2:28pm: This game is now slated for 7pm CT Tuesday. The Ravens’ Week 13 game against the Cowboys has been moved to 4pm CT on Monday, Dec. 7. The league has not announced a change for Pittsburgh’s Week 13 game against Washington, which remains on for Sunday, Dec. 6.
1:46pm: The Ravens-Steelers rematch will be rescheduled for a second time. The NFL is moving the AFC North rivalry from Sunday afternoon to Tuesday night, Adam Schefter and Dianna Russini of ESPN report (via Twitter).
Having already postponed the game originally scheduled for Thanksgiving night, the league has now pushed it back to what appears to be a fail-safe point. A Ravens coronavirus outbreak, one that has produced positive tests throughout the week, caused the postponements.
Double-digit Ravens players and staffers — a list that now includes Lamar Jackson — have tested positive for COVID-19. More test results are expected to arrive Friday. This will mark the first Tuesday game since Bills-Titans in October. However, the league is limited with options if more Ravens positives prompt another delay.
Another move would prompt the NFL to exercise its Week 18 emergency option or trigger the 16-team playoff format — if it simply calls off the Baltimore-Pittsburgh rematch. The NFL has not seen its teams play an uneven number of games since 1935.
The Ravens disciplined a strength and conditioning staffer earlier this week for failure to comply with the NFL’s evolving COVID-19 protocol. They will now be down the reigning MVP. Jackson and third-string quarterback Trace McSorley reside on Baltimore’s reserve/COVID list. Robert Griffin III will start against the Steelers, with undrafted rookie Tyler Huntley in line to be his backup. RG3 faced the Steelers last season, but that came in Week 17 last season after the Ravens had clinched home-field advantage.
This outbreak has led to a Steelers game being postponed for the second time this season. A Titans outbreak began an NFL rescheduling wave, moving the Steelers’ bye to Week 4. Pittsburgh is now on track for a Tuesday-Sunday double next week, with a game against Washington looming Dec. 6. The NFL, however, moved the Bills-Chiefs matchup back a day to accommodate the Bills. It may do the same for the Steelers. The Ravens’ Week 13 game against the Cowboys — originally slated for Thursday, Dec. 3 — will be moved.
This has week 18 written all over it.
I guess they’ll have to scrap Thursday Night then.
If the NFL doesn’t punish the Ravens, they might as well have no COVID protocols at all.
Eh big deal
We get it Kirk, you’ve posted your displeasure in multiple articles now.
I guess the Steelers also need punished Kirk
Any option would be better than gifting a team a forfeit victory. Have Tomlin and Harbaugh settle the matter in a game of Madden football if you have to.
Problem is Lamar in madden is the furthest thing from real life Lamar
Yeah next week’s Thursday game is going to be moved probably to Sunday. This game needs to be played on Tuesday, no matter how many more Ravens test positive. The Steelers have been impacted twice now by other teams’ inability to follow protocols. The ultimate football injustice would be the loss of a potential first round bye for the 1 seed
No week 18, they can’t play Tuesday after not following protocol, Ravens get an L.
why is week 18 an issue?
Well, as Pittsburgh fans, we’d be mad because week 18 means no bye in the first round of the playoffs if they finish #1
Yeah not a steelers fan but the steelers have been getting screwed by the NFL’s on the fly style rules. My niners got screwed when they forced them to play shorthanded on a thursday night due to false positives when they should have moved the game to a sunday or monday night like they have every other game.
That being said, the steelers lost their week 8 bye and instead had to take it week 4 and then play the ravens the first time coming off a bye. That was dirty. But now they are talking about either moving to 8 playoff teams where the steelers would lose a bye or have a week 18 where steelers would lose a bye week. All because something another team did
Yah last I checked it’s the National Football LEAGUE. Teams have to do what’s best for the league as a whole. What they sell is a product produced by the whole league. I’m not fan of either team so I’ve got no axe to grind. But all the bitchin about one team or another is really over the top. There is no team that is bigger than the league.
If you create a week 18 you are giving every other playoff team a week off and the original bye team 2 weeks off. Only way to create a week 18 is to give every one a bye now and thus everyone plays week 18.
Dumb move by the league. Forcing the Steelers to update their schedule to accommodate teams like the Titans and Ravens who can’t control their people. Forces Steelers to change their game prep and makes players change up their personal lives over and over. Screw week 18. Bring on the Ravens forfeit.
Make em play with goggles and facemask and spray em down with whatever they spray all over the place to disinfect when they come off the field. They could also put the plastic protectors over the mouth with the three little slots. Then put a clear filter over it. A little imagination can solve any problem. Or find out what Seattle is doing since they have not had any Covid cases.
All that was sarcasm except the part about Seattle. In case you literal people couldn’t tell.
I keep hearing Pittsburgh media and Steeler fans saying the Ravens should have to forfeit the game.
And in terms of Covid rules,etc. they might have a point.
But, if the Steelers did go 16-0 it would have a permanent asterisk because of a gifted win. They should be the last people who want a Ravens forfeit.