3 teams screwed over the most by NFL’s COVID-19 schedule changes
By John Buhler
Three separate COVID outbreaks have forced three NFL Week 15 games to be rescheduled.
With the Cleveland Browns, the Los Angeles Rams and the Washington Football Team all dealing with massive COVID outbreaks, it has impacted several other organizations in the NFL.
Obviously, the league office and the NFLPA will have to adjust their COVID policies if both parties want the 2021 season to conclude without much of a hitch. However, COVID rearing its ugly head once again in the midst of a postseason push has several franchises absolutely furious about getting games abruptly rescheduled mid-week. These three teams have been hurt by it the most.
Here are three NFL teams whose playoff chances could be inadvertently affected by COVID outbreaks emanating from other franchises.
NFL Week 15: 3 teams the most screwed by the COVID-19 scheduling changes
3. 36. Scouting Report. NFC. West. Seattle Seahawks. player. Pick Analysis
The 5-8 Seattle Seahawks must beat the Los Angeles Rams to make the playoffs
No doubt about it, it has been a frustrating year for the Seattle Seahawks. Because starting quarterback Russell Wilson suffered a mallet finger earlier in the season, the team crumbled midway through the campaign. While they are still technically alive to get into the postseason entering Week 15 with a dismal 5-8 record, the Seahawks have to beat the Los Angeles Rams.
Their Week 15 road game at Los Angeles was rescheduled to Tuesday evening. While Seattle has extra time to prepare against a depleted Rams team, they still might not beat them. Even more so, this gives them a short week heading into Week 16’s home date vs. the reeling Chicago Bears. Seattle is expected to beat Chicago and the Detroit Lions at home in back-to-back contests.
So if Seattle enters the final week of the season at 8-8 vs. the Arizona Cardinals, the Seahawks may have gained enough momentum to beat their division rival. Doing so would get them to 9-8, and probably in position to land the No. 7, or even the No. 6 seed in the NFC. Unfortunately, the uncertainty surrounding the Rams game and the short week vs. Chicago does complicate things.
Seattle is probably not going to make the NFC playoffs anyway, but the mid-week scheduling change could have an adverse impact on the Seahawks in their gotta-have-it game vs. the Rams.