The NFL has banned the hip drop tackle . . . except they haven’t.
Officials aren’t calling the penalty on the field but instead letting the league office handle it with fines during the week. The NFL fined two players for hip drop tackles that were not penalized in Week 1.
Bears linebacker T.J. Edwards can expect his fine letter this week.
Edwards had a classic hip drop tackle, injuring Texans running back Joe Mixon on Sunday Night Football. Mixon is questionable to return with an ankle injury.
Mixon’s ankle turned as Edwards was dragging him down illegally with 11:52 remaining in the third quarter.
Mixon left for the X-ray room after an examination in the sideline medical tent.
Mixon, who had 30 carries for 159 yards and a touchdown in the season opener, has seven carries for 20 yards and three catches for 25 yards tonight.
Backup Dameon Pierce is inactive, leaving Cam Akers to make his Texans debut in Mixon’s absence.
UPDATE 11 P.M. ET: Mixon returned to the game with 50 seconds left in the third quarter.
