Super Wild Card Weekend Set
The NFL’s first ever 18-week regular season has concluded and the playoffs are set to begin next weekend. With the final spots being decided in a Sunday Night Football thriller, we now know where everyone’s going and when they’ll be playing next.
Super Wild Card Weekend starts with the lower AFC Seeds on Saturday. We begin with the 5-Seed Las Vegas Raiders (10-7) as they head to Ohio to play the AFC North Champion 4-Seed Cincinnati Bengals (10-7) at 4:30PM ET. We follow that up with the 6-Seed New England Patriots (10-7) who head to upstate New York for their third match up of the season against the AFC East Champion 3-Seed Buffalo Bills at 8:15PM ET.
On Sunday, we see some NFC teams early to start out. Sunday kicks off with the 7-Seed Philadelphia Eagles (9-8) heading to Central Florida to face off against the NFC South Champion 2-Seed Tampa Bay Buccaneers (13-4) at 1:00PM ET. After that, the 6-Seed San Francisco 49ers (10-7) go into the Lone Star State to face off against the NFC East Champion 3-Seed Dallas Cowboys (12-5) at 4:30PM ET. We finish off Sunday night with the 7-Seed Pittsburgh Steelers (9-7-1) traveling into Missouri to play the AFC West Champion 2-Seed Kansas City Chiefs (12-5) at 8:15PM ET.
We’ll end our Super Wild Card Weekend on Monday Night, when the 5-Seed Arizona Cardinals (11-6) head back to SoCal for their third game of the season versus the NFC West Champion 4-Seed Los Angeles Rams (12-5) at 8:15PM ET.
Playoff-Clinching Tie
Coming into today, the Sunday Night matchup between the Chargers and Raiders in Las Vegas was being billed as a winner-takes-all game with the winner continuing their season past Week 18. While that is still technically a true statement, it’s not the only path for either team to make the playoffs.
With the Colts’ loss to the Jaguars this afternoon and the Steelers’ win in Baltimore, an amusing possibility has been presented to both squads preparing for tonight. If Sunday night’s game were to end in a tie, both the Chargers and the Raiders would make the playoffs. While there are seeding scenarios at play for the Raiders (a win could put them at the 5th or 6th Seed, potentially, and a tie would clinch the 7th seed), the Chargers have no motivation to play the game if the Raiders were to propose an intentional tie.
While Los Angeles head coach Brandon Staley said earlier this week, “We’re going to do everything we can to go win this game,” that was when the tying scenario was a long shot, as the Colts were heavy favorites to beat Jacksonville today. Staley’s tune might change now that he has a very real opportunity to give his team a week of rest before a grueling playoff schedule.
As far as the rulebook goes, there’s nothing that says two teams can’t intentionally play an entire game for a tie. I’m sure the NFL is doing everything they can to get themselves out of the corner they backed themselves into, but it was a truly strange decision for the NFL to schedule a game with this potential in the final regular season time slot. The NFL certainly likes for the regular season’s final game to hold the highest stakes, and we’ve seen some of the most entertaining games in that time slot. The 2019 regular season finale between the 49ers and Seahawks comes to mind, as San Francisco won with a fourth down stop on their own 1-yard line.
It’s certain the NFL was hoping for similar fireworks tonight, but an implosion by the Colts and the battling of the Steelers brings up what could be one of the most unique season finales in NFL history.
Steelers GM Kevin Colbert To Step Down
Steelers GM Kevin Colbert has been working, by his own request, on a series of year-to-year contracts in order to leave open the possibility of retirement. After 22 years in the Pittsburgh front office, that day may have finally come, as Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of NFL.com report that Colbert will step down after the 2022 draft.
As Aditi Kinkhabwala of the NFL Network reminds us (via Twitter), Colbert has repeatedly stated that he would remain in his post as long as Ben Roethlisberger was the Steelers’ quarterback. Roethlisberger is set to retire at season’s end, so Colbert is staying true to his word. He may stay with the organization in an advisory capacity to assist whomever the Steelers hire to replace him, but the 65-year-old is expected to retire sooner rather than later.
He will leave behind an extraordinary legacy. Colbert, who became Pittsburgh’s director of football operations in 2000 before assuming the general manager title in 2010, has compiled a 225-124-3 record during his time in charge of the club’s personnel. That includes two Super Bowl titles with two different coaches, along with a third Super Bowl appearance.
In all of that time, the Steelers only had one losing season, which came way back in 2003. Following the arrival of Roethlisberger one year later, Pittsburgh has been a model of consistency, and the fact that the storied franchise remains one of the NFL’s most respected and has served as a template that other teams try to emulate is thanks in no small part to Colbert’s efforts.
Vice president of football and business administration, Omar Khan, would appear to be on the short list of potential replacements. Khan has been with the Steelers almost as long as Colbert, having been hired as the football administration coordinator in 2001. He has been a popular GM candidate for other teams in recent years, and he was reportedly offered the Texans’ GM gig last year before Houston pivoted to Nick Caserio.
Rapoport and Pelissero also name pro scouting coordinator Brandon Hunt as a candidate.
NFL COVID-19 List Updates: 1/8/22
Today’s updates for the reserve/COVID-19 and practice squad/COVID-19 lists:
Cleveland Browns
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: RB D’Ernest Johnson
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: LB Malcolm Smith, DB Denzel Ward
Dallas Cowboys
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DB Jayron Kearse
- Placed on practice squad/COVID-19 list: S Darian Thompson
Detroit Lions
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: T Taylor Decker, T Penei Sewell
- Restored from practice squad/COVID-19 list: RB Rodney Smith
Minnesota Vikings
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: G Ezra Cleveland, T Christian Darrisaw
New Orleans Saints
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: T Caleb Benenoch
New York Jets
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: S Sharrod Neasman, C Ross Pierschbacher
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: CB Joe Haden, C Kendrick Green
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: WR James Washington
San Francisco 49ers
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: CB Dontae Johnson, S Jimmie Ward, CB K’Waun Williams, CB Darqueze Dennard
- Restored from practice squad/COVID-19 list: LB Curtis Robinson
Seattle Seahawks
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: G Kyle Fuller
Washington Football Team
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: LB Jordan Kunaszyk
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 1/8/22
Today’s taxi squad moves:
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: K Dominik Eberle
- Released: CB Jalen Julius
Chicago Bears
- Signed: WR Dazz Newsome
Detroit Lions
- Signed: DB Saivion Smith
- Released: WR Juwan Green, RB Rodney Smith
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: K Ryan Santoso, LS Carson Tinker
New York Giants
- Signed: QB Clayton Thorson
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: K Matthew McCrane
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: K Sam Sloman
- Released: WR Tyler Vaughns
San Francisco 49ers
- Released: TE Tanner Hudson
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: TE Tyler Mabry
Minor NFL Transactions: 1/8/22
Here are Saturday’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Promoted: TE David Wells, LB Tahir Whitehead
Atlanta Falcons
- Promoted: WR Austin Trammell
Baltimore Ravens
- Promoted: S Tony Jefferson, T Jaryd Jones-Smith, Isaiah Mack, Tony Poljan
Carolina Panthers
- Promoted: RB Reggie Bonnafon, DT Frank Herron, WR Keith Kirkwood, WR C.J. Saunders, TE Stephen Sullivan, DB Madre Harper
Chicago Bears
- Promoted: WR Dazz Newsome
Cincinnati Bengals
- Promoted: QB Jake Browning, DT Mike Daniels, K Elliott Fry, S Trayvon Henderson, DE Noah Spence, G Keaton Sutherland, WR Trent Taylor, DT Renell Wren
Cleveland Browns
- Promoted: CB Brian Allen, S Adrian Colbert, G Hjalte Froholdt, CB Herb Miller, DE Curtis Weaver
- Waived: LB Willie Harvey Jr.
Dallas Cowboys
- Activated from IR: TE Blake Jarwin (story)
- Promoted: S Tyler Coyle, RB JaQuan Hardy, RB Ito Smith
Detroit Lions
- Promoted: LB Tavante Beckett, T Dan Skipper
Green Bay Packers
- Activated from IR: C Josh Myers (story)
- Promoted: DL Abdullah Anderson, LB La’Darius Hamilton
Houston Texans
- Promoted: WR Jalen Camp, DL Michael Dwumfour, LB Connor Strachan
Indianapolis Colts
- Activated from IR: WR Parris Campbell
- Promoted: DB Anthony Chesley, DB Will Redmond, DT Chris Williams
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Promoted: P Joseph Charlton, RB Nathan Cottrell, QB Danny Etling, WR Josh Hammond, OL Badara Traore, OL Tre’Vour Wallace-Simms
Las Vegas Raiders
- Activated from IR: TE Derek Carrier
- Promoted: OL Lester Cotton, WR Tyron Johnson, DT Damion Square
- Waived: TE Daniel Helm
Los Angeles Chargers
- Activated from IR: LB Kyler Fackrell
- Waived: CB Essang Bassey
Los Angeles Rams
- Promoted: DB Jake Gervase, DB Grant Haley
- Waived: S JuJu Hughes
Minnesota Vikings
- Activated from IR: TE Ben Ellefson
- Promoted: LB Tuf Borland, TE Zach Davidson, S Myles Dorn, DT T.Y. McGill, CB Bryan Mills, CB Parry Nickerson, CB Tye Smith, DE Kenny Willekes
New England Patriots
- Promoted: DB Sean Davis, DL Daniel Ekuale, DB D’Angelo Ross
New Orleans Saints
- Promoted: C Will Clapp, DL Malcolm Roach, DB KeiVarae Russell
New York Giants
- Promoted: WR Alex Bachman, QB Brian Lewerke, WR David Sills
New York Jets
- Promoted: WR Tarik Black, DE Ronald Blair
- Waived: S Sharrod Neasman, DE Shaq Lawson (story)
Philadelphia Eagles
- Promoted: T Kayode Awosika, LB Christian Elliss, RB Jason Huntley, DB Jared Mayden, DB Mac McCain, TE Richard Rodgers, TE Noah Togiai, T Casey Tucker, DT Raequan Williams, DT Marvin Wilson
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Promoted: G Rashaad Coward
- Waived: DE Isaiah Buggs
San Francisco 49ers
- Activated from IR: CB Emmanuel Moseley
- Promoted: LB Mark Nzeocha, LB Curtis Robinson
Seattle Seahawks
- Promoted: WR Aaron Fuller, DB Michael Jackson, DB Josh Jones, WR Cody Thompson
- Placed on IR: T Brandon Shell
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Activated from IR: G Aaron Stinnie
- Promoted: RB Kenjon Barner, TE Darren Fells, WR Cyril Grayson
Tennessee Titans
- Promoted: DE Kevin Strong, RB Jordan Wilkins, DE Da’Shawn Hand
- Waived: RB Jeremy McNichols
Washington Football Team
- Promoted: FB Alex Armah, DE William Bradley-King, TE Temarrick Hemingway, S Jeremy Reaves
- Placed on IR: TE Ricky Seals-Jones
Diontae Johnson Activated From Reserve/COVID-19 List
It turns out that the Steelers will have their top pass catcher for Week 18’s game against Baltimore after all. Wide receiver Diontae Johnson has been activated from the Reserve/COVID-19 list, per ESPN’s Brooke Pryor (Twitter link).
[Related: Steelers Place Diontae Johnson, Kendrick Green On Reserve/COVID-19 List]
Johnson was placed on the list on Thursday, a move that very much put in doubt his availability for Sunday’s game. Under the NFL’s new COVID-19 protocols, however, players can ‘test out’ in as little as one day, just as Johnson has in this case. It’s a very positive development for Pittsburgh, as the 25-year old has had a career year in 2021 (100 catches, 1110 yards, eight touchdowns). He was arguably the Steelers’ best player in their first game against the Ravens back in Week 13, posting eight catches for 105 yards and two touchdowns.
There has been no such activation news for rookie center Kendrick Green, who was also placed on the Reserve/COVID-19 list on Thursday, or cornerback Joe Haden, who was added on Wednesday.
The path to the postseason is narrow for Pittsburgh – besides a win on Sunday, they also need a major upset from the Jaguars over the Colts. If Week 18 is to be quarterback Ben Roethlisberger‘s final game in the NFL, he will at least head into it with a full complement of receiving threats.
NFL COVID-19 List Updates: 1/6/22
Here are the Thursday additions and subtractions from teams’ reserve/COVID-19 lists:
Atlanta Falcons
- Activated from practice squad reserve/COVID-19 list: LB Dorian Etheridge
Baltimore Ravens
- Placed on virus list: TE Nick Boyle, FB Patrick Ricard (Ravens placed Ricard on IR today)
Carolina Panthers
- Placed on virus list: CB Stephon Gilmore
Chicago Bears
- Placed on virus list: QB Justin Fields (story)
Cincinnati Bengals
- Placed on virus list: DT Larry Ogunjobi
Cleveland Browns
- Placed on virus list: DT Malik Jackson
Dallas Cowboys
- Placed on virus list: CB Anthony Brown, T Tyron Smith (story)
Denver Broncos
- Placed on practice squad virus list: DL Marquiss Spencer
Detroit Lions
- Activated from practice squad virus list: WR Geronimo Allison
Houston Texans
- Activated from virus list: LB Kevin Pierre-Louis
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Activated from virus list: OL Ben Bartch, CB Shaquill Griffin, LB Chapelle Russell
- Placed on virus list: OL Will Richardson
Las Vegas Raiders
- Placed on virus list: LB Marquel Lee
Minnesota Vikings
- Placed on virus list: CB Harrison Hand
New Orleans Saints
- Activated from virus list: TE Nick Vannett
- Placed on practice squad virus list: QB Blake Bortles
- Activated from practice squad virus list: LB Chase Hansen
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Placed on virus list: C Kendrick Green, WR Diontae Johnson (story)
- Activated from practice squad virus list: DT Daniel Archibong
Seattle Seahawks
- Activated from virus list: CB Sidney Jones, G Damien Lewis
- Placed on virus list: S Ryan Neal
Steelers Place Diontae Johnson, Kendrick Green On Reserve/COVID-19 List
Ahead of their season finale against the Ravens on Sunday, the Steelers may be without their top wide receiver and a starter on their offensive line. Diontae Johnson and rookie center Kendrick Green have been placed on the Reserve/COVID-19 list (Twitter link via NFL Network’s Aditi Kinkhabwala).
Losing Johnson would be a huge blow to Pittsburgh’s passing attack, as he has recorded 100 catches for 1110 yards and eight touchdowns in 15 games so far this year. Johnson had a massive game in Week 13 against the Ravens, making eight catches for 105 yards and two touchdowns. He would have a good chance of repeating that sort of performance in Week 18, given the beleaguered state of the Ravens’ cornerback room.
Green, a third round pick this past April, has started in all 15 games he has been available for this season. His absence could hinder the improved Steelers’ running game and overall pass protection, which has been a talking point for the team since the beginning of the campaign. Pittsburgh also placed starting corner Joe Haden on the Reserve/COVID-19 list on Wednesday.
The Steelers visit Baltimore on Sunday, needing – just like the Ravens – a victory and help from other AFC results to make it into the postseason.
NFL COVID-19 List Updates: 1/4/22-1/5/22
Here are Tuesday and Wednesday’s activations from and placements on the reserve/COVID-19 lists:
Arizona Cardinals
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: CB Breon Borders, LB Markus Golden, OL D.J. Humphries, LB Devon Kennard
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DT Zach Kerr, LB Tanner Vallejo, TE Maxx Williams (from IR)
Atlanta Falcons
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: DT Marlon Davidson, S Jaylinn Hawkins, TE Hayden Hurst, WR Tajae Sharpe, LB James Vaughters
- Restored from practice squad/COVID-19 list: G Willie Beavers
Baltimore Ravens
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: TE Josh Oliver
- Restored from practice squad/COVID-19 list: CB Kevin Toliver
Carolina Panthers
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: DE Darryl Johnson, LB Haason Reddick, TE Tommy Tremble, QB P.J. Walker
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DE Yetur Gross-Matos
Chicago Bears
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: TE Jesper Horsted (remains on IR), OLB Charles Snowden
Cincinnati Bengals
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: WR Trenton Irwin, DB Trae Waynes
- Restored from practice squad/COVID-19 list: WR Scotty Washington
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DB Vonn Bell, LB Akeem Davis-Gaither, DE Trey Hendrickson, C Trey Hopkins, G Quinton Spain, DT B.J. Hill, RB Joe Mixon
Cleveland Browns
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: LB Elijah Lee, LB Tony Fields
- Restored from practice squad/COVID-19 list: QB Nick Mullens, S Tedric Thompson
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: RB D’Ernest Johnson, RB Dexter Williams
- Placed on practice squad/COVID-19 list: S Jovante Moffatt
Dallas Cowboys
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: DT Quinton Bohanna, LB Micah Parsons (story), LB Keanu Neal
- Restored from practice squad/COVID-19 list: S Tyler Coyle, T Isaac Alarcon, CB Kyron Brown
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: T Josh Ball
- Placed on practice squad/COVID-19 list: DT Josiah Bronson
Denver Broncos
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: DE McTelvin Agim, LB Baron Browning, DB Bryce Callahan, LB Bradley Chubb, LB Jonathon Cooper, DB Mike Ford, WR Jerry Jeudy, T Bobby Massie, WR Tim Patrick, NT Mike Purcell, DB Caden Sterns, LB Stephen Weatherly
- Restored from practice squad/COVID-19 list: WR Tyrie Cleveland
Detroit Lions
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: WR Kalif Raymond
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DE Joel Heath, TE Hunter Bryant (from NFI)
Green Bay Packers
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: G Elgton Jenkins, T Dennis Kelly, S Darnell Savage, WR Amari Rodgers, DE Kingsley Keke
- Restored from practice squad/COVID-19 list: K J.J. Molson, LB Ray Wilborn
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: G Billy Turner
Houston Texans
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: WR Danny Amendola, TE Antony Auclair, LB Ron’Dell Carter, T Tytus Howard, RB David Johnson, DB Lonnie Johnson, WR Chris Moore
- Restored from practice squad/COVID-19 list: K Dominik Eberle, TE Paul Quessenberry
Indianapolis Colts
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: Luke Rhodes
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: TE Dan Arnold (remains on IR), TE Jacob Hollister, WR Jaydon Mickens, DT Jay Tufele
- Restored from practice squad/COVID-19 list: WR Josh Hammond
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: P J.K. Scott
Kansas City Chiefs
- Placed on practice squad/COVID-19 list: DB Josh Jackson
Las Vegas Raiders
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: DE Carl Nassib, G Jordan Simmons, TE Darren Waller
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: T Kamaal Seymour (from NFI)
Los Angeles Chargers
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: TE Jared Cook, LB Damon Lloyd (remains on IR)
Minnesota Vikings
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: LB Nick Vigil, QB Kirk Cousins, T Brian O’Neill
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: TE Chris Herndon, DE Tashawn Bower
- Placed on practice squad/COVID-19 list: CB Parry Nickerson
New Orleans Saints
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: T Ryan Ramczyk, DB Dylan Mabin
- Restored from practice squad/COVID-19 list: WR Kevin White, TE Ethan Wolf
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DT Albert Huggins
- Placed on practice squad/COVID-19 list: CB Jordan Miller
New York Giants
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: T Korey Cunningham, DE Dexter Lawrence, T Matt Peart (remains on IR), NT Danny Shelton, WR Darius Slayton
- Restored from practice squad/COVID-19 list: LB Omari Cobb, CB Ka’dar Hollman
- Placed on practice squad/COVID-19 list: NT Woodrow Hamilton
New York Jets
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: RB Tevin Coleman, TE Tyler Kroft, DE Quinnen Williams
- Restored from practice squad/COVID-19 list: G Isaiah Williams
Philadelphia Eagles
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: WR KeeSean Johnson
- Restored from practice squad/COVID-19 list: WR John Hightower, RB Craig James, TE Noah Togiai
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: TE Dallas Goedert
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: T Zach Banner, LB Devin Bush, DB Arthur Maulet, RB Anthony McFarland, LB Joe Schobert, DE Chris Wormley
- Restored from practice squad/COVID-19 list: WR Anthony Miller, WR Steven Sims, WR Tyler Vaughns
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DB Joe Haden
San Francisco 49ers
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: CB Dontae Johnson, DB Jimmie Ward, DB Ambry Thomas, CB Deommodore Lenoir
Seattle Seahawks
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: DB Blessuan Austin
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: CB Gavin Heslop, DE Alton Robinson, DT Myles Adams, DT Al Woods
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: WR Jaelon Darden, P Bradley Pinion
Tennessee Titans
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: LB Monty Rice
Washington Football Team
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: P Tress Way, G Ereck Flowers, RB Antonio Gibson
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: S Deshazor Everett, DB William Jackson