NFL rescinds fine for Ravens' Roquan Smith hit that injured Chris Godwin
Baltimore Ravens linebacker Roquan Smith was handed a sizeable fine after the NFL deemed his Week 7 hit that injured Chris Godwin qualified as a hip-drop tackle. However, after roughly a month of review, the fine has been rescinded.
Smith successfully appealed the $16,883 fine through NFL hearing appeals officer Jordy Nelson , per Adam Schefter. Nelson, a former Pro Bowl receiver, was recently inducted into the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame in 2023 before accepting his current position.
The play in question resulted in Godwin being carted off the field with a dislocated ankle. He would later be placed on injured reserve and ruled out for the remainder of the year with a small chance he could return for a Tampa Bay playoff run.
Since Godwin's injury, the Buccaneers have yet to win a game. The Ravens wound up taking the Week 7 matchup 41-31 and Tampa Bay has not since recovered. Godwin's injury coincided with a hamstring issue to fellow receiver Mike Evans, leaving the team's pass-catching unit severely shorthanded.
Currently on a four-game losing streak, the Buccaneers have dropped three straight games within a single score. They have fallen to 4-6 overall but remain in second place in the poor NFC South.
Ravens prepare for big Week 11 against Steelers
While the Buccaneers have struggled, the Ravens have thrived in the weeks since their meeting. Baltimore stumbled the following week against the Cleveland Browns but are otherwise second in the AFC North with a 7-3 record through 10 weeks.
With Lamar Jackson putting up more MVP-caliber numbers and Derrick Henry leading the NFL in rushing yards, it is hard to deny the Ravens as the best offense in the league. However, they will put everything on the line in Week 11 in a road game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The Steelers lead the NFC North by a half-game with a 7-2 record and are 3-0 with Russell Wilson. The winner of the significant Week 11 tilt will take full control of the division as the second-half of the season gets fully underway.
Pittsburgh has not lost since dropping Week 5 to the Dallas Cowboys. They did, however, narrowly escape Week 10 with a 28-27 win over the Washington Commanders. A late-game offsides blunder by the Commanders sealed the deal in a game that star wideout George Pickens dominated.
