AP

The good news for Ravens safety Ed Reed is that he wasn’t suspended for a hit on Giants receiver Victor Cruz, as the team feared he could be. The bad news is that the hit was costly.

Reed was fined $55,000 by the NFL for that hit, Jay Glazer of FOX Sports reports.

Last month, the NFL handed Reed a one-game suspension for an illegal hit, which the league office said was the third time Reed had committed an illegal blow to an opposing player’s head. But Reed appealed that suspension and won, with his punishment being reduced to a $50,000 fine.

This time, the NFL apparently decided not to try for a suspension for Reed’s hit on Cruz in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s game. But this time the fine is even more costly.

As costly as it is, however, a $55,000 fine is a lot better than a suspension. And despite another illegal hit, Reed has avoided a suspension.