Dungy Fined for Criticizing Officials

Coach Tony Dungy of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers was fined $10,000 by the NFL on Friday for criticizing the officiating in last week’s game against the New York Giants, even though the league admitted he had grounds for complaint.

The league admitted that officials, even after reviewing replays, blew three calls that, if corrected, could have altered the outcome of the game, which was won by the Giants, 17-13.

“With all the technology we’ve got, if he [referee Ed Hoculi] can’t make the right call, how can he be in charge of a crew?” Dungy said he asked league officials. “Their response was everybody makes mistakes.”

On Friday, the league’s response was that Dungy “publicly criticized the officiating . . . [and] publicly discussed the substance of private conversations he had this week with the NFL Officiating Department.”

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Ricky Williams’ twice-sprained left ankle has healed enough for him to start Sunday for the New Orleans Saints against the San Francisco 49ers at San Francisco.

The rookie running back had been listed as questionable, but Coach Mike Ditka decided that the Heisman Trophy winner was ready for the game.

“He’s fine. He’ll play. We’re going to start him,” Ditka said.

“This will end all the speculation. . . . I’m tired of listening to 150 people. He’s ready to play, and we’ll give him a chance to go. Is he 100%? Probably not, but I’ll take my chances with what he’ll give. . . . I planned on playing him all week. I just was listening to all the rhetoric.”

The Saints traded eight draft picks to get Williams, but he sat out almost all of the exhibition season after suffering a sprained left ankle in the exhibition opener.

In the season opener Sunday, he had 10 carries for 40 yards before injuring the ankle again in a slightly different spot. Despite the loss of Williams, the Saints went on to beat the Carolina Panthers, 19-10.

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Chris Chandler participated in some light workouts, but the Atlanta Falcons’ Pro Bowl quarterback was still listed as doubtful for Monday night’s game against the Dallas Cowboys at Dallas.

Though he practiced for the first time since suffering a right hamstring injury at the end of Sunday’s 17-14 loss to the Minnesota Vikings, Chandler, 33, didn’t take a snap from center and stood and watched as the offense and defense scrimmaged.

Coach Dan Reeves was pleased with the work of backup Tony Graziani, who is set to start Monday, and No. 3 quarterback Danny Kanell.