1:23pm: The game has indeed been postponed to Monday, reports Josina Anderson (via Twitter).
12:58pm: The NFL and the NFLPA may move to reschedule tomorrow’s game between the Raiders and Browns (Twitter link via Dan Graziano of ESPN.com). The two sides may render a decision in the next hour, since the Raiders are on the verge of flying to Cleveland. 
[RELATED: Browns’ Clowney Tests Positive For COVID-19]
The game would likely be moved to Monday or Tuesday, giving the Browns an opportunity to get their ~20 COVID-19 positive players on the field. Both Baker Mayfield and backup quarterback Case Keenum are in that group. Ditto for Jadeveon Clowney, who tested positive on Friday morning.
If the game is not rescheduled, the Browns are expected to start Nick Mullens under center. He would be backstopped by two new QBs in Jake Dolegala and Kyle Lauletta.
This latest development marks a big departure from Roger Goodell‘s comments just a couple of days ago.
“There has not been any discussion about that,” Goodell said Wednesday when asked about the possibility of rescheduling Raiders-Browns (via USA Today). “We feel confident that with continuing changes and adaptations through our protocols that we can (play).”
but not WSH-PHI, because we know one day will make all the difference.
Raiders being punished for the Browns getting covid. OK then.
I’m not sure it’s exactly a punishment, since I know I wouldn’t want to play against a team with an uncontrolled covid outbreak. Not that I think 2 extra days is going to do that much about that.
So what happens if 20 Raiders get covid on Sunday? It’s a slippery slope that the NFL has now lost control of.
But yeah, preparing for a game has a buildup, then there’s X amount of days of rest between games, etc. Whatever team has an outbreak should not control the schedule for everyone else.
Yeah, the NFL is often noticeably unfair to the Raiders- but I don’t think this is one of those times. They play the game on Saturday and it could start spreading among the Raiders, then they have the same problem next week.
It feels unfair because it’s kinda like, “Let’s wait for the Browns to get some of their best players back.” In actuality it’s about everyone’s health, however.
What you think. If it was the raiders with all the Covid cases do you think the NFL would postpone the game Saturday and move it to monday or Tuesday’s. I think not.
fwitt, are you really saying the NFL is being big footed by CLEVELAND? Really? The Raiders have less sway than the Browns? C’mon.
Agreed,Nfl would force Raiders to forfeit. So much for Roger “Slimedell” season inception statements about not postponing games
Forfeit…for what????? Because you had the misfortune of having vaccinated players contract Covid????? So you should choose between forfeiting a game or subjecting the remaining players to higher risk of injury because of the greater number of less talented and/or less practiced players around them???? What’s the urgency here???? Because it’s federal law that the Super Bowl be played in mid-February??? Relax, give some time for the situation to settle down, and then move forward. Players’ safety>>any artificial or arbitrary schedule the league comes up with. Perhaps the league is realizing that despite their efforts otherwise, the Covid situation here in the U.S. and around the world is bigger than themselves.
getoffmylawn let’s take 20% right off the top. The grenade you are trying to launch into the hurricane of COVID just somehow bounced off of CTE and landed at the U.S. Mexico Boarder?
I personally am convinced that the Raiders will end up forfeiting and having to pay for a game, in part because all of these current changes are only for week 15. But I suggest you to pick a cause an stick to it. A shotgun approach to social justice will only effect your blood pressure.
I have no idea what the heck you’re talking about in anything of your response to my post. First, I meant absolutely nothing political in my comment. It’s a matter of trying to best achieve a competitive game, while also acknowledging you can’t mitigate everything external that affects a game. It would be one thing if we were talking about 3 or 4 players here; we’re talking about 22 Browns players here, a mere 41% of their 53 man roster, including their TOP 2 quarterbacks. It’s just RIDICULOUS to play this game on Saturday, and unfair to take the unprecedented step of forcing the Browns to forfeit a game (during the stretch drive of a playoff run, no less) simply because they had the misfortune of having so many players test positive for Covid, despite the players being vaccinated, and that the Browns misfortune is just inconvenient to the league’s schedule, which is arbitrarily restricted to end in mid-February. I didn’t champion the Browns-Broncos game earlier this season be postponed when the running backs were hit by Covid and Baker Mayfield was hurt; these things happen in this game. But a positive rate of 41%???? Come on, there isn’t even a JV to call upon in this situation. In this case, there is a need by the league to intervene and postpone the game, if not for fairness, then for the league which claims to be so concerned about integrity to be concerned about fielding a competitive game. Would the Raiders “take 20% right off the top” off their win if they beat the Browns on Saturday? Uh, no. Using what logic did you conclude that “the Raiders will end up forfeiting and having to pay for a game”???One team gets decimated by illness so let’s have their opponent forfeit???? Has ANYONE suggested that head-shaking logic…EVER??? With the incidence of Covid greatly rising again here in the United States (the only country that really cares about the NFL) I’m confident these schedule changes won’t be “only for week 15,” but if it is, that would only mean that the league has had the good fortune to avoid the impact from Covid that it has this week…which would be a GOOD thing. My “shotgun approach” to social justice” won’t affect my blood pressure because it has NOTHING to do with social justice AT ALL, it has to do with a GAME. The cause that I’ll “stick to” will be trying to figure out how in the world you read any social commentary into my previous comment. I will, however, CREDIT you 20% (and nothing more) for the imagery of your comment about the “grenade you are trying to launch into the hurricane of Covid just somehow bounced off CTE and landed at the U.S. Mexico Boarder”. That gave me a good laugh. Kudos on your hyperbole.
20% bro…. right off the top…. 20%
Yeah, you stated that before. Nothing new to add? Ok, thanks
Under a 5000 character.
Great start Smalls.
Unfair to the Browns to have to use their third QB? What about last season when the Broncos were forced to play without a QB? Was that fair?
By the way…I am not a Denver fan, just stating the facts. The No Fun League made them play with that disadvantage, but the Browns can’t use QB3?
The Browns quarterback situation was just ONE aspect of my conclusion that it’s proper to postpone the game. You can make a good argument that the Broncos game last season SHOULD have been postponed, too, because of the importance of the quarterback position. Playing a practice squad receiver at quarterback certainly didn’t conform with the league’s stated concern for integrity of the game. I don’t remember the exact circumstances pertaining to the Broncos situation last year, but this year, there’s been no indication whatsoever that the Browns have done anything other than follow every protocol established by the league. While outside factors such as injuries and weather are uncontrollable and often play an important role in a game, when they are expected to play the predominant role in the outcome of a game, the league should give consideration to pausing the game and letting the factor clear, for competitive reasons, if not for fairness.
How about last year when the Raiders had their entire defense on the covid restricted list for the week and literally just before the game some of them were allowed to play with no practice or training allowed over the week? If that doesnt spell injury concerns and unfair treatment i dont know what does. From what i remember, there was no thought of moving the game at all for fairness purposes.
Also if my memory serves me correctly the raiders are the ones the NFL has been hit hardest for anything covid related team related.
The only 3 people with fake vaccination cards(criminal offense) are on the buccaneers the players get suspended and the team gets what …. nothing.
Aaron Rodgers breaks NFL protocol slap on the wrist fine for him and the team loses a couple hundred grand in the end slap on the wrist for the team.
The raiders i believe are a few million in fines, down i believe its atleast 1 pick and this is before the protocols were really set in stone. They set them after they fined and punished the raiders ater their breakout which was i believe mid november 2020.
Note i am not a raiders fan but the league definitely likes to kick the raiders around …. and as much as i dont like him, brady along with the patriots are in that camp too of being in goodell’s dog house. If you here of a an issue from the nfl office first it usually involves the raiders, tom brady, or the patriots from what i have seen. Everything else gets kinda swept under or comes from national media outlets before the nfl does anything.
I honestly don’t remember the situation you’re recalling about the Raiders defense being out until right before the game, but I’ll take your word for it. If you’re correct, then, yes, you have a point, that game you’re referring to should have been postponed. If your recollection is correct then it’s absolutely ridiculous that that game wasn’t postponed, especially since a year ago the only defenses we had against Covid were social distancing and masking up. If you’re correct in your recollection, then I can see that the Raiders have a gripe worth considering.
Yeah, Broncos played with Kendall Hinton, a practice squad receiver, at QB. Goal post moves seem arbitrary.
Cry babe Mayfield gets his way
So has Baker stopped crying and apologized for his inflammatory remarks yet?
dougdeb@hotmail.com Before the season started the commissioner stated there would be no postponed games. Teams would have to forfeit. The Thursday night game was played with both teams having key players out with covid. Why are teams now getting special treatment? Commissioner needs to be fired or stand by his preseason statement.