Can I ask why exactly? I guess I can't distinguish why the timing of the game on the schedule would make the punishment different for the penalty.
"good football plays" do not end with a player getting lit up with helmet to helmet contact. Nicco busted into that hole fully loaded with his usual spearing style of play. It was reckless and a penalty to the letter of the law, which I posted below bolded with Nicco's issue on that play.
"No player shall target and make forcible contact to the head or neck area of a defenseless opponent (See Note 2 below) with the helmet, forearm, hand, fist, elbow or shoulder. This foul requires that there be at least one indicator of targeting (See Note 1 below). When in question, it is a foul (Rules 2-27-14 and 9-6). (A.R. 9-1-4-I-VI)
Note 1: "Targeting" means that a player takes aim at an opponent for purposes of attacking with forcible contact that goes beyond making a legal tackle or a legal block or playing the ball. Some indicators of targeting include but are not limited to:
•Launch—a player leaving his feet to attack an opponent by an upward and forward thrust of the body to make forcible contact in the head or neck area
• A crouch followed by an upward and forward thrust to attack with forcible contact at the head or neck area, even though one or both feet are still on the ground
• Leading with helmet, shoulder, forearm, fist, hand or elbow to attack with forcible contact at the head or neck area
•Lowering the head before attacking by initiating forcible contact with the crown of the helmet"
If you watch the play, I don't see how it is defensible. That is even with not adding the fact that this is Nicco's MO. There are dozens of example on tape of him playing this way. I'm assuming that the refs weren't using his past history in the decision, but if I was a ST coach for an opponent, I would definitely see this in film and let the ref know pregame to watch out for it.