Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers will try to clinch the No. 1 seed in the NFC when they close out the regular season against the Chicago Bears. The Packers come in with five straight wins and their second straight division championship. They’ll get the top seed if they beat or tie Chicago on Sunday or with a win or tie by Seattle against San Francisco. The Bears would make the playoffs for the second time in three years with a rare win over their rival. Chicago would get in with a loss if Arizona falls on the road against the Los Angeles Rams.
The Saints’ ground game has been decimated by COVID-19 issues ahead of Sunday’s game at Carolina. Running backs Alvin Kamara, Latavius Murray and Dwayne Washington will miss the game, as will fullback Michael Burton and running backs coach Joel Thomas. New Orleans has a chance to secure the top seed in the NFC and the home-field advantage that goes with it.
The Titans have activated three-time Pro Bowl punter Brett Kern from the Reserve/COVID-19 list after he was placed on that list Tuesday. Four-time Pro Bowl kicker Stephen Gostkowski has been on the list since Monday.
Dolphins reserve linebacker Kamu Grugier-Hill will miss Sunday’s game at Buffalo because of an illness not related to COVID-19, the team said. Backup quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick went on the reserve-COVID-19 list Thursday and will miss the game as Miami tries to clinch an AFC wild-card berth.
The Seahawks have put offensive tackle Brandon Shell and safety Damarious Randall on the reserve/COVID-19 list. It’s the first time this season Seattle has put players currently on the active 53-man roster on the COVID-19 list.
The Cowboys say three assistant coaches won’t make the trip to New York for the regular-season finale against the Giants after the club had already placed two players on the COVID-19 reserve list. Assistant head coach Rob Davis, assistant specials teams coach Matt Daniels and offensive assistant Scott Tolzien stayed home to adhere to NFL protocols related to the coronavirus. The winner between the Cowboys and Giants on Sunday can win the NFC East and host a playoff game if Washington loses to Philadelphia later in the day.
