The List: Injury issues, coronavirus cases, and the Cowboys push the Steelers to the limit

The NFL season has reached its midway point after the Week 9 games. The season has been dominated by news related to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the past seven days were no exception. Nearly a dozen teams had players, coaches, and staff members test positive, place players on the reserve/COVID-19 list, or have been forced to close their facilities.

On the field, the Steelers had to come back to beat the Cowboys and stay undefeated, while the Patriots did the same to the hapless Jets. Here are all the ups and downs from Week 9 of the NFL season.

THE GOOD

Steelers stay unbeaten with a fourth-quarter comeback

Ben Roethlisberger threw for 306 yards and had two of his three touchdowns in the final quarter as the Steelers came back to beat the lowly Cowboys, 24-19. Roethlisberger found JuJu Smith Schuster early in the fourth and hit tight end, Eric Ebron, with the go-ahead score with 2:14 left. Garrett Gilbert brought Dallas into scoring range before the Pittsburgh defense tightened in the closing moments.

Smith-Schuster was the game’s leading receiver with 93 yards, and the Steelers won despite only amassing 46 yards on the ground. Gilbert, the son of longtime NFL quarterback Gale Gilbert, had 243 yards and a touchdown. Rookie receiver CeeDee Lamb had 71 yards and a score to lead the Cowboys.

Steelers tight end Vance McDonald tested positive for coronavirus on Monday and Roethlisberger, running back Jaylen Samuels, tackle Jerald Hawkins and linebacker Vince Williams were placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list the following day as “high risk” close contacts with McDonald.

Two Steelers made Micah Jimo’s list of midseason All-Pro defensive selections.

Bills top Seahawks in Sunday afternoon slugfest

Josh Allen, playing with a heavy heart after his grandmother passed away over the weekend, threw for 415 yards and three touchdowns, willing the 7-2 Bills to a 44-34 victory over the 6-2 Seahawks. Allen had all three of his scoring passes in the first half, as Buffalo jumped out to a 24-7 lead late in the second quarter. Allen and Zack Moss added rushing touchdowns early in the fourth to put the Bills up, 40-21.

Seattle fought back, with Russell Wilson tossing two scoring passes in the final nine minutes, but the Seahawks fell short. Wilson had 290 yards and two touchdowns passing and a score rushing, but he also threw two interceptions and lost two fumbles. DK Metcalf had 108 yards and a touchdown for Seattle. Stefon Diggs posted game-highs with nine catches for 118 yards for Buffalo.

News about Allen’s grandmother was revealed by Buffalo head coach Sean McDermott in his post-game press conference. Fans from the “Bills Mafia” responded by setting up an initiative that raised more than $200,000 for the Oishei Children’s Hospital in Buffalo in her memory.

The Bills topped Richie Dordas’ list of biggest winners and losers in Week 9. 

Chiefs hold off Panthers

Patrick Mahomes had 372 yards and four touchdowns. However, the game was in doubt until Joey Slye’s 67-yard field goal sailed wide right as time expired, and the Chiefs held off the Panthers, 33-31.

The Panthers jumped out to a 14-3 lead early in the second quarter on two Teddy Bridgewater touchdown passes. Kansas City scored the next 10 points before Slye kicked a 47-yard field goal to put Carolina up, 17-13, at halftime. Mahomes threw scoring passes to rookie Clyde Edwards-Helaire and Tyreek Hill to put the Chiefs up, 26-17, early in the fourth. Carolina came right back with a Bridgewater scoring run, but Mahomes and Hill hooked up for a second touchdown and Kansas City regained a nine-point advantage.

Bridgewater led the Panthers on an 11-play, 75-yard drive that culminated with a one-yard run by the returning Christian McCaffrey with 1:53 left. McCaffrey, who missed the past six games with a high ankle sprain, had 69 yards rushing and 10 catches for 82 yards receiving. However, he suffered a shoulder injury late in the game and will miss Carolina’s Week 10 game.

The Chiefs recovered the onside kick, but a sack of Mahomes led to a punt, The Panthers took over at their own 9, but Bridgewater got them in position for Slye’s field goal attempt. The kick had the distance to set the league record, but was headed well right from the start. Hill had 113 yards and two touchdowns, and Travis Kelce added 10 receptions for 159 yards for Kansas City, which won despite registering only 30 rushing yards. Bridgewater threw for 310 yards and two touchdowns, one each to McCaffery and Curtis Samuel (105 yards).

Giants win to stay in NFC East “race”

Daniel Jones threw for 212 yards and a touchdown and the Giants held off the Numbers on Helmets, 23-20, to move to within two games of the NFC East-leading Eagles. Jones was sacked five times, but Washington gave the game away with three interceptions, two lost fumbles and two sacks.

Washington started strong, stopping Dion Lewis on a fourth down to take over possession after New York’s first drive. However, things turned on the next play. Antonio Gibson took a screen pass from Kyle Allen and ran for 21 yards, but was stripped of the ball at the end. The teams played “hot potato” before Julius Peppers finally recovered for the Giants. New York scored first on a Graham Gano field goal, but had to punt on its next possession. Once again, Washington gave the ball away, as Isaiah Wright lost the ball on the return and Madre Harper recovered. The Giants scored three plays later on a Wayne Gallman run for a 10-0 advantage.

Washington suffered another setback on its next drive. Allen had moved the offense into Giants territory when he was knocked down on a pass. Although it appeared Peppers was pushed back, he was flagged for a 15-yard unnecessary roughness penalty after he tripped up Allen, causing his ankle to turn the wrong way. The quarterback was carted off the field, and he was replaced by Alex Smith, who suffered his own gruesome leg injury almost two years ago. Smith led Washington to a field goal, but another Gano kick and a Jones pass to tight end Evan Engram gave the Giants a 20-3 halftime lead.

The former Redskins came back in the second half, with rookie Antonio Gibson running for a touchdown in the third quarter and Smith hitting Terry McLauren with a 68-yard strike early in the fourth. Although the Giants didn’t score in the final quarter, they intercepted Smith twice over the final 2½ minutes to preserve the victory.

The final blow was dealt by Logan Ryan. The cornerback dedicated his game-ending interception to his wife, who went through a harrowing medical ordeal this past week. Ashley Ryan flew home after the Giants’ loss to the Buccaneers on Monday night so she could vote and check on the couple’s home. She began experiencing stomach pains and after consulting with team trainer Justin Maher, Ryan told his wife to go to the hospital. The advice turned out to be correct, as doctors discovered Ashley Ryan had an ectopic pregnancy (where the embryo grows outside the uterus) and the embryo was about to burst in her fallopian tube. Emergency surgery prevented large amounts of internal bleeding and, most likely, saved Ashley Ryan’s life.

The news wasn’t all good for the Giants this week. New York played the game without wide receiver Golden Tate, who did not travel with the team to Washington. Tate complained about not getting enough passes thrown his way in the Week 8 loss to Tampa Bay. Later, his wife got into the act, posting a now-deleted message on Instagram about the team underutilizing her husband.

Head coach Joe Judge told Tate to stay home from practice on Wednesday and the veteran receiver was seen working out with the practice squad on Friday. This seems to be the best way to deal with team distractions, keeping them out of the spotlight. Tate has to understand that there are several talented receivers on the Giants’ roster and he is going to have to prove himself if he wants more targets, despite being the veteran member of the receiving corps. Making a public spectacle at a game or having your wife go on social media to complain will not endear you to your coach, especially not a hard-nosed boss like Judge.

Sam Kirk breaks down the Giants victory here. 

Murray has a solid game, but Tua takes the win

Tua Tagovailoa had 248 yards and two touchdowns, and he improved to 2-0 as a starter after the Dolphins defeated the Cardinals, 34-31, on Sunday. Jason Sanders kicked a go-ahead 50-yard field goal with 3:30 left, and Zane Gonzalez missed a game-tying 49-yard attempt just after the two-minute warning.

Last year’s top overall pick, Kyler Murray threw for 283 yards and three touchdowns, and he also ran for 106 yards and a score in a losing effort. Christian Kirk had 123 receiving yards and a score, and Chase Edmonds added 70 yards on the ground for Arizona. Preston Williams had 60 yards and a touchdown for Miami.

Patriots comeback keeps Jets winless

Tom Brady isn’t in New England anymore, but his replacement, Cam Newton, led the Patriots to 13 fourth-quarter points in a 30-27 win on Monday night that pushed the Jets to 0-9. New England went on a 17-play drive that used nearly 9½ minutes off the clock before former Jets kicker Nick Folk cut the deficit to 27-20 with 6:04 on the clock.

Joe Flacco, starting in place of Sam Darnold, who had a shoulder injury, threw an interception on the next play. Newton led New England on an 11-play drive and scored on a one-yard keeper to tie the score with 1:57 remaining. Rather than keeping the ball on the ground and playing for overtime, New York decided to pass twice, leading to a three-and-out. Newton and James White did the bulk of the work on the final drive, and Newton’s 20-yard pass to Jakobi Meyers set up Folk’s 51-yard field goal as time expired.

Newton had 274 yards passing and two touchdowns rushing, and Meyers added 12 catches for 169 yards for the Patriots. Flacco threw for 262 yards and three touchdowns, and Breshad Perriman had 101 yards and two scores receiving for the Jets who, thankfully, are on bye this week.

For more on the Monday night game, read Juan Guarin-Camargo’s story. 

Best of the Rest

Matt Ryan threw for 284 yards and three touchdowns, as the Falcons jumped out to a 27-6 lead and held on for a 34-27 win over the Broncos. Olamide Zaccheaus had 103 yards receiving and a touchdown, and Todd Gurley ran for 53 yards and the go-ahead score with 9:05 left. Drew Lock had 313 yards and two touchdowns, and rookie Jerry Jeudy totaled a game-high 125 yards and a score for Denver.

Ryan Tannehill had 158 yards passing and two touchdowns to lead the Titans to a 24-17 win over the Bears. Nick Foles threw for 335 yards and two fourth-quarter scores as Chicago tried to rally from a 24-3 deficit in the final eight minutes. However, Tennessee recovered a late onside kick and ran out the clock. A. J. Brown had 101 yards and a touchdown for the Titans, and Desmond King, who was acquired in a trade with the Chargers last week, returned a fumble 63 yards for a score.

Lamar Jackson threw for 170 yards and also had 58 yards and a touchdown rushing as the Ravens pulled away from the Colts for a 24-10 win. Jackson spread his 19 completions around to seven receivers, but none went to Dez Bryant, who was playing in his first game in three years. Philip Rivers had 227 yards and an interception for Indianapolis.

Dalvin Cook had his second straight phenomenal game, rushing for 206 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Vikings over the Lions, 34-20, in an NFC North showdown. Cook also had 46 yards receiving, giving him more than 200 all-purpose yards in back-to-back contests, and Kirk Cousins added 220 yards and three touchdowns for Minnesota. Matthew Stafford, who was taken off the reserve/COVID-19 list before the game, threw for 211 yards and a score for Detroit. However, he also had two interceptions, was sacked twice, and left the game in the fourth quarter after suffering a hit to the head.

Deshaun Watson threw for 281 yards and two touchdowns and the Texans held on for a 27-25 win over the Jaguars. Will Fuller V had 100 yards receiving, including 77 on a pass from Watson in the third quarter. Jacksonville scored on a 13-yard rush by rookie quarterback Jake Luton, but the two-point pass failed and Houston recovered the onside kick. In addition to his touchdown run, the sixth-round pick from Idaho threw for 304 yards and a score. Chark added 146 yards receiving and James Robinson added 99 yards rushing for the Jaguars.

Derek Carr threw two touchdown passes, but the Raiders’ 31-26 victory was in doubt until a Justin Herbert touchdown pass to Mike Williams was overturned by a booth review. Las Vegas had 160 yards rushing, with Devontae Booker and Josh Jacobs each getting a touchdown. Herbert had 326 yards and two touchdowns, and Keenan Allen totaled nine catches for 103 yards and a score for Los Angeles.

Stat leaders

The week’s top two passers came from the Bills-Seahawks game, with Buffalo’s Josh Allen throwing for 415 yards and Seattle’s Russell Wilson totaling 390. Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes had 372 yards, and he was followed by Chicago’s Nick Foles (335), the Chargers’ Justin Herbert (326), Washington’s Alex Smith (325), Denver’s Drew Lock (313), Carolina’s Teddy Bridgewater (310), Pittsburgh’s Ben Roethlisberger (306), Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers (305) and Jacksonville rookie Jake Luton, who threw for 304 yards in his first NFL start. Atlanta’s Matt Ryan still leads the NFL in passing yards with 2,746, followed by Mahomes with 2,687. Josh Allen (2,587) passed Russell Wilson (2,541) with his performance on Sunday. Wilson’s 28 touchdowns still leads all passers, followed by Mahomes (25) and Rodgers (24).  

Russell Wilson tops Micah Jimoh’s midseason offensive All-Pro list.

For the second straight week, Dalvin Cook led the NFL in rushing, totaling 206 yards and two scores in Minnesota’s win over Detroit. Cook (858) passed Derrick Henry (843) for the most rushing yards in the league, and he also leads the NFL with 12 touchdowns. Only one other player had 100 yards in Week 9, as Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray ran for 106 yards and a score in a loss to the Dolphins. Jacksonville’s James Robinson came close, rushing for 99 yards and a touchdown in a loss to Houston.

The top two receivers played Thursday night, with San Francisco’s Richie James leading the NFL with 184 yards and Green Bay’s Davante Adams totaling 173. New England’s Jakobi Meyers had 169 yards and a league-high 12 receptions. Kansas City tight end Travis Kelce (159 yards) and Jacksonville wide receiver D. J. Chark (146) round out the top five. Buffalo’s Stefon Diggs takes over the league lead with 63 receptions and 813 yards. The Chargers’ Keenan Allen jumps into second with 62 catches, while Seattle receiver DK Metcalf (788) and Kansas City tight end Travis Kelce (769) are right behind Diggs in yards. Chiefs wide receiver, Tyreek Hill, tops the NFL with nine scoring receptions, followed closely by Metcalf and Packers star Davante Adams, who have eight apiece.

McCown signs with the Texans

Josh McCown, a 41-year-old quarterback in his 19th season, left the Eagles’ practice squad and signed with the Texans on Wednesday, with Houston being his 12th NFL team. McCown played just three games in two years with Philadelphia, and he was coaching his sons in high school. However, the two-year deal allows him to be closer to his home in Texas and gives him the chance to contribute as a backup and mentor to Deshaun Watson. McCown had 17,731 career passing yards in his NFL stops, including Arizona (2002-05), Detroit (2006), Oakland (2007), Carolina (2008-09), Chicago (2011-13), Tampa Bay (2014), Cleveland (2015-16), and the New York Jets (2017-18) before Philadelphia and Houston. He also spent time on the practice squads of the Dolphins (2008) and 49ers (2011) and played with the United Football League’s Hartford Colonials in 2010.

Bengals claim ex-Falcon McKinley

Takkarist McKinley, a former first-round pick, was claimed by the Bengals on Wednesday after being waived by the Falcons over the weekend. The edge rusher from UCLA was drafted with the 26th overall pick in 2017. He totaled 17½ sacks and 79 tackles in 49 games with Atlanta.

THE BAD

Belichick subpoenaed in Bielema lawsuit

New England head coach Bill Belichick has been summoned to testify in a case involving Bret Bielema, a former Patriots consultant and head coach at Arkansas. Bielema is facing a lawsuit from an Arkansas booster group known as The Razorback Foundation, which raises funds for the university’s athletics department.

Bielema was the head coach at Arkansas from 2013 until he was fired in November 2017. His contract included a $12 million buyout with a provision that he looks for a high-paying position that would reduce the amount he was owed by the university. Bielema joined the Patriots as a consultant in 2018, but his $125,000 income was not enough to lower his payments from Arkansas. The university stopped paying him in January 2019 and both sides initiated lawsuits in June 2020.

The Foundation is also accusing Belichick of conspiring to get Bielema a job that would not lower the payments. Belichick and Bielema are both represented by the same agent, Neil Cornrich. The Foundation admitted that it was possible that Bielema and Cornrich came up with this “plan” and Belichick was not aware. Belichick and the Patriots are not named as defendants in the Foundation’s counter-suit.

As much as I dislike Bill Belichick and the Patriots and as guilty as they have been in the past for secret videotaping of other teams, deflating footballs, and basically ignoring some league rules, this entire lawsuit is absurd. Arkansas is clearly at fault here. The Razorbacks and their foundation have fallen into the trap of giving a coach WAY too much money when the coach can leave at any moment for a better college situation or the NFL. A stipulation in a contract that a coach who leaves has to look for a “high-paying position” so you don’t have to pay them what you promised to pay them as a buyout in the contract is completely dishonest. Those associated with this scam deserve to have this happen. Bielema got more experience working behind a football mastermind in Belichick, got a nice paycheck from New England, and got his full yearly amount from Arkansas. He worked the system that the university created for him and now they’re upset that he did something anyone in that Foundation membership and athletic office would have done.

Injury bug appears again in Week 9

Even before games began this week, teams had to deal with injury ramifications. Bears quarterback Mitchell Trubisky only was on the field for one play in Week 8, a quarterback keeper in the first quarter, but he injured his shoulder. Although Trubisky will not end up needing surgery, he is considered week-to-week. Jadeveon Clowney, the top overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft, is dealing with a meniscus injury in his knee and is contemplating surgery. Clowney missed Sunday’s game against the Bears. The Titans edge rusher has 15 tackles in seven games this season.

Washington quarterback Kyle Allen and Kansas City defensive end Taco Charlton both suffered ankle injuries and will most likely go on injured reserve. Allen’s ankle turned on a tackle by Giants safety Jabrill Peppers late in the first quarter on Sunday. Peppers, who got spun around on a block by running back Antonio Gibson, was penalized for a leg whip on the play. Although Charlton walked off the field after tackling Curtis Samuel in the first quarter of Sunday’s game against Carolina, he was later diagnosed as having a fracture in his lower leg. The Chiefs will place him on injured reserve.

Other notable players who left games with injuries on Sunday include Ravens defensive end Calais Campbell (calf), Bills offensive lineman Cody Ford and cornerback Tre’Davious White (both with ankle injuries), Bears running back David Montgomery (concussion), Jaguars receiver Laviska Shenault Jr. (hamstring) Texans running back David Johnson and guard Senio Kelemete (both with concussions), Titans guard Rodger Saffold (shoulder), Colts tight end Jack Doyle (concussion), Lions cornerback Jeff Okudah (ankle), Broncos tight end Albert Okweugbunam (knee), Chargers tackle Bryan Bulaga (back), Giants tight end Kaden Smith (concussion) and Dolphins receiver Preston Williams (foot).

Veterans Ginn and Beasley released

Two veterans were among the roster casualties after Week 8 games, as Chicago and Tennessee did some housekeeping. Ted Ginn Jr., a wide receiver and return man who has been in the NFL since 2007, was cut by the Bears. He played in two title games (Super Bowl XLVII, which the 49ers lost to the Ravens and 50, in which the Panthers fell to the Broncos) and was a dominating kickoff returner earlier in his career with Miami and San Francisco. Ginn had just 40 receiving and 24 on punt returns with Chicago, his sixth NFL team.

The Titans released edge rusher, Vic Beasley, on Wednesday. Beasley was the eighth overall pick in 2015 by the Falcons and earned All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors the following year after leading the league with 15½ sacks and six forced fumbles. However, he reported late to training camp in 2020, his first year with the Titans, and he was fined $500,000. He had just three tackles and one forced fumble in five games this season. Tennessee also waived cornerback Johnathan Joseph and long snapper Beau Brinkley. Joseph had one interception and 29 tackles in seven games and Brinkley appeared in 135 games dating back to his 2012 rookie season.

Texans fire head of PR

On Wednesday, the Texans fired vice president of communications Amy Palcic, who was the first woman to serve as the top public relations contact for a team in the NFL. Palcic was hired by Houston in 2013, and she was well-liked in the organization. Among the players who chided the move was J. J. Watt, the team’s most-heralded star. Palcic helped manage Watt’s Hurricane Harvey fund after the storm ravaged the Houston area.

THE UGLY

Sunday night battle of elite quarterbacks falls flat

Drew Brees threw for 222 yards and four touchdowns as the Saints cruised to a 38-3 victory over Tom Brady and the Buccaneers on Sunday night. Brady had 209 yards passing, but he threw three interceptions and suffered the most lopsided loss of his career.

Alvin Kamara had 40 yards rushing and a touchdown, and Taysom Hill totaled 48 yards passing, a team-leading 54 rushing and 21 receiving for the Saints. New Orleans got back the services of wide receiver Michael Thomas, who missed the past six games with ankle and hamstring injuries. Thomas led all Saints receivers with 51 yards. Tampa Bay had its own special return, with Antonio Brown playing his first NFL game in more than a year. Brown had three catches for 31 yards, but Tampa Bay was held to just eight yards rushing. Ryan Succop kicked a 48-yard field goal with 5:52 left to spoil New Orleans’ shutout bid. 

Read Juan Guarin-Camargo’s Sunday night breakdown here. 

Packers double-up 49ers on Thursday night

Two depleted teams faced off to start the week on Thursday night, but the two biggest healthy names on the field, Aaron Rodgers and Davante Adams, were the keys to a 34-17 Packers victory over the 49ers. Rodgers threw for 305 yards and four touchdowns and Adams caught 10 passes for 173 yards and a score to lead Green Bay. Marques Valdes-Scantling had two receptions, with both going for touchdowns.

Aaron Jones returned after missing the previous two games with a calf injury, and he had 58 yards rushing and five catches for the Packers. Nick Mullens threw for 291 yards, and Richie James added nine receptions for an NFL week-high 184 yards for the 49ers.

San Francisco and Green Bay were dealing with injury issues and coronavirus concerns leading up to the game. Green Bay running back AJ Dillon tested positive for COVID-19, and linebacker Kamal Martin and last week’s starting running back Jamaal Williams were placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list as close contacts. Starting tackle David Bakhtiari also missed the game with a chest injury and cornerback Kevin King was out with a quad injury. On Friday, the Packers announced that linebacker Krys Barnes tested positive for coronavirus and quarterback Jordan love was also placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list.

The 49ers had to close their team facility on Wednesday after wide receiver Kendrick Bourne tested positive for the coronavirus. Fellow receivers Deebo Samuel and Brendan Aiyuk, as well as tackle Trent Williams, were all put on the reserve/COVID-19 list as well. In addition, quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo (ankle), running back Tevin Coleman (knee) and tight end George Kittle (foot) missed Thursday’s game due to injury.

Teams are dealing with more COVID-19 issues

Houston, Indianapolis, and Kansas City all closed team facilities on Thursday after each team was affected by the coronavirus. Texans linebacker Jacob Martin tested positive, and Whitney Mercilus and Dylan Cole joined him on the reserve/COVID-19 list as close contacts. Both the Colts and Chiefs had staff members test positive. Kansas City also placed Pro Bowl defensive tackle, Chris Jones, on the reserve/COVID-19 list as a close contact. Jones has 5½ sacks in 2020 and 38½ overall in five NFL seasons.

On Friday morning, the Falcons, Dolphins, Lions, and Bengals all announced they were in COVID-19 protocols. Atlanta players and coaches met virtually after a member of the staff tested positive. Miami had a walkthrough following a positive test from an assistant coach. The team placed wide receiver Lynn Bowden on the reserve/COVID-19 list later in the day. In all, five Dolphins coaches missed Sunday’s game against the Cardinals: Robby Brown (quarterbacks), Marion Hobby (defensive line), Austin Clark (outside linebackers), Gerald Alexander (defensive backs), and Kolby Smith (quality control).

Detroit was notified that a staff member had tested positive, but that person had not been at the facility for at least 48 hours. Cincinnati released a statement saying two players tested positive for COVID-19, but since the team was on its bye week no players were at the facility. The Bengals placed practice squad defensive back Winston Rose on the reserve list on Wednesday.

Two Bears offensive linemen tested positive, with Jason Spriggs going on the reserve/COVID-19 list earlier in the week and Cody Whitehair getting a positive test on Thursday. Guard Germain Ifedi was placed on the reserve list as a close contact.

The Browns announced on Saturday that a staff member tested positive for COVID-19 and the team placed quarterback Baker Mayfield on the reserve list as a close contact the following day. Cleveland had a bye in Week 9 and Mayfield was activated on Wednesday. Hopefully, the time off allowed him to concentrate on his book club (and that honeymoon scene).

Broncos defensive end Shelby Harris was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list on Wednesday after he had reportedly been exposed to someone who was infected outside of the team. Denver is now missing its entire Week 1 starting defensive line. Both Jurrell Casey and Mike Purcell are out for the season with injuries.

The situation was much more favorable for the Lions and quarterback Matthew Stafford, who tested positive after being around someone not associated with the team who also tested positive. Stafford’s result turned out to be a false positive and, after two negative tests on the weekend, he started Sunday’s game against the Vikings.

Raiders and Steelers face NFL punishment

The Raiders might be 5-3 this season, but off the field, they don’t seem to have a clue. In the season’s opening weeks, head coach Jon Gruden and the team both were fined for failing to follow the league’s face-covering guidelines. A few weeks later, 10 players, including stars Derek Carr and Darren Waller, were fined for not following protocols during a charity event. The franchise was also fined $50,000 for having an unauthorized visitor in its locker room after a game.

On Friday, offensive tackle Trent Brown was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list for a second time, but it is his first designation that is getting the team in trouble once again. Brown was originally placed on the list on October 21, and he was joined by the rest of the offensive line starters as close contacts. Everyone but Brown was able to return in time for the Week 7 game against the Buccaneers. Since they are repeat offenders, the Raiders are being fined $500,000, Gruden is being fined $150,000 and the team is being stripped of a sixth-round pick.

Some of you might think this is a bit excessive, but remember, this is the FOURTH time the team has not followed the rules. Las Vegas has been fined a total of $1.2 million and might be in for more league punishment now that Brown is once again on the reserve list. All of this comes from Gruden, who said he actually HAD the coronavirus in July. I am shedding no tears for this clueless team.

The Raiders were not the only team facing NFL punishment related to COVID-19. On Friday, the Steelers were fined $250,000 and head coach Mike Tomlin was fined $100,000 after members of the coaching staff, including Tomlin, failed to follow the league’s protocols on face coverings during the team’s win over the Ravens in Week 8.

NFL approves the COVID-influenced playoff expansion plan

On Wednesday, NFL owners improved a plan that would expand the playoff field from 14 teams to 16 if games cannot be played due to COVID-19. The scenario would only take effect if the 256-game regular-season schedule could not be completed even with an extra week added onto the existing schedule.

In addition, owners adopted a resolution that would award teams a third-round compensatory pick if minority coaches or executives took a position with another team.

On tap for Week 10: The schedule begins with 6-2 Tennessee hosting 5-3 Indianapolis on Thursday night. Sunday afternoon games include showdowns in the NFC South (6-3 Tampa Bay vs. 3-6 Carolina) and the AFC West (5-3 Las Vegas vs. 3-5 Denver), as well as 7-2 Buffalo facing 5-3 Arizona, 6-2 Seattle battling the 5-3 Rams and 6-2 New Orleans against 4-5 San Francisco. The Ravens and Patriots will face off on Sunday night, and the Monday night game features an NFC North slugfest between the Vikings and Bears at Soldier Field.

Writer

-By: Kevin Rakas