News, notes and all of today’s Week 10 matchups
NFL home teams have a losing overall record this late in the season for the first time in almost 40 years.
The pandemic is limiting teams to partial capacity in most stadiums. About a third of the league’s facilities aren’t allowing fans at all
It’s been more than 50 years since road teams had a winning record when the season ended.
“We looked that stat up the other day. I think every game is different and you’ve got to consider the circumstances, and we’ll see where it ends at the end of the season,” Packers coach Matt LaFleur said “But I think certainly when you’re in your home stadium there’s an element that you’re used to feeding off the energy of the fans, and especially in our case where we don’t have anybody there. ”
Here is a breakdown of teams allowing fans and those not allowing fans, with average attendance and percentage of capacity for teams allowing fans
Dallas (25,750, 32%), Jacksonville (15,211, 23%), Tampa Bay (12,554, 19%), Miami (11,653, 18%), Kansas City ( 13,188, 17%), Houston (12,377, 17%), Tennessee (10,698, 15%), Indianapolis (8,658, 14%), Cleveland (8,682, 13%), Cincinnati (8.562, 13%), P h i l a d e lp h i a ( a s t e r i s k) (7,500, 11%), Atlanta (7,372, 10%), Denver (5,257, 7%), Carolina (5,200, 7%), Pittsburgh (4,984, 7%), Baltimore (4,345, 6%), Washington (3,000, 4%), Arizona (2,700, 4%), New Orleans (1,499, 2%)
Teams not allowing fans are the Bills, Lions, Packers, Raiders, Rams, Chargers, Giants, Jets, 49ers, Seahawks, Vikings and Patriots.
“This obviously is a different year,” said Vikings coach Mike Zimmer. “Coming into ( Minnesota’s) US Bank Stadium, last time we were here we didn’t have much energy, it was really dead. I talked about it just about every day this past week that we have to come out and we can’t worry about who’s in the stands, who’s not in the stands, what kind of music is playing. We have to go out and we have to do our job and execute.”
COVID-19 UPDATES >> Bills cornerback Josh Norman has tested positive for COVID-19 and will be one of four players and one assistant coach not traveling with the team for its game at Arizona Today. The team also ruled out tight end Tyler Kroft, cornerback Levi Wallace and safety Dean Marlowe by placing them on the reserve- COVID-19 list. The three were deemed to have been in close contact with Norman. Defensive assistant coach Leonard Johnson also will not travel with the team.
The Steelers activated Ben Roethlisberger and three other teammates off the COVID-19 list, clearing the way for their star quarterback to be in uniform when the they host Cincinnati today. Roethlisberger, linebacker Vince Williams, running back Jaylen Samuels and reserve offensive lineman Jerald Hawkins were forced to self- quarantine this week after teammate Vance McDonald tested positive for the coronavirus.
CHUBB READY TO ROLL >> The Browns can hand off the ball to Nick Chubb again.
Cleveland activated the star running back from injured reserve, paving the way for him to play today against Houston after missing four games with a sprained right knee.
The Browns were leading the NFL in rushing when Chubb got hurt, but Cleveland’s offense hasn’t been the same without the 2019 Pro Bowler.
Chubb ran for 335 yards and scored four touchdowns in three-plus games, and will return to face a Houston defense that is allowing a league-worst 159.5 yards rushing per game.