UNDATED (AP) — The Chicago Bears have lost four straight and trail the Green Bay Packers by two games in the NFC North as they prepare to renew the NFL’s oldest rivalry Sunday night at Lambeau Field. Green Bay could take a giant step toward a second straight division title by continuing the Bears’ slump. Neither team is playing particularly well at the moment. The Packers have split their last six games after getting off to a 4-0 start.
No QBs in Denver, no home for SF as COVID-19 sows NFL chaos
UNDATED (AP) — The COVID-19 pandemic has plunged the NFL into chaos. The Denver Broncos have no quarterbacks. The San Francisco 49ers have no home stadium or practice facility. And the Baltimore Ravens may not have enough players available for their next game, which has already been pushed back twice.
The Broncos won’t have any of their four quarterbacks available Sunday when they face the New Orleans Saints because of coronavirus concerns. Starter Drew Lock, backup Brett Rypien and practice squad veteran Blake Bortles were ordered off the practice field Saturday after they were deemed high-risk close contacts with No. 3 quarterback Jeff Driskel on Wednesday, the day before Driskel tested positive for COVID-19.
Practice squad rookie receiver Kendall Hinton and No. 3 running back Royce Freeman were being prepared to share snaps at quarterback Sunday when Denver hosts the Saints. Hinton played quarterback for three seasons in college and Freeman is the team’s emergency QB.
Meanwhile, the Ravens have 20 players on the COVID-19 list. Baltimore had already disciplined an unidentified staff member for violating COVID-19 protocols, and the outbreak — the worst on any team this season — left the Ravens with three defensive linemen and one quarterback available for Tuesday night’s game at Pittsburgh. That game originally was scheduled for Thanksgiving night, then moved to Sunday and moved again to Tuesday.
And the San Francisco 49ers might need to find a temporary new home after Santa Clara County banned all contact sports from holding games and practices for the next three weeks. County officials issued the directives Saturday in response to rising cases of the coronavirus in the area. The rules take effect Monday and will last until Dec 21. The 49ers have home games scheduled for Dec. 7 against Buffalo and Dec. 13 against Washington at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara. The team also practices at that site in the county.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-NFL-FINES
UNDATED (AP) — The NFL has fined the New Orleans Saints $500,000 and stripped them of a 2021 seventh-round draft pick for violating league COVID-19 protocols, according to a person with direct knowledge of the discipline. And the person tells The Associated Press that the New England Patriots were fined $350,000 for similar violations.
The person says New Orleans was fined as a repeat offender; Sean Payton previously was docked $150,000 and the team $250,000 because the head coach failed to properly wear a face covering during a Week 2 game against the Raiders. The more recent issue with the Saints came after a Week 9 win over Tampa Bay when the team’s celebrations included players not wearing masks while in close proximity to one another. The celebrations were captured on video by some players and posted to social media.
The Saints are expected to appeal the discipline, which ESPN first reported Sunday morning.
New England, which had a mini-outbreak of COVID-19 earlier this season that included positive tests for quarterback Cam Newton and cornerback Stephon Gilmore, was fined for not following protocols at that time.
Meanwhile, the COVID-19 pandemic caused major disruptions around the NFL all week, again calling into question the league’s plan to play a full schedule after several weeks that went relatively smoothly.
The Denver Broncos will be without their four quarterbacks when they host the Saints on Sunday. Starter Drew Lock, backup Brett Rypien and practice squad veteran Blake Bortles were deemed high-risk close contacts with No. 3 quarterback Jeff Driskel on Wednesday, the day before Driskel tested positive for COVID-19.
