbell noted that the team has defender Branch as their teammate, and situations such as this one could be an avenue for the group to come even closer together.

"That's what our guys are about, man. We overcome adversity, and listen that's their brother. If you're gonna attack their brother, that's what they're gonna do," Campbell said. "We've got a tight-knit group, and (I've) already mentioned this, B.B.'s a good dude. He's paying for what happened, and he'll be back ready to go for Minnesota."

Speaking earlier in the week, Lions defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard defended Branch as well. He noted that the incident doesn't have to define the third-year safety, but will be a learning opportunity.

"Outside of the field, I mean the most soft-spoken guy you’ll ever meet, the most respectable guy you’ll ever meet," Sheppard said. "But those 30 seconds in that spotlight could change how people view you and how people see you. So just always remember that in this profession, in life, one wrong decision could now peg you as a person that you’re nowhere near to being. So, I think he understands that more than anybody right now and he’ll learn and grow from that situation.”

With Branch out and Kerby Joseph's status uncertain, the Lions could rely on Thomas Harper and newly signed Jammie Robinson to contribute in the secondary.