NFL-related Covid News

[Punching Bag]

Jaguars will be without 3 defensive coaches vs. Browns due to COVID-19, including DC Todd Wash

https://www.nfl.com/news/jags-will-be-without-3-defensive-coaches-vs-browns-due-to-covid-19-including-dc-

 

Quote

The Jacksonville Jaguars will be without three defensive coaches, including coordinator Todd Wash for Sunday's game against the Cleveland Browns.

The entire Jags defensive staff was not at the team facility Tuesday as the club underwent contact tracing after positive tests.

Marrone noted that secondary coach Joe Danna would call defensive plays in Wash's absence.

With defensive coaches out of the building, special teams assistant Mike Mallory will run the defense during practice.

 

[Punching Bag]

NFL COVID-19 updates: Browns close facility after another player tests positive for COVID-19

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/browns/2020/11/25/nfl-covid-19-updates-cleveland-browns-jacksonville-jaguars/6420541002/

 

Quote

The club did not immediately disclose the identity of the player who will be required to be placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list later Wednesday.

Remote meetings are being held, and contact tracing is underway.

The Browns are going through this for the second day in a row. A positive test Tuesday resulted in the team temporarily shutting down its training facility.

 

[wjag]

Story on NFL front page is Strength and Condition coach for the DepRavens didn't report his condition.  Ironic huh.  Conditioning coach hiding his own condition.  

[Punching Bag]

Colts place DeForest Buckner on reserve/COVID list; Philip Rivers (toe) DNP

https://www.nfl.com/news/colts-qb-philip-rivers-toe-not-practicing-wednesday

Quote

The status for one of the Colts' best players is in doubt for Sunday's showdown with the Titans.

Indianapolis placed defensive lineman DeForest Buckner on the reserve/COVID-19 list Wednesday.

Buckner has been a key cog in what has been one of this NFL's top defensive units this season. He's collected 41 tackles and 16 quarterback hits through his first 10 games in Indy, after being traded from the 49ers during free agency. His absence would be a major blow for the league's third-ranked rush defense against leading rusher Derrick Henry.

 

The Colts already practiced Wednesday without quarterback Philip Rivers. He's getting a couple of days off with the hope that he won't need more.

Coach Frank Reich said Rivers was held out as a precaution but could practice if needed after he bruised his toe in this past Sunday's win against the Packers.

 

Falcons, Browns working virtually Thursday following positive COVID-19 tests

https://www.nfl.com/news/falcons-to-work-virtually-thursday-following-positive-covid-19-tests-from-non-co

Quote

The Browns announced that a player tested positive for the novel coronavirus, which prompted the team's facility to shut down. Meetings will take place virtually while contact tracing is conducted to identify anyone who could be considered a high-risk close contact.

Thursday marks the second consecutive day the Browns have adjusted their schedule due to COVID-19. Cleveland placed linebacker Sione Takitaki on the team's reserve/COVID-19 list Wednesday.

 

Quote

The Falcons announced that two non-coaching staff members of the organization tested positive for COVID-19.

"Contact tracing protocols have commenced and at this time we have stopped all in-person work at IBM Performance Field with all operations conducted virtually on Thursday," the team announced in a statement.

The Falcons added that Thursday's news does not affect the status of Sunday's game against the Las Vegas Raiders

 

[Punching Bag]

Washington Football Team owner Dan Snyder, president Jason Wright will not attend game due to COVID close contact

https://www.nfl.com/news/washington-football-team-owner-dan-snyder-president-jason-wright-will-not-attend

Quote

Washington Football Team owner Dan Snyder, his wife Tanya and Washington team president Jason Wright will not travel with the team for its game Thursday after coming in contact with a person who tested positive for COVID-19, the team announced in a statement Wednesday.

 

[Hapless Bills Fan]

Larry Fitzgerald tests positive and is "out" for this Sunday's game against the Pats.

https://www.nfl.com/news/cardinals-wr-larry-fitzgerald-tests-positive-for-covid-19-will-miss-game-vs-patr

We will hope the Cards can handle Belicheck and the Pats without him.  At least I will hope for this.....

 

The Baltimore Poe-birds say another player and "a couple of staff members" test positive and go on the Covid list, contact-tracing to follow

https://www.nfl.com/news/additional-ravens-player-staff-members-test-positive-for-covid-19

Said to be no impact for Sunday's game against the Pissed-off Steelers.

 

 

 

[Rochesterian Bills Fan]

Lamar Jackson has tested positive for COVID. Baltimore might not make the Playoffs now. 

 

 

[wjag]

35 minutes ago, Rochesterian Bills Fan said:

Lamar Jackson has tested positive for COVID. Baltimore might not make the Playoffs now. 

 

 

Boom. 

[hemma]

RG3 gets another shot.  Maybe his time.

[Hapless Bills Fan]

1 hour ago, Rochesterian Bills Fan said:

Lamar Jackson has tested positive for COVID. Baltimore might not make the Playoffs now. 

 

 

 

Well WELL well Well well Well.

 

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/ravens-quarterback-lamar-jackson-tests-positive-for-covid-19-per-report/

 

As far as playoffs, I think they'll control their own fate. 

 

The 7-3 Brownies have 3 games they ought to win, and 3 games they would be expected to struggle with, including the Titans, Steelers, and a rematch against the Ravens themselves.  If the Poe-birds "take care of business" against the Browns and the Titans and Steelers handle them, they'll finish 10-6.

 

Aside from the Stillers and Browns, the Poe-Birds have the Cowboys, Jags, Giants, and Burrow-less Bengals on the docket.  So 10-6 should still be possible, and if they lose to the Stillers but beat the Browns for a 2nd time 11-5 and they'd own the head-to-head tiebreaker.

 

We'll see what goes down with Jackson (symptoms, no symptoms, etc) but he should miss 1-2 games.  Unless he gets Sweeney'd.

[Punching Bag]

7 minutes ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

 

Well WELL well Well well Well.

 

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/ravens-quarterback-lamar-jackson-tests-positive-for-covid-19-per-report/

 

Top 3 RBs now.

 

Quote

The Ravens are dealing with several positive COVID-19 tests between players and staff that have been reported, and it was already known that they would be without their top two running backs in Mark Ingram and J.K. Dobbins if the game was to be played on Thanksgiving

.

[Doc Brown]

2 hours ago, Rochesterian Bills Fan said:

Lamar Jackson has tested positive for COVID. Baltimore might not make the Playoffs now. 

 

 

The alternate 16 team playoff becoming more likely with cases going up across the country.

[Rochesterian Bills Fan]

6 minutes ago, Doc Brown said:

The alternate 16 team playoff becoming more likely with cases going up across the country.

My wife and myself were doing our annual Thanksgiving dinner over Skype (at 8:30am) with my family back home in Henrietta. I was talking to my Steelers fan Dad about the Ravens game (this was before word broke about Lamar) and the conversation turned from football to how bad things are in the Rochester area. There a small handful of active cases in Australia so I couldn't believe its out of control still. I'm thinking the season is definitely going to have a 16 playoff format given what I heard across the dinner table.

[Doc Brown]

11 minutes ago, Rochesterian Bills Fan said:

My wife and myself were doing our annual Thanksgiving dinner over Skype (at 8:30am) with my family back home in Henrietta. I was talking to my Steelers fan Dad about the Ravens game (this was before word broke about Lamar) and the conversation turned from football to how bad things are in the Rochester area. There a small handful of active cases in Australia so I couldn't believe its out of control still. I'm thinking the season is definitely going to have a 16 playoff format given what I heard across the dinner table.

It may come to that.  Even more important, your dad lives in Henrietta and is a Steelers fan?  Blasphemy.  

[Mike in Horseheads]

Ravens should forfeit the game since they broke protocol.  If not the Steelers are screwed again and whatever this wisdom of the NFL to go to 16 teams will screw them out of the bye. 

[Richard Noggin]

19 minutes ago, Mike in Horseheads said:

Ravens should forfeit the game since they broke protocol.  If not the Steelers are screwed again and whatever this wisdom of the NFL to go to 16 teams will screw them out of the bye. 

 

Another line of thinking is that the Ravens are unable to practice and would be playing without significant on-field contributors, so the Steelers have gained unexpected advantages in this pivotal divisional matchup. 

[Hapless Bills Fan]

10 hours ago, Mike in Horseheads said:

Ravens should forfeit the game since they broke protocol.  If not the Steelers are screwed again and whatever this wisdom of the NFL to go to 16 teams will screw them out of the bye. 

 

10 hours ago, Richard Noggin said:

Another line of thinking is that the Ravens are unable to practice and would be playing without significant on-field contributors, so the Steelers have gained unexpected advantages in this pivotal divisional matchup. 

 

Both things true.

 

What I don't like is the pundit in the link I quoted above opining that the Sunday game is in jeopardy: "While the game against the Steelers has already been moved to Sunday, the chances of it being played are reportedly "diminishing quickly."  Apparently this came from Schefter:

 

But he and Mike Florio are spatting about it:

https://brobible.com/sports/article/espns-adam-schefter-mike-florio/

 

Here's the thing though: it seems pretty clear that the Ravens willfully broke protocol.  Very hard to believe that a S&C coach could be unmasked and not wearing his tracker, and have that unnoted (the tracking data is supposed to be verified daily, and a tracker sitting in an office at a time when a guy's duties are in the facility should be a Big Flag).

 

If the NFL wants to have any credibility about consequences for teams who violate protocols, they have to take the viewpoint with the Steelers either you play, or you forfeit.

[Hapless Bills Fan]

AND now the Ponies:

 

https://twitter.com/Broncos/status/1332327070433763330/photo/1

 

 

 

[Hapless Bills Fan]

 

[SCBills]

34 minutes ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

AND now the Ponies:

 

https://twitter.com/Broncos/status/1332327070433763330/photo/1

 

 

 

This stuff has been happening, no?  
 

I feel like increased attention will be on any positive case again because of the Ravens issues, but for the past X weeks, players/coach positives and temporary facility shutdowns have been somewhat commonplace. 
 

Teams have been mitigating and following protocol so games went on as scheduled... until the Ravens entered the chat.  
 

 

Edited November 27, 2020 by SCBills

[Hapless Bills Fan]

10 minutes ago, SCBills said:

Teams have been mitigating and following protocol so games went on as scheduled... until the Ravens entered the chat. 

 

Exactly. 

 

I think the Ravens should forfeit, be fined the amount of the Steelers game checks, and pay the Steelers.  But that's just me.

[EmotionallyUnstable]

2 hours ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

 

Exactly. 

 

I think the Ravens should forfeit, be fined the amount of the Steelers game checks, and pay the Steelers.  But that's just me.

I think this is the cleanest-cut. 
 

The Ravens broke protocol after receiving the league-wide memo from the commissioner explaining the potential consequences of this exact situation. Forfeit the game Sunday, in hope that’s they can play with those left on the roster for Thursday’s game. This stops the potential spread and impacts scheduling zero, resulting in no unfair alterations to other teams. 

[Hapless Bills Fan]

7 minutes ago, EmotionallyUnstable said:

I think this is the cleanest-cut. 
 

The Ravens broke protocol after receiving the league-wide memo from the commissioner explaining the potential consequences of this exact situation. Forfeit the game Sunday, in hope that’s they can play with those left on the roster for Thursday’s game. This stops the potential spread and impacts scheduling zero, resulting in no unfair alterations to other teams. 

 

Fairest to the Steelers too.  Give them back their bye.

 

 

And Rams:

 

[hemma]

I hope the Ravens lose at least 1 draft choice out of this mess.

[Punching Bag]

https://www.steelers.com/news/steelers-place-three-on-reserve-covid-19-list

Quote

The Steelers placed defensive end Stephon Tuitt, defensive tackle Isaiah Buggs and offensive tackle Jerald Hawkins on the Reserve/COVID-19 List on Friday.

 

[wjag]

2 minutes ago, Limeaid said:

https://www.steelers.com/news/steelers-place-three-on-reserve-covid-19-list

 

seems to be hitting all teams these days.  

[Punching Bag]

3 minutes ago, wjag said:

seems to be hitting all teams these days.  

 

NFL was anticipating it after holidays. 

They had a little wave after Halloween, a bigger wave after Thanksgiving and probably a BIG wave after Christmas.

Question is are they prepared for it and are they willing just to cut off teams/games when one team eliminated from playoffs gets COVID?

[NoSaint]

6 hours ago, EmotionallyUnstable said:

I think this is the cleanest-cut. 
 

The Ravens broke protocol after receiving the league-wide memo from the commissioner explaining the potential consequences of this exact situation. Forfeit the game Sunday, in hope that’s they can play with those left on the roster for Thursday’s game. This stops the potential spread and impacts scheduling zero, resulting in no unfair alterations to other teams. 

im guessing some have been following much closer than me... 

 

but if one low level coach wasn’t always carrying his tracker (but not egregious enough that protocols had to have caught it) and didn’t report symptoms- I’m still not on the race to forfeit.

 

if he was constantly rolling through the building mask free and many others were and it was obvious and blatant - I get on the forfeit train much quicker 

[Hapless Bills Fan]

7 minutes ago, NoSaint said:

im guessing some have been following much closer than me... 

 

but if one low level coach wasn’t always carrying his tracker (but not egregious enough that protocols had to have caught it) and didn’t report symptoms- I’m still not on the race to forfeit.

 

if he was constantly rolling through the building mask free and many others were and it was obvious and blatant - I get on the forfeit train much quicker 

 

I guess we likely won't know, but it sure is a lot of spread for a well-masked and distanced facility.

[Mango]

NFL is closing all team facilities Monday and Tuesday out of precaution. 
 

https://twitter.com/TomPelissero/status/1332499931274371072?s=20

 

[Beast]

NFL prohibits in person team activities Monday and Tuesday:

https://www.nfl.com/news/nfl-prohibits-clubs-from-holding-in-person-team-activities-on-nov-30-dec-1-in-re

 

Obviously over Covid 19.

[SlimShady'sSpaceForce]

Edit — Covid is serious 

 

to the days away.
 

Meh Monday’s are off days unless you play. And Tuesdays are film days IIRC 

Edited November 28, 2020 by SlimShady'sSpaceForce

[Just Jack]

25 minutes ago, SlimShady'sSpaceForce said:

Meh Monday’s are off days unless you play. And Tuesdays are film days IIRC 

 

I thought it was the reverse.  If your team plays Sunday, then Monday was “film” review from that game, then Tuesdays was the day off.  What makes me remember it that way was when I would do charity events with the Bills, they were mostly on Tuesdays because the players were available all day.  

 

Either way, it’s just giving them an additional day at home, since it’s only in-person activities, they could do film review on their own. 

Edited November 28, 2020 by Just Jack

[freddyjj]

This is where the late bye and laying low might help Bills.  And that they do not travel this week.  

 

Agree that league is pretty close to lockdown stage. 

[Rochesterfan]

They can do this easily this week because the Baltimore/Dallas Thursday game is already cancelled.  Therefore it really has little impact on teams.

 

If they think this will help to stop the spread (as they recognize the issue in Baltimore was allowing the 2 walk throughs on Monday and Tuesday) - I would watch for the next shoe to drop - rescheduled Thursday night games to Sunday or Monday and continuing having 2 no contact days for teams to stop or lessen internal spread.

 

They recognize it is going to get worse before the end of the season and are making more aggressive changes to get through the last few games.  
 

[SlimShady'sSpaceForce]

1 hour ago, Just Jack said:

 

I thought it was the reverse.  If your team plays Sunday, then Monday was “film” review from that game, then Tuesdays was the day off.  What makes me remember it that way was when I would do charity events with the Bills, they were mostly on Tuesdays because the players were available all day.  

 

Either way, it’s just giving them an additional day at home, since it’s only in-person activities, they could do film review on their own. 

could be

I thought after a win McD says you played so good you get Monday off. 

[YoloinOhio]

18 minutes ago, SlimShady'sSpaceForce said:

could be

I thought after a win McD says you played so good you get Monday off. 

They get victory Monday With a win (usually) but all teams are off Tuesday if it’s a regular week. 

[Hapless Bills Fan]

1 hour ago, Just Jack said:

 

I thought it was the reverse.  If your team plays Sunday, then Monday was “film” review from that game, then Tuesdays was the day off.  What makes me remember it that way was when I would do charity events with the Bills, they were mostly on Tuesdays because the players were available all day.  

 

Either way, it’s just giving them an additional day at home, since it’s only in-person activities, they could do film review on their own. 

 

Correct.

 

The issue as I see it is that many players (not just those officially "injured") seek treatment from trainers and use equipment available in team facilities on Monday and Tuesday.  A lot of the "stars" and veterans have facilities at home and have hired personal trainers/therapists to come in.

 

The younger guys are going to be scrambling and will seek out alternatives - some to local PT centers or recovery if open in their area, others to veteran friends with in-home facilities.  None of which may be as disinfected, monitored and distanced as team facilities.

 

This may backfire

 

[nucci]

20 hours ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

 

Fairest to the Steelers too.  Give them back their bye.

 

 

And Rams:

 

"abundance of caution" is getting annoying. Is it really an abundance? What does further testing mean....keep testing until it comes back negative?

[Hapless Bills Fan]

5 hours ago, nucci said:

"abundance of caution" is getting annoying. Is it really an abundance? What does further testing mean....keep testing until it comes back negative?

 

Just a little note here (intended generally, not just at the above) that only NFL-specific covid discussion is considered in-scope here.

 

In bounds (not exhaustive list)

-Describing what the NFL's covid policies and procedures currently are and how they relate to/interact with a team's normal week

-Mentioning positive covid-19 test results or players added to covid-19 reserve list and what that means for a team competitively

 

Out of bounds (not exhaustive list):

-Describing the current progress of the pandemic

-Discussing test protocols (except describing with references what the NFL actually does) or speculating about what positive or negative test results really mean

-Discussion of death rate, hospitalization rate, etc etc.

 

Please refer to @SDS pinned post.