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Surprise, surprise. Suddenly there’s an NFL doubleheader on Monday night.
That’s because on Saturday the NFL postponed Sunday’s New England at Kansas City game, upon learning that Patriots starting quarterback Cam Newton tested positive for COVID-19. A Chiefs practice-squad player likewise became infected with the coronavirus.
But on Sunday, when not one other player or team member on either club similarly tested positive, the NFL allowed Patriots-Chiefs to proceed, albeit a day later: Monday at 7:05 p.m. EDT (CBS).
The start of the previously scheduled
Monday Night Football
matchup, Atlanta at Green Bay, has been changed to 8:50 p.m. EDT (TSN via ESPN). It should kick off at approximately halftime of Patriots-Chiefs.
So maybe have fresh batteries in the ol’ clicker by Monday afternoon.
In a statement, the NFL said that the Patriots and Chiefs not only “returned no new positives from Saturday and Sunday testing,” but both clubs “also worked closely with the NFL and NFLPA and infectious disease experts to conduct contact tracing, and post-COVID exposure protocols are now in effect for both teams.”
Brian Hoyer is expected to be the quarterback for the Patriots (2-1), with Newton on the COVID-19/reserve list, with second-year Jarrett Stidham backing him up. Hoyer was Newton’s backup in Weeks 1-3, while Stidham did not even dress.
It will be the second consecutive Monday night game for the Chiefs, who carved up the host Baltimore Ravens last week.
The Chiefs (3-0) have not lost a game either in the regular season or playoffs since last November, a streak of 15 straight victories.
The Packers (3-0) have not lost a game — other than against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi’s Stadium — since Nov. 3, at the Los Angeles Chargers. Green Bay head coach Matt LaFleur is 16-3 in the regular season.
The Falcons (0-3) will watch another season go down the drain if they can’t somehow leave Lambeau Field with a victory. Having blown two large, late leads in each of their last two games, don’t be going to bed early no matter how huge a lead the Falcons might amass.
@JohnKryk
Copyright Postmedia Network Inc., 2020
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