Reports Sunday said Tuesday’s twice-postponed Baltimore at Pittsburgh game remains a go.
This, even though three more Ravens reportedly were parked on the NFL’s COVID-19/reserve list, for both those infected with the coronavirus and those deemed high-risk close contacts.
Starting tight end Mark Andrews, who has Type 1 Diabetes, is one of the two Ravens; he is infected with COVID-19, per reports. The other players are outside linebacker Matt Judon and, per ESPN, wide receiver Willie Snead.
No Steelers players tested positive on Sunday, head coach Mike Tomlin said, after three did so on Friday (DE Stephon Tuitt, backup RT Jerald Hawkins and backup NT Isaiah Buggs) and one on Saturday (starting running back James Conner).
Presuming reports about the Ravens are true, that brings to 21 the number of Baltimore players parked on COVID-19/reserve since last Monday, and 22 since a week ago Friday.
How can the Ravens possibly field a competitive team at Heinz Field against the undefeated Steelers? Good question. Snead would be the seventh starter unable to play in Pittsburgh.
Any players parked on COVID-19 reserve as high-risk close contacts who thereafter tested negative daily, and who have remained symptom-free, may come off the list after five days.
But quarterback Lamar Jackson reportedly tested positive before being placed on COVID-19/reserve on Friday, and as such must remain there for a minimum 10 days. Robert Griffin III will start at Pittsburgh.
The Ravens probably will activate a slew of players from their 16-man practice squad to be able to dress 46.
The Steelers, meanwhile, practised Sunday. Some players last week expressed comments critical of their Ravens counterparts — before Pittsburgh players themselves started testing positive.
“We had some COVID circumstances of our own,” Tomlin said Sunday. “We’ve adapted. I don’t know I can say I am confident of anything in this environment … It’s day to day. It’s a sensitive situation.”
@JohnKryk
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