Smith-Schuster’s return gives Pittsburgh a boost vs. Jets

The Pittsburgh Steelers have both wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster and tight end Vance McDonald active against the New York Jets, giving quarterback Devlin Hodges and the offense a huge boost.

Smith-Schuster missed Pittsburgh’s last four games with a knee injury suffered in Cleveland on Nov. 11. He has just 38 receptions for 524 yards and three touchdowns after his breakout season a year ago when he had 111 catches for 1,426 yards and seven scores.

The game marks just the second time since Oct. 28 that both Smith-Schuster and running back James Conner, Pro Bowlers last season, will be available.

McDonald sat out a loss to Buffalo last Sunday with a concussion.

The Jets have star safety Jamal Adams back after he missed the first two games of his NFL career with a sprained ankle. Adams, a Pro Bowl selection, leads New York in tackles and has 6 1/2 sacks, just two from breaking Adrian Wilson’s single-season sacks record for defensive backs set in 2005.

Starting nickel cornerback Brian Poole also returns for New York after he was sidelined two games with a concussion.

The Tennessee Titans will be without Pro Bowl running back Derrick Henry for the first time this season. The Titans deactivated Henry, who has been limited by a sore left hamstring over two games.

Henry is the NFL’s second-leading rusher. But after Houston clinched the AFC South on Saturday with a win over Tampa Bay, the Titans need to win the regular-season finale on the road against the Texans combined with a loss by Pittsburgh to clinch the AFC’s final wild-card spot.

The Saints will be without right guard Larry Warford who limped off late Monday night.

The Browns will be without starting defensive end Olivier Vernon as they try to contain dynamic Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson. Vernon has been slowed by a knee sprain. He missed six of Cleveland’s past seven games. Browns defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson will play despite being limited this week by a back injury.

The Ravens are healthy as they try to lock up the top seed in the AFC playoffs.

Redskins safety Landon Collins is active and will face his former team after being questionable with an Achilles tendon injury. Washington will be without cornerbacks Quinton Dunbar and Fabian Moreau and has effectively shuffled one-time All-Pro Josh Norman to the bottom of the depth chart. Giants right guard Kevin Zeitler returns from an ankle injury.

Carolina ruled out starting linebacker Shaq Thompson with an ankle injury earlier this week.

Colts cornerback Kenny Moore II will miss his third straight game with an ankle injury. Rock Ya-Sin is again expected to replace Moore in the lineup. Indianapolis defensive tackle Denico Autry entered the concussion protocol following last week’s game and has not yet been cleared to play.