Buccaneers spend five hours on plane, waiting to take off for Charlotte

Posted by Mike Florio on November 14, 2020, 6:30 PM EST
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It’s a quick trip by air from Tampa to Charlotte. If the plane actually can get into the air.

The Buccaneers spent five hours on the tarmac in their plane due to mechanical issues on Saturday, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Media.

The Buccaneers, as of Rapoport’s tweet, were set to go wheels up. Still, being stuck on a plane for five hours in an era of COVID-19 concerns won’t do much to ensure that the team is rested and ready to reverse the 38-3 spanking the Bucs took six nights ago at the hands of the Saints.

Patriots activate Jermaine Eluemunor, place Shilique Calhoun on IR

Posted by Charean Williams on November 14, 2020, 5:40 PM EST
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The Patriots announced a number of roster moves, including the activation of offensive lineman Jermaine Eluemunor from injured reserve.

Eluemunor, 25, went on injured reserve Oct. 21 after starting four of the first five games at right tackle.

The Patriots placed linebacker Shilique Calhoun on injured reserve.

Calhoun’s knee injury will keep him sidelined at least the next three games. He has spent the past three weeks on the injury report but has played eight games, seeing action on 43 percent of the defensive snaps and 42 percent of special teams snaps.

He has 14 tackles, two sacks and two forced fumbles this season.

The Patriots released defensive lineman Nick Thurman. Thurman, 25, was elevated to the 53-player roster four times this season and signed to the 53-man roster from the practice squad on Oct. 31. He played six games with one start and posted seven tackles.

New England activated linebackers Terez Hall and Cassh Maluia to the 53-man roster from the practice squad as standard elevations. They will revert back to the practice squad Monday.

The Patriots signed tight end Paul Quessenberry to the practice squad.

Joe Mixon ruled out of Sunday’s game

Posted by Charean Williams on November 14, 2020, 5:26 PM EST
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The Bengals downgraded running back Joe Mixon to out for Sunday’s game against the Steelers.

It is not a surprise given Mixon was doubtful on Friday’s status report. He did not practice this week.

Mixon will miss his third consecutive game with a foot injury. The Bengals did not place him on injured reserve, so his rehab obviously has taken longer than the team anticipated when Mixon was initially injured.

Mixon has 140 touches in six games this season, going for 566 yards and four touchdowns.

Giovani Bernard and Samaje Perine have handled the backfield duties with Mixon out of the lineup.

Bernard has had at least 18 touches and a touchdown in each of the past two games, and for the season, he has 64 touches for 333 yards and four touchdowns.

Falcons place Dante Fowler on COVID-19 list

Posted by Charean Williams on November 14, 2020, 5:10 PM EST
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The Falcons placed defensive end Dante Fowler Jr. on the COVID-19 reserve list Saturday, the team announced.

It is unknown whether Fowler tested positive or was in close contact with someone who did.

The Falcons are off this week, but the NFL still tests players for COVID-19 during the bye week.

Fowler signed a three-year, $48 million deal with the Falcons in March.

He has started eight games this season and totaled 16 tackles, including three for a loss, two sacks and six quarterback hits.

Fowler, the third overall choice in 2015, has appeared in 71 games with 28 starts in his career. He has made 158 tackles, 29.5 sacks and seven forced fumbles.

Seahawks rule out Chris Carson, Carlos Hyde, promote Damon Harrison

Posted by Charean Williams on November 14, 2020, 5:01 PM EST
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The Seahawks listed running backs Chris Carson and Carlos Hyde as questionable to return from their injuries Sunday. Neither will.

On Saturday, the team downgraded both players to out.

Carson will miss his third game with a foot injury, while Hyde will miss his third game with a hamstring injury. DeeJay Dallas, Travis Homer and Alex Collins have handled the running back duties in their absences, and the Seahawks again have promoted Collins to the active roster.

The Seahawks also downgraded defensive end Benson Mayowa (ankle) to out.

The team promoted defensive tackle Damon Harrison to the active roster. Harrison signed with the Seahawks’ practice squad Oct. 7.

He has not played a game since Week 17 of last season when he was with the Lions.

The Seahawks activated cornerback Neiko Thorpe (sports hernia) from injured reserve and placed defensive tackle Bryan Mone (ankle) on IR in a corresponding move.

Dolphins remove Kyle Van Noy from COVID list, elevate Antonio Callaway

Posted by Charean Williams on November 14, 2020, 4:39 PM EST
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The Dolphins three players on the COVID-19 reserve list earlier this week. They will have one of them Sunday.

Miami removed linebacker Kyle Van Noy from the list Saturday, allowing him to play against the Chargers on Sunday. Defensive tackle Christian Wilkins will not play as he has yet to clear COVID-19 protocols.

Van Noy has appeared in seven games this season, making 33 tackles, two sacks, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and four pass breakups.

The Dolphins also announced they elevated receiver Antonio Callaway to the active roster for Sunday’s game.

Callaway will make his Dolphins’ debut, helping make up for the loss of Preston Williams, who went on injured reserve this week. A fourth-round pick of the Browns two years ago, Callaway has 51 catches for 675 yards and five touchdowns in 20 career games.

Miami used a COVID-19 replacement spot on defensive tackle Benito Jones to help make up for the absence of Wilkins. The Dolphins will have Jones, Raekwon Davis and Zach Sieler at the position against the Chargers.

Chargers place Justin Jackson on IR, sign Kalen Ballage

Posted by Charean Williams on November 14, 2020, 4:19 PM EST
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The Chargers placed running back Justin Jackson on injured reserve Saturday, the team announced.

Jackson left last week’s game with a knee injury, and the Chargers already had ruled him out for Sunday’s game against Miami.

The Chargers signed running back Kalen Ballage to the active roster from the practice squad.

Ballage, a third-round pick of the Dolphins in 2018, ran for 69 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries against the Raiders last week. He also caught two passes for 15 yards.

He has played 28 career games with six starts. Ballage has 408 career rushing yards and five touchdowns and 34 career receptions for 201 yards.

The team also activated defensive back Quenton Meeks from the practice squad.

Steelers place Kevin Dotson on COVID-19 reserve list

Posted by Mike Florio on November 14, 2020, 4:09 PM EST
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The Pittsburgh Steelers made it through nearly nine weeks of the regular season with no COVID-related issues. Things have definitely changed.

On the same day that four players who landed on the COVID-19 reserve list due to proximity to tight end Vance McDonald returned to the team, rookie offensive lineman Kevin Dotson was placed on COVID-19 reserve.

Via Mark Kaboly of TheAthletic.com, Dotson missed practice on Friday, with an illness.

It’s unclear if Dotson tested positive. If he did, there could be another wave of players knocked out due to contact tracing that puts them in proximity to Dotson.

A fourth-round pick in the 2020 draft, Dotson has played in all eight games this season, starting two.

His roster spot will be filled by safety Antoine Brooks Jr., who was elevated from the practice squad.

Bears rule out David Montgomery for Monday Night Football

Posted by Charean Williams on November 14, 2020, 4:00 PM EST
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The Bears won’t have running back David Montgomery for Monday Night Football.

They ruled out Montgomery on Saturday, six days after he was diagnosed with a concussion against the Titans.

Montgomery leads the Bears with 472 yards on 131 carries.

With Montgomery out, coach Matt Nagy said Lamar Miller is an option. The Bears would have to elevate him from the practice squad.

“To me, there’s an excitement of the possibility of him being able to fill a role for us,” Nagy said.

The Bears also ruled out defensive back Sherrick McManis (hand), defensive tackle John Jenkins (ankle) and quarterback Mitchell Trubisky (right shoulder). Offensive lineman Sam Mustipher (knee) is doubtful.

Tight end Cole Kmet (groin), offensive lineman Jason Spriggs (knee), linebacker Barkevious Mingo (shoulder) and receiver Allen Robinson (knee) are questionable.

Texans place David Johnson, Dylan Cole on IR

Posted by Charean Williams on November 14, 2020, 3:23 PM EST
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The Texans won’t have running back David Johnson for at least the next three weeks. They placed Johnson on injured reserve Saturday with a concussion.

Johnson, their leading rusher, was injured in last week’s victory over Jacksonville. He has 119 touches for 569 yards and four touchdowns this season.

Duke Johnson will start against Cleveland. The Texans moved running back C.J. Prosise to the active roster from the practice squad as a backup.

The Texans elevated inside linebacker Nate Hall to the active roster as a COVID-19 replacement. They promoted defensive end Corey Liuget and offensive lineman Greg Mancz from the practice squad.

The Texans needed Hall after placing inside linebacker Dylan Cole on injured reserve with a back injury. Cole played six games, mostly on special teams, and made six tackles.

The Texans also announced they ruled out defensive end Charles Omenihu. He won’t make the trip to Cleveland because of a strained hamstring. Third quarterback Josh McCown also isn’t traveling for non-injury or COVID-19 reasons.

McCown only signed to the active roster this week.

Bengals place Darius Phillips, John Ross on IR

Posted by Charean Williams on November 14, 2020, 3:06 PM EST
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The Bengals made several roster moves Saturday.

They activated defensive end Sam Hubbard from injured reserve. Hubbard returned to practice this week.

Hubbard went on injured reserve Oct. 15 with an elbow injury after being hurt in the team’s 27-3 loss to the Ravens in Week 5. Hubbard started the five games he appeared in this season and has 23 tackles, three tackles for loss, three quarterback hits and a sack.

The Bengals placed cornerback Darius Phillips and receiver John Ross on injured reserve. They each will have to miss three games before becoming eligible to return to the active roster.

Phillips injured his groin in the team’s Nov. 1 game against Tennessee. He played all eight games with five starts this season, and has 17 tackles, an interception and five pass breakups.

Ross injured a foot in Thursday’s practice. Ross, 25, played 55 snaps in the season opener but has played only 29 snaps since, and he has two catches for 17 yards.

The Bengals also elevated receiver Stanley Morgan, cornerback Jalen Davis, offensive guard Quinton Spain and defensive tackle Kahlil McKenzie from the practice squad for Sunday’s game at Pittsburgh. Morgan and Davis are standard elevations, while Spain and McKenzie are COVID-19 replacements.

Jabrill Peppers fined $11,031 for hit that injured Kyle Allen

Posted by Michael David Smith on November 14, 2020, 2:43 PM EST
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Washington quarterback Kyle Allen is expected to miss the rest of the season after taking a hit to the leg from Giants safety Jabrill Peppers on Sunday. That hit was nowhere near as costly for Peppers was it was for Allen, but it will cost Peppers something.

The NFL fined Peppers $11,031 for the hit, which was ruled unnecessary roughness.

Peppers apologized afterward for the hit, which looked like a leg whip but which Peppers said was just an accident.

“I definitely didn’t mean for that to happen,” Peppers said. “I didn’t intentionally try to leg whip him, or whatever the penalty was. I was just trying to play hard and get him on the ground.”

Washington coach Ron Rivera said he didn’t blame Peppers and thought he was just trying to make a play.

Vikings TE Irv Smith out for Monday night at Chicago

Posted by Mike Florio on November 14, 2020, 2:31 PM EST
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Vikings tight end Irv Smith had a career game on Sunday against the Lions. He’ll now miss the first game of his career.

Smith, who scored two touchdowns last weekend, has been ruled out for Monday night’s game at Chicago, with a groin injury.

Cornerback Cameron Dantzler (concussion) is questionable. No other Vikings have injury designations, including receiver Adam Thielen, who has a shoulder injury but who missed no practice time this week.

Smith, a second-round pick in 2019, has 13 catches this season. With Smith out, veteran Kyle Rudolph could get more targets. If, of course, the Vikings Offense is something other than Dalvin Cook left, Dalvin Cook right, Dalvin Cook up the middle.

Bills’ Josh Norman positive for COVID-19, three close contacts out Sunday

Posted by Michael David Smith on November 14, 2020, 2:13 PM EST
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Bills cornerback Josh Norman will miss Sunday’s game at Arizona after testing positive for COVID-19, and three teammates will miss the game as well because they had close contacts with him.

“The Bills were informed this morning that CB Josh Norman has tested positive for COVID-19,” the Bills said in a statement. “Per NFL contact tracing protocols, three other players — TE Tyler Kroft, CB Levi Wallace and S Dean Marlowe — have been defined to have been in close contact, have been placed on Reserve/COVID-19 and will not travel for Sunday’s game. Defensive assistant coach Leonard Johnson will not travel to Arizona as well.”

The Bills have elevated linebacker Darron Lee, cornerback Daryl Worley, receiver Jake Kumerow, safety Josh Thomas and cornerback Dane Jackson from the practice squad to the active roster.

The Bills’ team flight to Arizona this morning is proceeding as scheduled and the game tomorrow against the Cardinals is still on, although the results of the Bills’ latest round of COVID-19 tests will be closely scrutinized before tomorrow’s game.

Vikings remove Austin Cutting from COVID-19 list

Posted by Charean Williams on November 14, 2020, 1:07 PM EST
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The Vikings removed long snapper Austin Cutting from the COVID-19 list Saturday, the team announced.

They placed him on the list Tuesday after Cutting came in close contact with someone who tested positive.

The Vikings worked out long snappers this week just in case Cutting was out.

Cutting is in his second season as the team’s long snapper.

The Vikings also announced they released offensive guard Pat Elflein, a move reported earlier Saturday.

Minnesota plays Chicago on Monday night.