BREAKING: NFL Postpones Washington vs. Eagles; How Will Cowboys Be Impacted?
Various news outlets are as of Friday reporting that the NFL is postponing Week 14 games, including Washington vs. Philadelphia, because of the COVID breakout among some teams.
The Dallas Cowboys are not on that list, with no player presently in COVID protocol as receiver Cedrick Wilson rejoined the team on Friday.
But that doesn't mean postponements won't impact Dallas.
Let's take one particular NFC East foe and its situation, and then tie it back to Dallas.
While the Cowboys are not on "the list,'' the Washington Football Team is obviously on it.
The WFT has a COVID-19 problem. But postponing games is ... complicated. And that makes Washington's problem everybody's problem.
With starting quarterback Taylor Heinicke added to the WFT reserve/COVID-19 list on Friday, not only is that franchise in dire straits health-wise, the situation poses a risk to the Philadelphia Eagles as well. That's one NFC East-related issue.
But there are more.
With 22 players now in COVID protocols, and more positive tests coming up every day for Washington, the problem exists now. With Week 14 postponed - the WFT vs. Eagles game has been moved from Sunday afternoon to Tuesday at 6 p.m. CT ... how does that assure that players will be more healthy three days later? A month from now? A year from now?
When would a game be rescheduled that would come with any guarantee of improved roster health? What of "competitive balance'' if it comes to a team playing two games in one week, or in enduring the ramifications of a simply canceled game?
What if Dallas ends up winning the NFC East due to forfeit? Or, at least this: With the WFT playing on Tuesday at Philadelphia and then playing again, on the road, just a few days later on Sunday at Dallas .. well, that's "competitive imbalance.''
The immediate thinking: Playing and engaging with another team opens the door for a "spreader'' situation. Arguably, that could be too much for the NFL to risk. So the league is trying to lower the risk, with other games also on the move.
By the way, Dallas' foe this week, the Giants, now have seven defensive backs in COVID protocol. So, the impact is ... everywhere.
Before the 2021 season, the NFL told organizations it wouldn't go as far as it did in 2020 to reschedule or move games for COVID-19 afflicted teams.
In fact, if things got really bad for a team or two during the year, it would opt to have a franchise forfeit game(s) in lieu of rearranging schedules like it did in the pre-vaccine days of professional football.
Last year, when the Tennessee Titans had 23 members of its organization hit with the virus, the NFL took advantage of the fact it happened in Week 4 and moved things around.
The Titans did play the Pittsburgh Steelers eventually, only weeks later than originally intended.
Twice, the league postponed games in 2020 for the New England Patriots. Once when quarterback Cam Newton tested positive, and again when cornerback Stefon Gilmore was impacted.
Now, the Washington Football Team has 22 members of its roster on its list. To go from rearranging schedules in 2020, to doing nothing in 2021, would not seem to represent the shift in protecting organizations the way the league proclaimed it was aiming to do.
This year is different.
The logistics are challenging. So are considerations of finance and revenue. The NFL has a big problem - and a big decision - on its hands. Because Washington's problem can spread ... and become Dallas' concern, too.
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