The NFL continues to amaze me in their ability to find ridiculous actions to fine players for.  And while I’m not ready to go down the path of claiming vindictiveness yet, at least some Viking fans are thinking the NFL has it in for the team, possibly due to the Kevin & Pat Williams lawsuit.

The latest fined Viking?  DT Fred Evans, who was fined $5k for grabbing the face mask of RB Kevin Smith.  And my problem with the fine this time isn’t just the face that fining players for actions like a face mask, which is an unfortunate but common part of the game, is ridiculous (Vikings LB Chad Greenway was fined $15k earlier this year for a face mask that wasn’t called against the Saints, the first time I’d ever heard of such a fine).

My problem with this fine is that replays seemed to show (rather clearly, in my eyes) that Evans didn’t even grab the face mask on the play.  It appeared that Evans merely tackled Smith by the shoulder pads–essentially grabbing him by the front collar and pulling him down in a way that maybe appeared to be the result of a face mask, but on replay did not look like it.

So now it appears that Evans was penalized AND fined unfairly for the play.  Fortunately, unlike the Saints, who lost to the Vikings when Greenway’s penalty wasn’t called (on a play that may have impacted the outcome of the game), the Vikings didn’t lose to the 0-12 Lions last week.

I still have to wonder, though–with all of the poor officiating going on this year–are any moves being made to make NFL referees full time?  And hold them accoutable with something other than losing out on the opportunity to work playoff games?