The Cleveland Browns will be without standout pass rusher Myles Garrett when they host the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday

6 min readNov 22, 2020

The Las Vegas Raiders had to practice all week with many defensive players in five-day quarantines as high-risk close contacts to defensive end Clelin Ferrell, who reportedly tested positive for the coronavirus. That’s not an ideal scenario, especially with the Raiders hosting the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday night.

But the Raiders at least will have many of those players back for the game.

The Raiders activated defensive backs Johnathan Abram and Isaiah Johnson and defensive linemen Maliek Collins, Johnathan Hankins, Arden Key and Kendal Vickers from their covid-19 reserve list Saturday. They also elevated defensive linemen David Irving and Chris Smith and linebacker Javin White from the practice squad.

Cornerback Lamarcus Joyner, however, reportedly was placed back on the covid-19 reserve list Sunday. He’d been activated from that list Friday.

This NFL season started like no other. The coronavirus pandemic necessitated a virtual offseason, and there were no preseason games to develop chemistry or help first-year players navigate the leap from college to the pros. Yet these hurdles have not stopped the 2020 rookie class, especially the skill players, from making a huge impact.

This draft class is producing nine more points per 100 opportunities with the football (pass attempts, rushes and targets) than expected after accounting for the down, distance and field position of each play, per data from TruMedia. That equates to an extra 10 points per game, collectively, over a 16-game season.

Only three draft classes — 2006, 2007 and 2008 — have overachieved more than this one at the same point of the season. The early marks are so impressive, in fact, history shows there are likely to be a number of future all-pros and Hall of Famers in this class. Looking back at the 2006, 2007 and 2008 classes shows us the quarterbacks, wide receivers and tight ends who stood out as rookies got even better over the next few years.

But they avoided a coronavirus outbreak, and Garrett’s case illustrates how the NFL wants its protocols to function.

Garrett was sent home from the Browns’ facility last week when he was displaying symptoms, even while initially testing negative for the coronavirus. He reportedly tested positive in the results returned Friday morning, however. But with Garrett already out of the facility, the Browns and the league identified no high-risk close contacts to him.

The Ravens are shaking up their offensive line, moving Patrick Mekari from guard to center in place of Matt Skura in a move that marks the fifth offensive line combination they have used this season.

Ben Powers is expected to replace Skura, getting his first career start at right guard, with D.J. Fluker at right tackle against the Titans in Baltimore.

The Ravens, who have lost two of three games, may also use Lamar Jackson less frequently in the shotgun after having issues with snaps last week. Skura, who had a cut on his hand, had two poor snaps in a rainy night game last week in New England and reacted angrily after his wife was targeted with angry social media messages.

“I appreciate those who have sent encouraging messages to me since the game,” Skura wrote on his locked Instagram account (via ESPN) after the loss to the Patriots. “However, please know my family is off limits when it comes to hateful and threatening messages. They do not deserve to be scrutinized for something they did not do.”

The 6–3 Ravens have lost offensive linemen Ronnie Stanley and Tyre Phillips to injuries and their playoff situation is precarious. They hold the edge for a wild-card berth entering Week 11 games, just barely ahead of the Titans and Browns, both of whom are also 6–3. After Sunday’s game against the Titans, the Ravens play the Steelers in a prime-time Thanksgiving game.

Quarterback Teddy Bridgewater is on the Carolina Panthers’ inactive list for their game against the Detroit Lions.

Bridgewater had been listed as questionable on the injury report because of a knee injury. The Panthers had called his playing status a game-time decision.

Bridgewater tested his knee during pregame drills. Panthers owner David Tepper, General Manager Marty Hurney, Coach Matt Rhule and offensive coordinator Joe Brady were seen huddled on the field, presumably discussing the decision about whether to allow Bridgewater to play.

P.J. Walker reportedly is to start at quarterback for Carolina, ahead of Will Grier.

Coach Sean Payton’s decision to go with Taysom Hill rather than Jameis Winston as the New Orleans Saints’ starter at quarterback, with Drew Brees sidelined by fractured ribs and a punctured lung, is fascinating.

Hill has thrived in his all-purpose role for the Saints. He’s a dynamic and powerful runner and he’s had his moments as a gadget-play passer. The Saints have maintained that he’s a viable option as a starting quarterback, worthy of comparisons to former San Francisco 49ers great Steve Young, when Brees retires.

But Hill has yet to demonstrate that he can make the variety of throws required of a starting quarterback on a consistent basis. He’s yet to be tested by a defense that prepared for him as a starter.

Brees will miss at least three games after being placed on the injured reserve list. Payton has the option, of course, of using Winston if needed.

Hill and the Saints face the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday at the Superdome. In fact, two of the Saints’ next three games come against the Falcons. That makes the Falcons a major beneficiary — along with those teams vying for playoff seeding in the NFC — if the Saints stumble without Brees.

Brees offered his support for Hill, writing this weekend on Twitter: “He’s one of the greatest men [and] teammates you could ever ask for!”

Although the city of Cleveland and Cuyahoga County are under a stay-at-home advisory because of spiking coronavirus numbers, the Browns will be able to host up to 12,000 fans for their game against the Philadelphia Eagles.

The team planned “to monitor the circumstances and remain flexible,” a spokesperson told the Cleveland Plain Dealer’s Mary Kay Cabot, with only an advisory and not a mandate in place.

It’s a dilemma that other teams are going to be facing in the next few weeks, with the coronavirus spreading across the U.S. The NFL responded by intensifying covid-19 protocols for all 32 teams beginning Saturday and the Browns have been following them for the past two weeks. Myles Garrett, who leads the NFL with 9.5 sacks, tested positive for the virus Friday and, because he is symptomatic, he must miss at least 10 days. That means he may well miss next week’s game against the Jaguars as well as the Eagles game.

Under intensive protocols, “among other restrictions, all players and coaches must have a negative from the previous day’s testing before entering the facility, in addition to regular daily PCR testing, all meetings being held virtually unless they can be held outdoors or indoors with a preapproved plan, and for face masks being worn at all times at the facility, including on the practice field by all personnel,” according to the NFL Network’s Judy Battista. “All meals must be served in grab and go style to prevent people from congregating in meal rooms. Locker room use is strongly discouraged on non-game days.”

We talk about the importance of touchdowns to tight ends in Fantasy Football all the time, but why don’t we do the same with wide receivers? It may seem obvious, but scoring is a crucial part of the make-up of the top-15 wideouts from week to week. In each of the past three weeks, for example, 14 of the top 15 wide receivers scored at least one touchdown. If a receiver doesn’t score, he can still be very good, but not someone who will help you nail down a victory. So think twice about touchdowns as much as targets and air yards and everything else when you choose your receivers for your lineup this week.

The line wants us to believe: Washington’s recent near-losses mean something. I have a tough time believing in Washington after they got down early against the Giants and Lions in consecutive weeks. Not that the Bengals defense is even decent, but at the very least they should be able to compete against the Football Team’s limited offense. The Washington side feels like a sucker’s bet.

The line wants us to believe: The Saints are still considerably better even with Tayson Hill at quarterback. Hill is a fun player to keep defenses honest, but a full game with him at quarterback? He will either have to be successful as a runner or the Saints defense will have to come up big versus a Falcons offense at full strength. Atlanta’s defense has played better since Dan Quinn’s firing. They have a chance to keep it close if not win.

The Cleveland Browns will be without standout pass rusher Myles Garrett when they host the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday

Written by Alamgir Sb

No responses yet