The NFL has fined New York Giants running back Cam Skattebo $7,073 for lowering his helmet and making forcible contact with an opponent during the team's 27-21 overtime win over the Houston Texans in Week 7.

The incident occurred in the first quarter when Skattebo lowered his head while running into Houston safety MJ Stewart, resulting in a 15-yard unnecessary roughness penalty. The flag erased a seven-yard gain, with New York leading 7-3 at the time.

This is the second time Skattebo has been fined $7,073 for illegal helmet use this season. He received the same financial punishment in Week 3 following a similar incident against the Tennessee Titans.

However, the penalty called against Skattebo was unusual compared to how the league handled other helmet-related violations this past week. Eight players received fines for illegal use of the helmet, but Skattebo was the only one penalized during a game. The other seven were fined without their teams receiving a flag.

Those players included Chicago Bears cornerback Clark Phillips ($11,550), Denver Broncos safety Brandon Jones ($23,882), Broncos linebacker Alex Singleton ($47,662), Detroit Lions safety Brian Branch ($23,882), Indianapolis Colts cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt ($7,791), Pittsburgh Steelers receiver Brandon Smith ($4,916) and San Francisco 49ers running back Jordan James ($6,194).

The difference between Skattebo's punishment and the other cases shows how frequently the NFL handles these violations through postgame fines rather than penalties during games.

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Giants head coach John Harbaugh questioned the decision, arguing that Skattebo naturally runs with his body low to protect himself and the football. He also maintained that keeping his head upright in that situation was physically impossible and insisted the running back was not deliberately using his helmet as a weapon.

Skattebo also expressed frustration with the league's decision, pointing out that the NFL celebrates his aggressive running style in highlight packages while penalizing him for it. He indicated that he had no intention of changing his approach.

Despite the controversy, Skattebo produced a career-best performance versus the Texans, finishing with 124 rushing yards and a touchdown on 17 carries. His efforts also earned him NFL Network's Angry Runs Scepter for the week.