Getty Lamar Jackson pleads his case with a referee in 2020.
The Baltimore Ravens continue to try and prepare what figures to be a skeleton team for a Tuesday game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, but as the preparations were underway, the league has intervened.
Monday, the Ravens’ practice was shut down ahead of the team traveling to Pittsburgh. The Ravens haven’t practiced in over a week following the COVID-19 outbreak within their team, and now might face a travel problem to Pittsburgh as well considering a major early winter storm is about to slam the east coast and dump snow on the Steel City.
NFL cancelled Ravens practice scheduled for this morning, per league source. Ravens last practiced the Saturday before the Titans’ game and currently are scheduled to play in Pittsburgh on Tuesday night.
Ravens’ travel plans in flux, with snow forecasted in Pitt on Tuesday am.
What happens next is anyone’s guess, but the word on Sunday was the NFL wanted the game to continue and be played as normal. For that not to happen, there would likely have to be even more positive tests show up on Monday that dramatically harm the chances of the game playing out. Certainly, that’s not out of the realm of possibility, but given the NFL actions, it seems they want to ensure the game goes off.
For the NFL to cancel a practice for a team is uncharted territory, but everything about 2020 as a whole has been that way, so it’s merely the latest example of something unexpected playing out.
Willie Snead Tested Positive Sunday
Perhaps the reason for the practice shutdown was yet another positive on Sunday from the Baltimore side of things in wideout Willie Snead. Snead is yet another Ravens player to test positive in what’s been a week full of such events playing out, and this news came in on Sunday afternoon just ahead of Baltimore’s scheduled game early in the week. It’s unfortunate Snead is on the list given how well he has been playing lately for the Ravens.
While a major talking point this season has been the struggles of the team’s wideout group at making huge plays and changing the game, some good news has been quietly developing over the last few weeks. The Ravens have been seeing Snead come on incredibly strong within their offense and begin to show signs of his long awaited emergence.
Over the last four weeks of play, there’s been no better receiver on the team than Snead, who’s gone for 17 catches, 230 yards and 2 touchdowns. Now, Snead will have to hope he can get healthy and cleared in time to come back soon for the team in the future. Given his production lately, that’s the hope.
Marlon Humphrey Jokingly Calls for Ravens-Steelers Going Virtual
It’s getting desperate enough for this matchup that players are starting to speak out. Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey, who already had COVID-19 a few weeks back, said jokingly that the team might have to do a virtual Tuesday night game against the Steelers in order to make sure any sort of football happened.
Players seem to be growing frustrated about the whole situation on both sides and are focusing more on health than football. The Ravens won’t have tons of starters for the matchup, and will have not had much time to practice or get ready. Such is life in the NFL during 2020, especially during a team COVID-19 outbreak.
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