The List: COVID-19 wreaks havoc on NFL rosters in Week 12
When the coronavirus pandemic first became widespread in the spring, experts warned of a “second wave” in the fall when the weather got cooler. For anyone that questioned this information, look no further than what the Baltimore Ravens are experiencing this week to see that the experts were right.
Their game with the undefeated Steelers was originally scheduled for Thanksgiving night, but was postponed to Sunday afternoon after multiple players tested positive for COVID-19 earlier in the week and several others were placed on the reserve list as close contacts. On Thursday, reigning league MVP Lamar Jackson was one of four players to test positive for the condition, and overall, 10 players, including eight starters, have been placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list. Baltimore conducted business virtually for almost the entire week and Pittsburgh canceled practice on Friday while waiting for word on the status of the game. Later that afternoon, the NFL moved the game to Tuesday night and the league eventually moved the game one more time to Wednesday afternoon.
Keep reading for more coronavirus issues, including additional information concerning the Ravens and Steelers. However, there were other happenings in the NFL. Here are all the good, bad, and ugly moments from Week 12.
THE GOOD
Houston and Washington post convincing wins on Thanksgiving
Even though the Ravens and Steelers had their game move from primetime, but there were still two other contests for fans to watch as they awoke from their post-dinner naps. The first happened in Detroit, where Deshaun Watson threw for 318 yards and four touchdowns as the Texans pulled away from the Lions for a 41-25 win.
Adrian Peterson started things off right with a touchdown run for Detroit, but on the next Lions possession, J.J. Watt intercepted a Matthew Stafford pass and returned it 19 yards for a touchdown. Watson followed with a scoring pass to running back C.J. Prosise for a 13-7 Houston lead. Peterson put the Lions back in front early in the second quarter with his second scoring run, but Watson found Duke Johnson with a pass, and he scampered 333 yards for the touchdown before running into the tunnel. The teams traded field goals and the Texans headed into the fourth with a 26-17 advantage. Watson connected with Will Fuller for two touchdowns early in the quarter, before Stafford ended the scoring with a pass to Mohamed Sanu.
Fuller had six catches for 171 yards and two scores, and Brandin Cooks added 85 yards receiving for Houston (4-7). Stafford had 295 yards and a touchdown, Peterson ran for 55 yards and two scores, and tight end T.J. Hockenson led Detroit (4-7) with 89 receiving yards.
Juan Guarin-Camargo breaks down Thursday’s early game between Detroit and Houston here.
Even though activists posing as “fans” got the team name changed and eliminated the NFL’s bi-annual game of cowboys and Indians, Washington and Dallas squared off in the late afternoon game on Thursday. Rookie running back Antonio Gibson ran for 115 yards and three touchdowns as the Turkey Wings defeated the Cowboys, 41-16.
Sunny Choudhury called it! Antonio Gibson had a breakout game against the Cowboys. Read this story to see how Sunny did on the rest of his fantasy picks.
Gibson’s first touchdown put Washington up 7-3 late in the first quarter. The teams traded scores early in the second, with Dallas getting a scoring pass from Andy Dalton to Amari Cooper and Washington countering with one from Alex Smith to tight end Logan Thomas. Much like the earlier game, the teams traded field goals in the third and Washington held a 20-16 advantage entering the final quarter. Gibson took over with two touchdowns in the fourth, with the first being set up by a Dallas failed fake punt attempt and the other putting Washington up 34-16 with 3:31 left. On the next play from scrimmage, Dalton threw an interception that Montez Sweat returned 15 yards for the game’s final score.
Smith had 149 yards and a touchdown, and Terry McLaurin added 92 yards for Washington, which briefly took over the NFC East lead with a 4-7. Dalton threw for 215 yards and a touchdown, and Cooper totaled six receptions for a game-high 112 yards for Dallas (3-8).
Check out Richie Dordas’ recap of the Thanksgiving Day game between Washington and Dallas here.
Mahomes, Hill lead Chiefs to tight win over Brady and the Buccaneers
Patrick Mahomes and Tyreek Hill started on a record-setting pace, but the Chiefs struggled to hold off Tom Brady and the Buccaneers before running out the clock for a 27-24 victory. Mahomes and Hill connected on three touchdown passes, including two in the first 13½ minutes. Hill had 203 yards in the first quarter and finished with 269 overall, which is tied for the 15th most in NFL history. He is also the first player to have at least seven catches and 200 yards receiving in a single quarter since the NFL started keeping play-by-play stats in 1991. Mahomes threw for 359 yards in the first half and ended with 462.
Brady found Ronald Jones with a second-quarter screen pass, and Jones scampered 37 yards for a score for Tampa Bay. However, the third touchdown from Mahomes to Hill extended Kansas City’s lead to 27-10 heading into the final quarter. Brady threw touchdown passes to Mike Evans on back-to-back drives in the fourth, but Mahomes and rookie running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire were able to run out the clock.
Tight end Travis Kelce was overshadowed by Hill’s performance, but he still had eight catches and 82 yards for Kansas City (10-1). Brady had 345 yards and three touchdowns, but he also threw two interceptions. Chris Godwin (eight receptions for 97 yards), tight end Rob Gronkowski (6-106), and Evans (3-50 and two touchdowns) were the top receivers and Jones added 66 rushing yards to his long receiving touchdown for Tampa Bay (7-5).
Take a look back at the best and worst trades in Buccaneers history.
Giants take over first place with a win over the Bengals
Washington’s stay atop the division lasted less than 72 hours. Wayne Gallman ran for 94 yards and a touchdown, and Graham Gano kicked four field goals, leading the Giants to a 19-17 road win over the Bengals. On the opening drive, a 53-yard pass from Daniel Jones to tight end Evan Engram set up Gallman’s scoring run. Brandon Wilson returned the ensuing kickoff 103 yards for a tying touchdown, marking the longest play in Cincinnati’s 53-year history.
The return generated almost as many yards as the 155 the Bengals registered on offense. Defense ruled on both sides, with each team forcing a fumble from a tight end (Engram and Drew Sample). The Giants also had an interception against Brandon Allen, who was called up from the Bengals’ practice squad after Joe Burrow’s injury and leapfrogged Ryan Finley into the starting lineup. Allen hit rookie Tee Higgins with a late touchdown pass, and an Alex Erickson 29-yard punt return gave Cincinnati the ball at midfield with less than a minute remaining. However, Jabaal Sheard sacked Allen and Leonard Williams recovered the fumble to seal the victory.
Jones finished with 211 yards passing, but he left the game in the fourth quarter with a hamstring injury. Jones underwent an MRI on Monday, which revealed that he avoided a major injury. He has an outside chance to play on Sunday against the Seahawks. If Jones misses the contest, Colt McCoy will get his first start with New York.
Engram led all players with 129 yards receiving and Sterling Shepard added a game-high seven catches for the Giants (4-7). Allen had 136 yards, one touchdown, and one interception, and Higgins led Cincinnati (3-7-1) with 44 yards receiving.
Vikings get a late charge to beat Panthers
Kirk Cousins threw for 307 yards and three touchdowns and the Vikings scored 18 points in the fourth quarter for a come-from-behind 28-27 win over the Panthers. Cousins found Chad Beebe with a 10-yard score with 46 seconds left, but Minnesota’s victory was not complete until Joey Slye’s 54-yard field goal sailed wide left.
Carolina (4-8) entered the final quarter with a 21-10 lead after a 41-yard touchdown pass from Teddy Bridgewater to Robby Anderson. Rookie safety Jeremy Chinn scored two fumble return touchdowns in the span of nine seconds, becoming the first defensive player in NFL history to record scores on consecutive plays. The teams traded field goals early in the fourth before Cousins led Minnesota (5-6) on a 14-play, 75-yard drive that culminated with a 10-yard pass to rookie Justin Jefferson. The two-point pass to Olabisi Johnson cut the deficit to 24-11. The Panthers’ next drive stalled deep in Vikings territory, but a Slye field goal doubled Carolina’s lead to six points.
Minnesota’s final drive included passes from Cousins to Jefferson (15 yards), Beebe (12), and tight end Kyle Rudolph (25) to set up the game-winner to Beebe. Bridgewater got his team in position with a 35-yard pass to Curtis Samuel and a 12-yarder to Anderson, but Slye failed to convert. The Panthers held Dalvin Cook, the NFL’s leading rusher, to 58 yards, and four Minnesota receivers (Johnson, Jefferson, Rudolph, and Beebe) had seven catches apiece. Bridgewater had 267 yards, with Anderson (94 yards) and Samuel (72) leading Carolina.
Patriots, 49ers win on final-play field goals
The New England Patriots had just 179 total yards, including 69 passing, but Cam Newton and company did just enough to beat the Cardinals. James White had two rushing touchdowns and Nick Folk kicked two field goals, including a 50-yarder as time expired to give New England a 20-17 victory.
Kenyan Drake had two scores and a game-high 78 yards to lead the Cardinals, who were held scoreless on the final drive of the first half despite having a 1st-and-goal situation. Kyler Murray threw for 170 yards and DeAndre Hopkins had a game-high 55 yards receiving for Arizona (6-5). Newton had 84 yards passing and 46 rushing for the Patriots (5-6). He also threw two interceptions and was sacked three times.
The 49ers nearly lost a 14-point lead before coming back to beat the Rams, 23-20, on a last-second 42-yard field goal by Robbie Gould. Each team scored a defensive touchdown in this game. After a Raheem Mostert run put San Francisco in front, Javon Kinlaw intercepted Jared Goff and returned it 27 yards for a score, as the 49ers went up 17-3 late in the third quarter. Los Angeles came right back, with Matt Gay kicking a field goal on the next possession. On the first play after the kickoff, Aaron Donald stripped the ball from Raheem Mostert and Troy Hill returned the fumble 20 yards for a touchdown to cut the Rams’ deficit to four points at the end of the quarter.
Cam Akers scored on a one-yard run early in the fourth to put Los Angeles in front, 20-17. San Francisco (5-6) went on a 5½-minute drive that ended with Gould’s 44-yard field goal tying the score. After the Rams punted, the 49ers had 2:10 to get in position for the winning points. Nick Mullens connected with Deebo Samuel for a 24-yard pass and fullback Kyle Juszczyk converted with a key fourth-down run to set up Gould’s winning kick.
Mullens had 253 yards passing for San Francisco and Samuel caught 11 passes for 134 yards. Goff had 198 yards, but threw two interceptions. Akers ran for 84 yards and a score and Robert Woods had seven receptions and 80 yards for Los Angeles (7-4).
Best of the Rest
Derrick Henry continued his dominant season, rushing for 178 yards and three touchdowns as the Titans beat the Colts, 45-26, to take over first place in the AFC South. The performance was Henry’s seventh career game with at least 150 yards rushing, and every other player with more is in the Hall of Fame (Jim Brown 13, LaDainian Tomlinson 12, Barry Sanders 10, Eric Dickerson 9 and Emmitt Smith 9).
A.J. Brown had 98 yards, including a 69-yard touchdown for Tennessee, and he also returned a kickoff 42 yards for the game’s final score. In addition to 221 yards and one touchdown passing, Ryan Tannehill also had a rushing score late in the second quarter for Tennessee (8-3). Philip Rivers threw for 295 yards and two touchdowns, and backup quarterback Jacoby Brissett had two rushing scores for Indianapolis (7-4).
Russell Wilson had 230 yards passing, with 177 going to DK Metcalf, as the Seahawks held off the Eagles, 23-17, on Monday night. Wilson threw a touchdown pass to David Moore, Chris Carson added a 16-yard rushing score and Jason Myers kicked three field goals for NFC West-leading Seattle (8-3).
Carson Wentz threw for 215 yards and two touchdowns, but he was also sacked six times. Wentz threw a touchdown pass to Dallas Goedert with 12 seconds remaining in the second quarter and added a 33-yard strike to Richard Rodgers with 12 seconds left in the game. Goedert led Philadelphia (3-7-1) with seven receptions and 75 yards. The loss kept the Eagles from re-taking the top spot of the NFC East.
The Browns needed great games from their three offensive stars to hold off the Jaguars, 27-25. Baker Mayfield threw for 258 yards and two touchdowns, Nick Chubb ran for 144 yards and a touchdown, and Jarvis Landry had eight catches for 143 yards and a score.
The teams traded scores throughout the game with no team able to take a commanding lead. Mike Glennon hit Collin Johnson with a 46-yard touchdown pass late in the second quarter, but Mayfield responded with a scoring pass to tight end Austin Hooper to put Cleveland up 17-13 at halftime. Glennon found his tight end, Tyler Eifert, with a touchdown early in the third, but Cody Parkey kicked a 45-yard field goal to put the Browns in front, 20-19.
Chubb’s scoring run early in the fourth quarter expanded the lead to eight points for Cleveland (8-3). The Jaguars stopped Kareem Hunt on a 4th-and-1 later in the period, and Glennon followed with a scoring drive. James Robinson had a 27-yard run, and Glennon completed passes to Johnson and James O’Shaughnessy to set up Robinson’s four-yard run. However, Glennon could not hook up with Johnson on the two-point pass and Chubb ran out the clock. Glennon threw for 235 yards and two touchdowns, Robinson ran for 128 yards and a touchdown, and Johnson added 96 yards and a score receiving for Jacksonville (1-10).
In addition to the victory, the Browns also made history in Sunday’s game. Tight ends coach Drew Petzing did not travel to Jacksonville after his wife gave birth on Saturday morning, so Callie Brownson became the first woman to coach an NFL position group during a regular-season game. Brownson was a running back and safety in the Women’s Football Alliance from 2010-17 and, after spending a year as a scouting intern with the Jets, she was Dartmouth’s quality control coach in 2018-19. New Cleveland coach Kevin Stefanski hired Brownson as his chief of staff this season.
Ryan Fitzpatrick returned to MetLife Stadium and threw for 257 yards against his former team as the Dolphins defeated the hapless Jets, 20-3. Fitzpatrick threw both of his scoring passes to tight ends, one each to Mike Gesicki and Adam Shaheen. The Harvard graduate spent 2015-16 with New York and nearly took the team to the playoffs after posting a 10-6 mark in his first season with the Jets.
DeVante Parker had game-highs with eight receptions and 119 yards for Miami (7-4). Sam Darnold threw for 197 yards, but had two interceptions. Frank Gore had 74 yards rushing and Breshad Perriman added a team-high 79 receiving for New York (0-11).
Josh Allen threw for 157 yards and a touchdown, and he also ran for a score as the Bills topped the Chargers, 27-17. Cole Beasley threw a 20-yard touchdown to Gabriel Davis on a second-quarter option pass as Buffalo (8-3) opened up a 24-6 lead. Justin Herbert had 316 yards and a touchdown pass to Keenan Allen, and Joshua Kelley added a rushing score for Los Angeles (3-8). Herbert tied the rookie record set by Andrew Luck in 2012 with his sixth 300-yard game.
Stat Leaders
Patrick Mahomes’ 462-yard performance not only led all passers in Week 12, but it moved the Chiefs quarterback into the top spot in passing yards for the season with 3,497. Tampa Bay’s Tom Brady had the second-most yards this week (345), and he now ranks second in the NFL with 3,300 yards. Seattle’s Russell Wilson is third with 3,216 yards and Houston’s Deshaun Watson ranks fourth with 3,201, thanks to a 318-yard performance against the Lions on Thanksgiving Day. Rounding out the top five in Week 12 are Chargers rookie Justin Herbert (316) and Kirk Cousins, who threw for 307 yards in the Vikings’ win over the Panthers. With four touchdown passes against the Bears, Aaron Rodgers now has a league-leading 33 for the season. Wilson is second with 31 and Mahomes ranks third with 30, while tossing just two interceptions.
Derrick Henry’s 178-yard, the three-touchdown performance was the best in Week 12 and also moved the Titans’ star into the NFL rushing lead with 1,257 yards. Dalvin Cook ranks second with 1,130, and he leads the league with 13 touchdowns (Henry is second with 12). Other players to hit the 100-yard mark this week include Cleveland’s Nick Chubb (144), Jacksonville’s James Robinson (128), New Orleans backup Latavius Murray (124), Washington’s Antonio Gibson (115 yards and three touchdowns), and Chicago’s David Montgomery (103). Robinson is now third in the NFL with 890 yards this season.
There seems to be a battle for the NFL’s top receiver developing between Kansas City’s Tyreek Hill and Seattle’s DK Metcalf. Hill’s 269-yard performance was the best by far in Week 12, and he ranks second in the league with 1,021 yards. Metcalf’s 177 yards ranked second overall this week, and he remains the NFL’s leader with 1,039 yards. Other top receivers in Week 12 include Houston’s Will Fuller, who had 171 yards, but will miss the rest of the season due to a PED suspension. Rounding out the top five are Cleveland’s Jarvis Landry (143 yards) and San Francisco’s Deebo Samuel (134). The race for the most receiving yards is tight, with Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (978), Cardinals star DeAndre Hopkins (967), Washington receiver Terry McLaurin (963), and Buffalo newcomer Stefon Diggs (945) all within striking distance of Metcalf and Hill. Chargers star Keenan Allen leads the league with 85 receptions, followed by Diggs (80) and Hopkins (77). Hill tops the NFL with 13 touchdowns, with Tampa Bay’s Mike Evans, Green Bay’s Davante Adams, and Minnesota’s Adam Thielen (who missed this week while on the reserve/COVID-19 list) all tied with 11.
Shazier starts a fund to help with spinal cord injuries
Ryan Shazier, a linebacker who suffered a career-ending spinal injury in 2017, announced on Twitter on Nov. 24 that he has established the Ryan Shazier Fund for Spinal Rehabilitation. The fund has a mission “to give those with spinal cord injuries and their caregivers the support, resources, and funding they need to live independent and meaningful lives.”
Shazier was an All-American at Ohio State who the Steelers drafted in the middle of the first round in 2014. The two-time Pro Bowler totaled 299 tackles, seven sacks, seven interceptions, and seven forced fumbles in four seasons with Pittsburgh. During the Dec. 4, 2017 game against the Bengals, Shazier’s head hit the thigh of Cincinnati receiver Josh Malone, leaving the linebacker unable to move his legs for a short time. The injury was later determined to be a spinal contusion and required spinal stabilization surgery three days later. Although he was able to walk and even jog again, Shazier never returned to the NFL and officially retired on Sept. 9, 2020.
NFL makes schedule changes in the coming weeks
The NFL announced that there will be a doubleheader on NFL Network on Saturday, Dec. 19 as part of the league’s Week 15 schedule. The Bills-Broncos game will start at 4:30 p.m. (hopefully, Denver has a quarterback or two by then), with the Panthers-Packers contest following at 8:15. The games beat out matchups between the Lions and Titans, Jets and Rams, and Texans and Colts for the coveted spots
The NFL also finalized its schedule surrounding Christmas by announcing a tripleheader for Saturday, Dec. 26. Two games will air on NFL Network, the Buccaneers face the Lions and 1 p.m. and the Dolphins will take on the Raiders at 8:15. The 49ers and Cardinals will tangle at 4:30 p.m., and the game will stream on Amazon Prime Video and Twitch.
Finally, the Week 14 game between the Packers and Lions was flexed from 1 p.m. to 4:25 on Dec. 13. FOX will still carry the game.
THE BAD
Cowboys coach passes away after a medical emergency at the facility
Markus Paul, a former NFL safety who was in his third season as the Cowboys’ head strength and conditioning coach, suffered an undisclosed medical emergency at team headquarters on Tuesday and died the following day at age 54. Dallas held a moment of silence and played a video tribute to the coach before the Thanksgiving game against Washington.
Paul was an All-American at Syracuse who was drafted in the fourth round by the Bears in the 1989 NFL Draft. He had seven interceptions in over five NFL seasons with Chicago and Tampa Bay before retiring in 1993. Paul was the assistant strength and conditioning coach with the Saints (1998-99) and Patriots (2000-04), and he won three titles with New England. After two years with the Jets, he spent 12 seasons as the Giants’ assistant strength and conditioning coach and was a part of two more championship teams. Paul was hired to his first head position with the Cowboys in 2018.
Longtime coach Hanifan passes away
Jim Hanifan, who spent more nearly 40 years in coaching and almost 30 in the NFL, passed away on Nov. 24 at age 87. Hanifan was drafted by the Rams in 1955 and spent one season with the Canadian Football League’s Toronto Argonauts before he was drafted into the U. S. Army. After stints in college with Utah, Cal, and San Diego State, he came to the NFL in 1973.
Hanifan was the offensive line coach with the Cardinals under Don “Air” Coryell from 1973-78 and, after a year with the Chargers, he returned to St. Louis as head coach. He had a 39-49-1 record in six seasons leading the Cardinals, but the team lost its only playoff game, a first-round exit at the hands of the Packers in 1982. Hanifan was the offensive line coach with Atlanta from 1987-89 and lost four games as interim head coach after the Falcons fired Marion Campbell. He was the offensive line coach with the Redskins (1990-96) and Rams (1997-2002) before retiring.
Hanifan was known for setting up his teams to win in the trenches, and his offensive lines with the “Cardiac Cards” of the early 1980s, Washington’s “Hogs” in the early 1990s, and the “Greatest Show on Turf” Rams in the late ‘90s and early 2000s were some of the most famous in NFL history. He helped develop players such as Hall of Fame tackle Dan Dierdorf with the Cardinals, four-time Pro Bowl tackle Bill Fralic with the Falcons, three-time All-Pro tackle Jim Lachey with the Redskins, and Hall of Fame tackle Orlando Pace with the Rams. Hanifan won a championship with the Redskins in Super Bowl XXVI, another title with the Rams in Super Bowl XXXIV.
Colts punter to have a cancerous tumor removed
The Colts will be without punter Rigoberto Sanchez for the foreseeable future while he battles cancer. Sanchez revealed on Instagram that his “surgery went well,” but there is no timetable for his return. He was averaging a career-high 47.2 yards per punt through 11 games this season. Sanchez was signed by Indianapolis as an undrafted free agent out of Hawaii and he made the All-Rookie Team in 2017.
Patricia fired in Detroit; Lions and Jaguars also drop general managers
Less than 48 hours after a loss at home to the Texans on Thanksgiving Day, the Detroit Lions have begun their house cleaning. Owner Sheila Ford Hamp fired head coach Matt Patricia and general manager Bob Quinn on Saturday afternoon. Patricia was hired in 2018 and had a 13-29-1 record, including a 4-7 mark this season. He began his NFL coaching career as an offensive assistant with the Patriots in 2004 and worked his way up to defensive coordinator, a position he held from 2012-17. Patricia won three Super Bowls as a member of Bill Belichick’s defensive staff in New England.
Patricia is the third NFL head coach fired in the NFL this season, joining Houston’s Bill O’Brien, who was let go on Oct. 5, and Atlanta’s Dan Quinn, who was cut loose on Oct. 11. Darrell Bevell, who previously served as offensive coordinator in Minnesota (2006-10) and Seattle (2011-17) before taking the same role with Detroit last year, has been named the interim head coach for the remainder of the season.
Quinn won four titles during his tenure with the Patriots. He started as a player personnel assistant in 2000, then rose up through the team’s scouting ranks to become Director of Pro Scouting from 2012-15. Quinn joined the Lions in 2016, but the team has not made the playoff since his first season and has a 31-43-1 record since he was hired. Although every first-round pick he made is still on Detroit’s roster, the only Pro Bowl player Quinn drafted was wide receiver Kenny Golladay, who was a third-round pick in 2017.
The Lions were not the only team to cut their general manager loose over the weekend. The Jaguars fired Dave Caldwell after the loss to the Browns. Caldwell had been at the post since 2013, and he assembled the team that reached the AFC Championship Game in 2017. However, that was the only time Jacksonville has made the playoffs in the past 13 seasons, and the club has the potential to have its all-time worst season. The Jaguars are 1-10 in 2020, and they are still one victory shy of the 2-14 mark set in the 2012 season.
Saints dominate depleted Broncos
The New Orleans Saints did not need Drew Brees on Sunday. Despite just 78 yards passing from Taysom Hill, the Saints totaled 229 yards and four touchdowns on the ground and scored a 31-3 win over the Broncos. Despite throwing an interception and getting sacked three times, Hill had 44 yards and two touchdowns. Latatvius Murray ran for 124 yards and two touchdowns, and Alvin Kamara added 54 yards rushing. Michael Thomas was the game’s leading receiver with four catches and 50 yards for New Orleans (9-2).
The Broncos were in an unenviable position of having to play without their top FOUR quarterbacks. Backup Jeff Driskel tested positive for the coronavirus on Thursday, and starter Drew Lock, third-stringer Brett Rypien and practice squad passer Blake Bortles were deemed close contacts after all of them failed to wear masks during meetings (more on this later). The Broncos announced on Wednesday that all four quarterbacks have been fined an unknown amount by the team.
Instead, Denver (4-7) had to make do with Kendall Hinton, a practice squad receiver who was called up to the main roster due to his experience as a quarterback during his freshman year at Wake Forest in 2015. Hinton completed just 1 of 9 passes for 13 yards, and he also tossed two interceptions. The Broncos relied heavily on the run game of Royce Freeman (eight carries for 50 yards), Melvin Gordon (12-31), and Phillip Lindsay (9-20), but had just 112 total yards. Denver got its only points on a Brandon McManus 58-yard field goal midway through the third quarter following an Essang Bassey interception of Hill.
NFC North showdown falls flat
Aaron Rodgers threw for 211 yards and four touchdowns as the Packers jumped out to a 27-3 lead and cruised to a 41-25 victory over the Bears. Jamaal Williams had a rushing touchdown and Preston Smith returned a Mitchell Trubisky fumble 14 yards for another score as Green Bay now holds a three-game lead in the NFC North at 8-3.
Trubisky had 242 yards and three touchdowns, but in addition to the fumble, he threw two interceptions and was sacked three times. David Montgomery ran for 103 yards, and Allen Robinson had eight catches for 74 yards and two scores for Chicago (5-6). Aaron Jones had 90 yards rushing and Williams added 73 for Green Bay. Robert Tonyan (67 yards) and Davante Adams (61) each had a receiving touchdown for the Packers.
Raiders ravaged by the Falcons
Matt Ryan threw two touchdowns, Deion Jones returned an interception 67 yards for a score and Younghoe Koo kicked five field goals as the Falcons manhandled the Raiders, 43-6.
Despite playing the game without top receiver Julio Jones (hamstring) and starting running back Todd Gurley (knee), Atlanta (4-7) generated just enough offense (305 total yards) to pull off the victory. Ryan threw four-yard scoring passes to Calvin Ridley and Brandon Powell, and Ito Smith ran for 65 yards and a fourth-quarter touchdown. The Falcons’ defense also held Josh Jacobs to 27 yards and forced a fumble. Derek Carr had 215 yards passing and Hunter Renfrow added a game-high 73 yards receiving for Las Vegas (6-5).
Jacobs and offensive linemen suffer injuries
Josh Jacobs, the leading rusher for the Las Vegas Raiders and the team’s offensive catalyst, may miss the Week 13 game against the Jets with a sprained ankle. Jacobs ran for just 27 yards in a blowout loss to the Falcons, and he grabbed his ankle after losing a fumble in the third quarter. The 2019 All-Rookie Team member has 782 yards and nine touchdowns in 11 games this season.
Cowboys lineman Zack Martin suffered a calf injury late in the first quarter of Thursday’s game against Washington and needed to be helped to the locker room. Martin, who was an All-Pro at right guard, moved over to the tackle spot to replace La’el Collins, who had season-ending hip surgery in October.
Another player who will not play again in 2020 is Eagles tackle Lane Johnson, who told reporters on Friday that “the inside of my ankle has collapsed,” and that he is done for the season. The two-time All-Pro will have surgery and his team will have to reshuffle the line with both Johnson and the other starting tackle, Andre Dillard (torn pectoral), out for the year. Philadelphia will move Jason Peters back to right guard, where he started the season, with the left tackle being manned by the 6-foot-8, 345-pound Jordan Mailata, a former Australian rugby player who was drafted in the seventh round in 2018.
In addition to Jacobs, Martin, Johnson, and Giants quarterback Daniel Jones, several other players left this week’s games due to injury, including: Browns safety Ronnie Harrison (shoulder), Panthers wide receiver D.J. Moore (ankle), Chargers tackle Bryan Bulaga (illness) and linebacker Denzel Perryman (back), Broncos running back Phillip Lindsay (knee) and cornerback Bryce Callahan (foot), Colts tackle Anthony Castonzo (MCL sprain), Falcons wide receiver (toe) and guard James Carpenter (groin), Saints cornerback Janoris Jenkins (knee), Packers center Corey Linsley (knee), as well as Raiders cornerback Damon Arnette and Bengals guard Alex Redmond (both with concussions). San Francisco cornerback Jamar Taylor was carted off the field in the second quarter against the Rams and the 49ers fear that he suffered a torn ACL.
Steelers pass rusher Bud Dupree was injured in the second half of Wednesday’s game, and initial tests indicate a torn ACL. If tests prove that is the case, his season will be over.
Two Texans suspended and receiver released
Will Fuller, the leading receiver for the Houston Texans, has been suspended for six games for violating the NFL’s performance-enhancing drug policy. Fuller announced on Instagram that he was punished for taking a medication he thought was acceptable under the league policy, but later learned it was not.
After taking over as Deshaun Watson's top target after DeAndre Hopkins was traded to the Cardinals, Fuller set career-highs with 53 catches, 879 yards, and eight touchdowns through 11 games this season. He is in the final year of his rookie contract, but even if he does sign with a new team in 2021, he will miss the first game next season as the final game of this suspension.
Also earning a six-game PED ban was cornerback Bradley Roby, who apologized in a statement, saying he “unknowingly used a product that was contaminated with a banned substance.” Roby had 37 tackles in 10 games this season. He has 10 interceptions and 311 tackles in seven years with Denver and Houston. Roby made two stops and had three passes defensed as a reserve in the Broncos’ 24-10 win over the Panthers in Super Bowl 50.
Fuller’s suspension makes this news even tougher to take for Texans fans. Kenny Stills, a wide receiver who was acquired from the Dolphins along with tackle Laremy Tunsil last season, was released by Houston on Friday. After spending 2019 as a part-time starter, Stills has been used sparingly this year, posting just 11 catches, 144 yards, and a touchdown. The Oklahoma product was supposed to be next in line for targets after Fuller, but he was passed by Brandin Cooks on the depth chart.
THE UGLY
Ravens weather the coronavirus but fall to the Steelers
Over the past two weeks, the Baltimore Ravens have been decimated by COVID-19. As outlined in the opening, the team was forced to change its scheduled Week 12 game with the Steelers three times and moved the Week 13 contest with the Cowboys, originally slated for Thursday, Dec. 3 to Tuesday, Dec. 8 at 8 p.m. The NFL also pushed the Pittsburgh-Washington game to Monday, Dec. 7 at 5 p.m.
Overall, the Ravens placed 21 players on the reserve/COVID-19 list, beginning with third-string quarterback Trace McSorley and cornerback Iman Marshall, who both tested positive on Nov. 20. Three more players were added on Nov. 23, with running backs Mark Ingram and rookie J.K. Dobbins testing positive and defensive tackle Brandon Williams getting put on the list as a close contact. The following day, linebacker Pernell McPhee became Baltimore’s fourth positive test.
The team had defensive end Calais Campbell, plus offensive linemen Patrick Mekari and Matt Skura announce positive results on Nov. 25, and defensive end Jihad Ward joined the party the next day. The biggest hit came when reigning NFL MVP Lamar Jackson tested positive, along with fullback Patrick Ricard, defensive tackle Justin Madubuike and long-snapper Morgan Cox on Friday. Six more players were added to the reserve list on Saturday including linebacker Jaylon Ferguson, offensive linemen D.J. Fluker and Will Holden, defensive lineman Broderick Washington, and injured cornerbacks Khalil Dorsey and Tavon Young.
On Monday, tight end Mark Andrews, linebacker Matthew Judon, wide receiver Willie Snead, and previously injured cornerback Terrell Bonds tested positive. However, the Ravens were able to take Ferguson, Fluker, Washington, and Marshall off the reserve list. Safety Geno Smith, as well as an equipment manager, tested positive on Tuesday, but they have deemed no risk to others since the team had been operating “as though everyone is positive.” Earlier in the day, Baltimore activated Williams, McSorley, Young, and Dorsey from the reserve list.
The start of Wednesday’s game mimicked reality, a team that lost a third of its roster and then complained about not having enough practice time was facing one that complained about having a game postponed three times and moved to six days past its originally scheduled start date. The teams traded punts before Robert Griffin III fumbled on the first play of Baltimore’s second drive. Pittsburgh was set to score, but Ben Roethlisberger’s 4th-and-goal pass was intercepted in the end zone. Three plays later, Griffin threw a pick that Joe Haden returned 14 yards for a score (but Chris Boswell missed the extra point). The Ravens had to punt on their next drive, but Ray-Ray McCloud fumbled and Anthony Levine recovered for Baltimore (6-5). The possession ended with a one-yard touchdown run by Gus Edwards and a 7-6 Ravens lead.
Roethlisberger led two long drives in the second quarter that ended with Boswell field goals, putting the Steelers up, 12-7, at halftime. Pittsburgh extended its advantage early in the fourth quarter, with a 14-play drive culminating in a pass from Roethlisberger to JuJu Smith-Schuster. Trace McSorley replaced Griffin and threw a 70-yard touchdown pass to Marquise Brown with 2:58 left to cut into Baltimore’s deficit. However, a 16-yard pass to James Washington and two first-down runs by Benny Snell Jr. allowed Roethlisberger and the Steelers to run out the clock on their 19-14 victory.
Roethlisberger had 266 yards and a touchdown, Snell ran for 60 yards and tight end Eric Ebron had seven receptions and 54 yards for Pittsburgh (11-0). Griffin had 68 yards rushing but only 33 passing, and Brown posted a game-high 85 yards receiving for Baltimore.
Conner, five others go on the COVID list for Steelers
The Ravens' opponents in this week's rescheduled game, the Steelers, dealt with COVID-19 as well. Starting running back James Conner, as well as quarterbacks coach Matt Canada and special teams coach Danny Smith, tested positive for the coronavirus on Saturday and missed Wednesday's game. The news came one day after Pittsburgh placed offensive lineman Jerald Hawkins, defensive end Stephon Tuitt, and defensive tackle Isaiah Buggs on the reserve list.
NFL shows hypocrisy with Broncos situation
Although the NFL has tried its best to make sure the Ravens-Steelers game is able to be played safely, the league has failed in how it handled another COVID-19 situation with the Broncos. Yes, the coronavirus pandemic has been tough to navigate, as more than a dozen games have had to be postponed or have their date and time switched. However, making a team play without a quarterback, the most important position on the field, is unforgivable.
Roger Goodell’s excuse that the Broncos “didn’t have an outbreak” is utter nonsense. Denver’s quarterbacks SHOULD have worn masks and stayed away once Jeff Driskel tested positive, I get that. However, by bending over backwards for the Ravens, Goodell and the NFL have shown their hypocrisy once again. They forced the Broncos to play, even though pushing the game back ONE DAY would have almost guaranteed that at least Denver would have had someone on the active roster who had thrown a pass in a game in the past five years. Instead, the NFL’s COVID-19 protocols prevented the Broncos from signing a free agent to play, and the league refused to let the team put a coach on the active roster, since most of them knew the offense better than Kendall Hinton, who had been on the practice squad as a wide receiver all season.
Denver’s situation is far less damaging to the league’s credibility than Baltimore’s. For all the talk about how the Broncos did not have an outbreak, the Ravens SHOULD NOT have had one either. Although Baltimore “punished” the unnamed strength and conditioning coach for not reporting his symptoms or wearing a mask regularly, that should not have been good enough. You can’t say that the stupidity of the Broncos’ quarterbacks should be treated any better or worse than that of the Ravens. Remember, that is a team employee who has now infected half the team with a virus that has killed 270,000 people in this country due to nothing more than his negligence and laziness.
I can understand the league moving Baltimore’s game from Thursday to Sunday while they were gathering information, but once they made the ruling, they should have forced the Ravens to play on Sunday. THEY put themselves in this position by not monitoring their staff members and facilities closer, so they should have to deal with the consequences. The Steelers are angry and rightfully so, since this is their second high-profile game that got changed because another team can’t handle its business. However, the NFL is in the business of protecting its stars and Jackson was last year’s MVP.
Drew Lock is not a star, neither is Blake Bortles or Brett Rypien. That fact alone is why the NFL did not push the Broncos game back even a day, because money drives things for Goodell and company, not having a competitive game. Chances are, the Saints would have still won even with one or all three of those “close contact” passers healthy. However, this was a simple fix that the league turned into bad publicity because of greed and the need to be right. You are not going to “fix” COVID-19 or prevent players from getting infected. All you can do is set out guidelines, trust your players, coaches, and personnel to follow them, and dole out punishments when they do not.
League punishes Patriots and Saints for protocol violations
The NFL is cracking down on teams who fail to follow the COVID-19 protocols, which have been communicated numerous times throughout the season. The Saints were fined $500,000 and lost a seventh-round pick for their locker room celebration after a Week 9 win over the Buccaneers and because they conducted a maskless meeting. New Orleans was a repeat offender. Both the Saints and Raiders were fined $250,000 and their head coaches $100,000 each after both Sean Payton and Jon Grudem failed to follow proper face-covering protocols during the Monday Night Football game in Week 2.
The Patriots were docked $350,000 for violations dating back to October, when Cam Newton and Stephon Gilmore tested positive for COVID-19, forcing the Week 4 game against the Chiefs to be rescheduled.
49ers displaced due to government restrictions
Not only is the NFL cracking down to try and control coronavirus outbreaks, but local and state governments are as well. Santa Clara County, home to the 49ers’ practice facility, as well as Levi’s Stadium, released new restrictions on Saturday. The plan, which took effect on December 1, banned all contact sports and imposed a 14-day quarantine for anyone coming into the area from more than 150 miles away.
The NFL has announced that the 49ers will host games against Buffalo in Week 13 and Washington in Week 14 at State Farm Stadium in Arizona. There is no word yet about the status of the Week 17 game against Seattle.
League discusses the potential for a playoff bubble
After COVID-19 cases have caused such a mess over the past two weeks, the NFL is now discussing “local bubbles” for the playoffs. Rather than take the full bubble approach the NHL and NBA did, the NFL would create regional zones among the playoff teams. Inside those bubbles, all team personnel would be isolated, and there would be strictly enforced guidelines on who could be inside and interact with players, coaches, and staff. Both the league and the players’ union would have to agree to the bubble setup, as well as any changes to the playoff format.
Other COVID-19 news
Here are some more COVID-related topics that made headlines in the past week:
The NFL prohibited all in-person team activities on Nov. 30 and Dec. 1 in order to try and catch any new cases that were incurred over the holiday weekend.
Colts defensive tackle DeForest Buckner missed Sunday’s game against the Titans after receiving a positive test for COVID-19 on Nov. 25.
Wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald did not have as happy of a Thanksgiving as most. The Arizona star tested positive for the coronavirus on Nov. 26 and missed the game against the Patriots, which the Cardinals lost on a last-second field goal.
The Browns and Falcons closed their facilities on Nov. 26 after both teams had positive COVID-19 tests. For Cleveland, it was defensive end, Porter Gustin, while Atlanta announced that two non-coaching staff members tested positive.
Washington owner Daniel Snyder and team president Jason Wright did not travel to Dallas for the team’s game on Thanksgiving Day after both came in contact with a person who tested positive for the coronavirus. Snyder, his wife, Tanya, and Wright all tested negative after the contact with the person, who was not associated with the team.
Early last week, the entire Jaguars’ coaching staff was absent from the team’s facility due to a positive COVID-19 test from kicker Chase McLaughlin. Jacksonville was without defensive coordinator Todd Walsh against the Browns, and two other coaches on the defensive staff also missed the game because they were deemed close contacts.
New England wide receiver Julian Edelman, who was placed on injured reserve at the end of October due to a knee injury, was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list on Monday.
What’s on tap for Week 13: As the calendar turns to December, NFL teams are picking up their playoff pushes. The biggest games on Sunday include a showdown between the Browns and Titans, an AFC South battle featuring the Colts and Texans, and an NFC West contest between the Rams and Cardinals. The Broncos and Chiefs square off in an AFC West showdown on Sunday night, a Monday doubleheader features Pittsburgh vs. Washington, along with Buffalo vs. San Francisco (in Arizona). Week 13 ends with the rescheduled contest between the Ravens and Cowboys on Tuesday.
Writer
-By: Kevin Rakas