Dec. 17 (Bloomberg) -- Dallas Cowboys safety Roy Williams was suspended one game by the National Football League after his third illegal ``horse collar'' tackle of the season.

Williams, the Cowboys' second-leading tackler, will miss the team's Dec. 22 game against the Carolina Panthers and lose his $35,000 base salary for this week.

He made the illegal tackle on a 17-yard run by Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb during the first quarter of Philadelphia's 10-6 win yesterday over Dallas.

Williams, 27, was fined $27,500 earlier this season for his two previous horse collar tackles, in which a defender grabs the inside of an opponent's shoulder pads from behind and pulls him down. He was also fined $10,000 last season.

A horse collar tackle by Williams in 2004 prompted the NFL to adopt a rule to protect offensive players being tackled in the open field. Williams broke the leg of Pro Bowl receiver Terrell Owens when he grabbed the inside of Owens's shoulder pads and bent him backward. Williams also injured three other players with similar tackles in 2004, leading the league to implement its horse collar rule before the 2005 season.

It doesn't apply to a runner in the tackle box or to a quarterback in the pocket.

Williams has 83 tackles and two interceptions this season for the Cowboys, who are tied with the Green Bay Packers for the best record in the National Football Conference at 12-2.

To contact the reporter on this story: Erik Matuszewski in New York at matuszewski@bloomberg.net

Last Updated: December 17, 2007 21:00 EST