In today’s set of Bullets, we discussed Baker Mayfield’s tweet storm directed at the NFL and its COVID protocols. And in doing so, we underscored how there was reporting on how the NFLPA was pushing to postpone the Browns’ game against the Raiders because of the increase in COVID-related issues.
Fast forward a few hours and the schedule looks different than it did this morning:
Raiders at Browns now will be played Monday night at 5 pm ET, per sources.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 17, 2021
Seahawks at Rams switched to Tuesday at 7 pm ET/ 4 pm PT, per sources.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 17, 2021
WFT at Philly now could be played Tuesday, per source.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 17, 2021
Cool, cool, cool.
In the face of increasing pressure to consider alternatives, discussions between the NFL and NFLPA to postpone *MULTIPLE* Week 15 games have been fruitful. The emergence of new cases impacting in the Raiders-Browns, Rams-Seahawks, and WFT-Eagles games is pushing the NFL to handle things with additional care. And in this case, it means pushing games back to allow more testing time — as well as an opportunity to get things under control. All in all, that is probably the smart thing to do right now.
This leaves us with the following:
• One game on Saturday between the Colts and Patriots.
• A normal-ish slate of Sunday games
• Two Monday games, with Raiders-Browns leading into Bears-Vikings.
• A pair of Tuesday night games, featuring Rams-Seahawks and Football Team-Eagles games.
This is what an updated schedule looks like:
The NFL officially announces three games were moved from this weekend pic.twitter.com/YPdyEh3Bw3
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 17, 2021
We’re about to enter a stretch of days loaded with football:
With the NFL's amended schedule, we now have games tomorrow, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday.
8 of the next 10 days have NFL games.
Buckle up.
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) December 17, 2021
The good news for football fans is that the NFL is scheduled to be on often in the coming days. But the challenges are not to be ignored:
With the virus apparently becoming more contagious and causing less illness, the NFL-NFLPA protocols have become outdated. The challenge is to move quickly to a new, practical model that allows vaccinated and asymptomatic players to play, even if still technically positive.
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) December 17, 2021
So we have to suffer, and compromise our schedule because of another teams mistake. Make it make sense! Smh
— Rodney McLeod (@Rodney_McLeod4) December 17, 2021
This is all so tiring. Players frustrations are growing as we head into the final stretch of the year. And the NFL and NFLPA have some hashing out to do in order to make each other happy, while also balancing doing what is best for the players and product. It’s all such a mess right now.
But, hey, at least the Bears have one bit of good news on the COVID front:
#Bears roster moves:
We have signed DB Michael Joseph to the practice squad and have activated OL Elijah Wilkinson from Reserve/COVID-19.— Bears Communications (@BearsPR) December 17, 2021
Offensive tackle Elijah Wilkinson had been on the COVID reserve list since Nov. 26. It was his third trip into COVID protocols this football season. And with the Bears having COVID-19 and other illness issues along the offensive line, getting back one healthy body seems helpful.
Let’s wrap this up by keeping this in mind, as it figures to pop up between now and the end of the regular season:
A reminder on the forfeit policy the #NFL established this summer. All three circumstances must be satisfied for it to happen.https://t.co/jJCqH3CDRK pic.twitter.com/FfbjoeAvFF
— Kevin Seifert (@SeifertESPN) December 17, 2021