There’s a Covid-19 outbreak in the NFL and the Philadelphia Eagles may be able to use it to their advantage as they go up against the Washington Football Team on Sunday. This game is critical for both teams. They are both 6-7, but Washington currently holds the last playoff spot in the NFC. If the Eagles win, they become a contender for that spot.
The Eagles are coming off their bye week and weren’t allowed back in the facility on Monday before testing showing negative results. Two players tested positive, but they hadn’t been around the team for a week at that point.
“I’m just fortunate that we came back in and that we didn’t have a lot of guys that tested positive after being on a bye week and being out and about,” Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said. “So, obviously, credit to the guys that they were safe when they were out. They were cautious about what they were doing.”
The Washington Football Team played the Las Vegas Raiders on December 5, had a normal work week in preparation for their game against the Dallas Cowboys and had 18 players test positive. Seven defensive linemen are on the list, with four of them being starters.
That puts Washington coach Ron Rivera in a tough spot. Some of the players may be available on Sunday, but their return time depends on vaccination status, symptoms and negative tests.
“That’s just the way it is,” Rivera said. “It’s no different than if you have a couple of high ankle sprains that you’re dealing with, and not having guys available. It’s the same thing, to a degree. We just gotta make the best of it, go out and play the best we can, and see what happens.”
The outbreak is affecting teams around the league. Notably, the Cleveland Browns are scheduled to go into Saturday’s game against the Raiders without starting quarterback Baker Mayfield and head coach Kevin Stefanski.
