The NFL has come down hard on Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin for his stunt during a Jacoby Jones kick return for the Baltimore Ravens in Week 13. However, the league is not likely to punish the Steelers organization, despite threats to the contrary. The NFL had raised the possibility of taking away draft picks from Pittsburgh, due to the play costing the Ravens four points on their season total, which could impact tie-breakers.
NFL roundup: Mike Tomlin may not cost the Steelers draft picks, Ravens TE Dennis Pitta expected to return
The status of the Steelers/Mike Tomlin “scandal,” along with the health of Dennis Pitta and Morris Claiborne have been making headlines on Saturday.
Ezra Shaw
The Steelers will likely avoid a loss of picks, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. The local paper reports that Pittsburgh would only be punished if Baltimore was eliminated from the playoff race due to a point tie-breaker. A tie-breaker for points could impact the Ravens’ ability to win the AFC North or a wild card berth. Point tie-breakers are one of the last decision-making scenarios in a tie between two conference or division teams.
Here are some more NFL headlines that you may have missed on Saturday:
The Dallas Cowboys will again be without starting cornerback Morris Claiborne. The second-year cornerback has been dealing with a hamstring injury in recent weeks and has been ruled out for Monday's game against the Chicago Bears. Veteran Orlando Scandrick will continue to play outside in Claiborne's absence, while rookie B.W. Webb will handle nickel responsibilities.
Scandrick took over for Claiborne prior to his injury and forced the younger cornerback in to the nickel spot. The former first-round pick has dealt with uneven play and injuries over his first two seasons of his career. It is unlikely that Claiborne will go back to the outside upon his return to the lineup.
The Ravens are likely to see the return of tight end Dennis Pitta in Week 14. The veteran is expected to make his season debut against the Minnesota Vikings, according to the Baltimore Sun's Aaron Wilson. Pitta has been on the short-term injured reserve list all season after suffering a dislocated hip during the first week of training camp.
Pitta was one of quarterback Joe Flacco's top targets in 2012. He collected 61 catches for 669 yards and seven touchdowns during Baltimore's Super Bowl season. Dallas Clark and Ed Dickson have tried to fill Pitta's void this season to only mixed results.
Despite suffering a game-ending injury on Thursday night, Jacksonville Jaguars running back Maurice Jones-Drew is expecting to recover in time for Week 15 (via Pro Football Talk). Jones-Drew suffered a hamstring pull in the second half of the Jaguars' win over the Houston Texans. He had a productive night despite the injury, with 14 carries for 103 yards.
The veteran has had an up-and-down season this year. In 13 games, Jones-Drew is averaging a career-low 3.5 yards per carry.
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