Virus issues force Steelers-Ravens to be delayed again
The Baltimore Ravens’ struggle to contain an extended outbreak of the coronavirus forced their rescheduled game tonight against the unbeaten Pittsburgh Steelers to be moved back to Wednesday.
It’s the third fix to a matchup originally slated to be played Thanksgiving night.
The NFL announced the most recent switch Monday after the Ravens placed starters Matthew Judon, Willie Snead and Mark Andrews on the reserve/COVID-19 list.
Although Baltimore also had four players return from that list, the team will still be severely shorthanded when this game is finally played.
The addition of Judon, a standout linebacker, and Andrews, the leading receiver on the team, brings to seven the number of 2019 Pro Bowl players that Baltimore has placed on the COVID-19 list over the past week.
Corner back Terrell Bonds, who’s on injured reserve, was also added to the expansive list Monday.
COLTS PUNTER TO HAVE TUMOR REMOVED >> Indianapolis Colts punter Rigoberto Sanchez says he will have surgery today to have a cancerous tumor removed. Sanchez made Monday’s announcement in an Instagram post. He did not provide details about the diagnosis or how much time he might miss — only that doctors found the tumor before it spread to the rest of his body.
Sanchez averaged 50.8 yards on five punts in Sunday’s 45-26 loss to Tennessee, netting 40.8 yards on those kicks, but he did not kick off — something he’s done since he entered the league as an undrafted rookie in 2017. Instead, the kickoff duties were performed by rookie kicker Rodrigo Blankenship.
ABC WILL AIR TWO ‘MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL’ GAMES >> ESPN has announced that two “Monday Night Football” games in December will be simulcast on ABC.
ABC will air the Buffalo49ers game this Monday and the Bills-New England contest on Dec. 28. ABC aired its first Monday night game since the package moved to ESPN in 2006 on Sept. 21 when the Raiders had their first game in Las Vegas against New Orleans. That game had a combined audience of 16,072,000 viewers.
That game was also significant because it came on the 50th anniversary of the first “Monday Night Football” game.
It is anticipated that Walt Disney Company, which owns both ABC and ESPN, will try to get a package of games back on ABC when the next television contract with the league comes up for negotiations before the start of next season. That could also get ABC back in the Super Bowl rotation for the first time since it aired Super Bowl 40 in 2006.
BROWN S’ GARRETT ON TRACK TO RETURN FROM COVID >> Browns star defensive end Myles Garrett is on track to be activated from the COVID-19 list on Wednesday after missing two games with the virus.
Garrett sat out Cleveland’s wins over Philadelphia and Jacksonville the past two weeks after testing positive on Nov. 20. He’s been isolated at home and following league protocols. Browns coach Kevin Stefanski did not want to address whether Garrett, who was leading the NFL with 9 1/2 sacks when he tested positive, had suffered moderate or severe symptoms during his illness.
RODGERS’ FOUR TD PASSES HELP PACKERS ROLL OVER BEARS >> Aaron Rodgers threw four touchdow n passes, and the host Green Bay Packers beat the slumping Chicago Bears 41-25 on Sunday night to pad their NFC North lead.
Green Bay (8- 3) scored touchdowns on each of its first three possessions and grabbed a three-game division edge over Chicago (56) and Minnesota.
BACK-TO-BACK ROAD WINS PUT TITANS IN CONTROL OF AFC SOUTH >> The Tennessee Titans think they’ve taken two big steps in the right direction at the right time of the season. The next challenge is proving they can stay atop the AFC South and win this division for the first time since 2008.
The Titans (8-3) stopped a skid of three losses in four games with a big overtime win at Baltimore. They followed that by routing the Colts 45-26 in Indianapolis to reclaim the AFC South lead with five games left. They lead the Colts by a game and also have the division record tiebreaker at 3-1.
CHANCE GIANTS QB JONES PLAYS SUNDAY >> New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones avoided a season-ending right hamstring injury and the news could be even better for the NFC East leaders. NFL Network reported Monday that tests revealed Jones did not have a “serious” hamstring injury as head coach Joe Judge speculated on Sunday.
Instead, Jones could even be back in time to play this weekend as the 4-7 Giants visit the Seattle Seahawks.
Jones was injured during Sunday’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals.