It's nearly the holiday season, and Steelers' opponents are in a giving mood.
The NFL has fined players and coaches among the Steelers' last two opponents, the Baltimore Ravens and New York Jets, approximately $169,909 as a result of seven instances in those past two games.
As far as we can tell, the results are:
Week 10
Courtney Upshaw - $20,000
Terrell Suggs - $8,268
Albert McClellan - $8,268
Jeremy Zuttah - $8,268
Week 11
Jason Babin - $16,537
Michael Vick - $8,268
Rex Ryan - $100,000
$169,609
Of note, the league views hits of the dirty variety, such as Suggs' and McClellan's, as on par with throwing a ball at Steelers cornerback William Gay, like Vick did in Week 10.
It's understandable why Vick was confused, he has been paid millions over the years to throw balls at defensive backs.
Babin's was of the second-offense variety and, while it's clear Jets coach Rex Ryan has expressed a few obscenities in his day, at least three of them were caught on video. His sizable fine came from the "eff you!" he delivered to Steelers safety Mike Mitchell after Mitchell's well-received and well-thought-out plan to dive over the Jets' victory formation at the end of their Week 11 win.
Mitchell wasn't fined, but it's clear he won't be doing anything like that again.
Steelers linebacker Vince Williams picked up an 8K-and-change fine for taunting the Ravens after a muffed extra point attempt turned into a 2-point conversion.
Perhaps the league felt their point was made in doling out over $44,000 in fines to the Ravens. Cornerback Lardarius Webb went unscathed after a brutal horse-collar tackle of Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown. The play was penalized and seemed to fit the league's mandate for a $16,637 fine. So did Steelers' nose tackle Steve McLendon's hit on Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco. He picked up a penalty for driving Flacco into the ground, something that usually carries with it a fine.
Just like the referees in the WWE, you never know what kinds of shenanigans the league will pull. But we do know they've been fine-happy during the last two weeks. Let the Titans be warned.