Getty Sean Payton during a game.
The Detroit Lions and New Orleans Saints nearly had another NFL disaster early Sunday morning revolving around the coronavirus.
A Saints player apparently initially tested positive as the team was traveling to Detroit which threw the game in jeopardy. Another round of tests, however, proved that Burton’s test was a false positive. As a result, the game will be on.
Can confirm Lions-Saints will be played today.
According to Saints’ ESPN reporter Katherine Terrell, the team has had multiple rapid tests come back negative in the aftermath which was good news toward getting the game back on the right track.
Good news for the Saints: I’m told the re-test of the player who tested positive came back negative along with a negative rapid test. The rapid tests they did of the other players also came back negative.
The Lions themselves are no strangers to a false positive test, having seen Matthew Stafford encounter this problem during training camp. At the time, Stafford’s diagnosis and the subsequent confusion showed just how big an issue the league had heading into the season.
So far, there has been few issues with the testing, but this is a notable one during a time when the league is on edge following the cancellation of a few games and one outbreak in Tennessee.
Saints Players Out Sunday
Tight end Jared Cook, defensive end Marcus Davenport, cornerback Janoris Jenkins, cornerback Marshon Lattimore, guard Andrus Peat and wideout Michael Thomas have all been ruled out of action. It’s a huge amount of players on the sidelines for New Orleans going into a vital game.
Michael Thomas OUT Sunday for Saints. New Orleans will also be without a number of other starters.
Detroit, on the other hand, has multiple players questionable for the game but has been trending healthier in recent days. All of the players who are listed are starters and play a big role for the Saints, which figures to be a big advantage for Detroit this weekend.
Matt Patricia Warns Lions of Drew Brees
Though the team shares Detroit’s 1-2 record and Brees may not be as statistically dominating as he has been in the past, there’s still a greatness about the quarterback which allows him to operate as he always has through the years according to Matt Patricia.
Speaking to the media Thursday, Patricia was asked about Brees and said he still sees the same elements at play now which have made him one of the best quarterbacks in league history. As a result, he’s not ready to proclaim him washed up or past his prime whatsoever at this point.
Matt Patricia said he has the utmost respect for Drew Brees, and believes he still has everything in his game that’s made him successful.
In his career against the Lions, Brees has been a dominant force, going 4-3 with 18 touchdowns and 2,246 yards passing. Brees is also 1-0 against Detroit in the postseason, so he’s been a classic tormentor for Lions fans, but one they can respect given the length and depth of his outstanding career.
Will this be Brees’ last battle with the Lions? It’s possible, as time waits for nobody in the NFL. Even if that’s the case, the challenge remains a stiff one this weekend as it relates to slowing down one of the league’s best to ever do it.
Detroit will have to step up to the plate on defense in order to better Brees again.
The good news? There will be a game now after it didn’t look like there would be.
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Lions-Saints Game on Following Overnight Coronavirus Scare