Three weeks into the season and we are starting to get a sense of what teams may have the talent to make a postseason run, and which squads are struggling out of the gate. While the attention has mostly been focused on the performances on the field, there has been plenty of news off the field as well. Here are some of the biggest stories from the last week.
Steelers vs. Titans Postponed
After a few weeks of avoiding any significant issues relating to COVID-19, the NFL is getting its first real test for how the league will handle the pandemic. The Tennessee Titans have had three players, as well as five additional personnel test positive for the virus.
The positive tests have had quite a ripple effect in the league. After Tennessee played the Minnesota Vikings over the weekend, both teams have shut down their practice facilities for the time being. On Wednesday, the NFL officially announced that they are postponing the Titans game against the Pittsburgh Steelers this upcoming Sunday.
Despite the postponement on Sunday, the league is hoping that the two teams will make up the game later in the season. The good news is that so far Minnesota hasn’t received any positive tests and their week 4 game at Houston will tentatively go on as planned.
Obviously, the most important thing is ensuring that the players and other individuals are safe and healthy. Postponing Pittsburgh vs. Tennessee is a tough loss for fans as both teams are 3-0, but maybe a late season game will offer more intrigue. Plus, safety is paramount.
Cohen Out For Season
The Chicago Bears have gotten off to a somewhat surprising 3-0 start in the NFC North, but they didn’t come out of their last victory unscathed. It appears that running back Tarik Cohen is likely done for the season after an apparent ACL injury.
While Cohen is not the lead back for the Bears, he has been a weapon for Matt Nagy in the passing game, and is electric as a punt returner. With Cohen out, the Bears have promoted running back Artavis Pierce from the practice squad.
Despite the promotion, it appears that general manager Ryan Pace is on the lookout for possible upgrades. On Wednesday, the Bears brought in Lamar Miller (among others) to workout for the team. Miller last played in 2018 with the Texans, where he rushed 210 times for 973 yards and 5 scores.
After sitting out last season with his own ACL tear, Miller could be a nice backup to David Montgomery, if the Bears do sign him. For his part, Montgomery has been solid to start the season, rushing 43 times for 191 yards. He has also caught 6 passes for 64 yards and a touchdown.
Goedert Put On Injured Reserve
The Philadelphia Eagles’ offense took a blow this week as tight end Dallas Goedert was put on the IR. After suffering a high ankle sprain against the Bengals, Goedert will now miss at least the next three weeks of action.
Despite having Zach Ertz as their main tight end target, Goedert has put up good numbers this season. In his first two games of 2020, Goedert had 12 catches for 131 yards and a touchdown before having to leave the game early last Sunday against the Bengals.
The Eagles have struggled to score through three weeks. They rank 27th in the NFL, averaging just 19.7 points per game. The Eagles are currently 0-2-1 heading into a very tough Week 4 matchup at San Francisco on Sunday Night Football.
