The Green Bay Packers are facing their own COVID-19 issues, though they will not affect their Week 9 matchup with the San Francisco 49ers on Thursday. The NFL revealed that the Packers-49ers game is still scheduled for Thursday, despite a positive COVID-19 case with Green Bay running behind AJ Dillon.
In addition to Dillon’s positive test, the NFL decided that both Jamal Williams and rookie linebacker Kamal Martin have been hired as high-risk close contacts running backwards. And they were told to stay away from the team until Saturday. Dillon, the infected man, was in close contact with Williams and Martin on Sunday – hence the five-day incubation period. Both players have stayed away from team facilities and have not practiced.
So why would this game be scheduled when other NFL games, especially the Tennessee Titans game with two New England Patriots games and the Buffalo Bills that moved to Tuesday in the 5th week of the season?
Part of it is that Green Bay is traveling to San Francisco, a different game from New England and Tennessee that has been postponed. Both the Patriots and Titans had home games when they had the COVID-19 outbreak, where other teams would have entered the facilities which had a recent positive test.
The second part is that only three players have been quarantined. That number could rise sharply if other positive tests are done in the next three days, which could put Night Night Football at greater risk on Thursday. The NFL has not set clear lines on how many cases need to be rescheduled.
The Packers will be thin in running back as Aaron Jones’ condition is questionable as he missed two of the last three games due to a foot injury. Green Bay is under Dexter Williams and Tyler Irwin as he has a single perfectly healthy running back – and the Packers will have to activate Williams on the practice team. Irwin plays and practices as a really wide receiver.
Chris Towers, an analyst at CBS Sports Football, wrote for the Football News Today newsletter, advising managers whose teams include Jones or Jamal Williams:
“It would be appropriate to place a small bet on Erwin or Dexter Williams only if the Packers’ top three backs are out of the way. Any statistics should be more than a flex play of frustration. “
Speaking of the Packers, the situation certainly looks less than ideal, especially if Star Jones has to stay away from a third game in a row.
