Robert Griffin III says Rams played dirty

The St. Louis Rams aren’t losing sleep over comments questioning their style of play from Washington quarterback Robert Griffin III.

Griffin told reporters the Rams were “dirty” and “unprofessional” during their 31-28 victory on Sunday. He claimed he was hit after plays and in other unnecessary ways.

“We’re going to play our own style of football and I’m sorry he didn’t like it,” said Jo-Lonn Dunbar, a fifth-year linebacker who signed with the Rams during the off-season. “I hope he has a good day.”

The Rams were called for one late hit on Griffin. He was hit near the sidelines and went deep into the Redskins’ bench after Eugene Sims hit him near the end of the first quarter.

“They were doing a lot of dirty things. I still think they have an extremely good team, that doesn’t take anything away from them, but the game was unprofessional,” Griffin said. “Who am I to talk? I’ve barely been a pro for very long, but from what I experienced against the Saints compared to that game, it was definitely unprofessional and it does need to be cleaned up.”

Timmons fined

Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Lawrence Timmons has been fined $21,000 for his helmet-to-helmet hit on New York Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez on Sunday.

The fine is the first known penalty imposed on the Steelers this season. The NFL doesn’t make fines official until Friday, but the league alerts players a day or two in advance.

On a third-and-3 from his own 27, Sanchez rolled to his right, pulled up and threw a pass toward the sideline intended for Jeremy Kerley. As Sanchez stopped moving forward, Timmons slammed into the quarterback with his helmet, drawing a 15-yard personal foul.

Urlacher on refs

Brian Urlacher respects the efforts made by the replacement officials, but the Chicago Bears’ Pro Bowl middle linebacker detests the extended length of games this season.

“They’re doing the best they can,” Urlacher said Thursday. “We haven’t had any issues in our games. I think there have been less penalties called from what I have been hearing and watching on TV.

“I feel like the games are going on a little longer because there are so many reviews. I hate reviews. … But they are trying to get ‘em right as best they can. That’s all you can ask of them, I guess.”

According to the NFL, the average game this season is taking 3 hours, 11 minutes and 56 seconds. That’s about 11 minutes longer than the average game in 2011.

Etc.

Arizona Cardinals quarterback John Skelton returned to practice Thursday, though it’s unclear whether his sprained right ankle will be healthy enough to allow him to play against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday.

Darrelle Revis, the Jets’ All-Pro cornerback was cleared Thursday for contact in practice for the first time since suffering a concussion in the team’s season opener. Coach Rex Ryan was optimistic about Revis’ chances of playing Sunday against the Dolphins in Miami, but is leaning on the team’s doctors before saying the cornerback will definitely be on the field.

Chris Johnson doesn’t believe he is solely to blame for the Tennessee Titans’ rushing woes. Johnson, a former 2,000-yard rusher, heads into Sunday’s game with the Detroit Lions having gained only 21 yards in 19 carries. “Even when I went for 2,000, I didn’t think I was perfect, but I wouldn’t sit here and say I’m to blame,” Johnson said Thursday. “I’m only going to be as good as my line is going to be. We’ve got to work together and get better.”

Cleveland Browns President Mike Holmgren plans to meet with Hall of Fame running back Jim Brown in the next few days, hoping to repair their relationship which fell apart two years ago when Brown was relieved of his duties as an advisor to owner Randy Lerner. Holmgren said he has reached out to Brown, who has told the team he will take part in alumni activities this weekend surrounding Sunday’s game against the Buffalo Bills.

Miami linebacker Kevin Burnett is sidelined by a foot injury, raising doubts about his availability for Sunday’s game against the Jets.