![Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) takes the field before an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens at FirstEnergy Stadium, Sunday, Dec. 12, 2021, in Cleveland, Ohio. [Jeff Lange/Beacon Journal]Browns 22](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/bf54cfd62b7568bde6a3db80c0b0e8050125b8e52e922ae16c5c914c52812eee.jpg "Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) takes the field before an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens at FirstEnergy Stadium, Sunday, Dec. 12, 2021, in Cleveland, Ohio. [Jeff Lange/Beacon Journal]Browns 22")
The NFL Week 15 schedule will have some major changes due to COVID outbreaks with a handful of teams. We have all the information you need.
After some deliberation, the NFL Week 15 schedule has been changed in a pretty massive way. Not one, not two, but three games are being moved off of their original dates completely with six teams obviously being affected by the league’s decision to reschedule.
The Los Angeles Rams, Cleveland Browns, and Washington Football Team all have outbreaks of COVID within their locker room at the moment, and while they are certainly not the only teams dealing with COVID this week, the league is making the controversial decision to reschedule the games they were supposed to play on Saturday and Sunday, respectively.
Las Vegas Raiders vs. Cleveland Browns NFL Week 15 changes
The Raiders and Browns were supposed to be part of a Saturday double-header for NFL Week 15 action, but they will now have to play as part of a Monday night doubleheader.
This matchup has been moved to 5:00 PM ET on Monday evening, and Raiders owner Al Davis is not thrilled about it, to say the least…
Davis isn’t wrong. The Browns will now have a chance for their asymptomatic, vaccinated players to test negative in a 24-hour span, and they also will now have to play the Denver Broncos on a short week instead of having the extra day of rest on Sunday.
Seattle Seahawks @ Los Angeles Rams NFL Week 15 info
The Seahawks and Rams were initially slated to face off on Sunday afternoon, but they will now be re-slotted to a 7:00 PM ET matchup on Tuesday.
It wasn’t long after the Rams’ matchup against the Arizona Cardinals that positive tests started flooding in.
Washington Football Team @ Philadelphia Eagles NFL Week 15 info
The Washington Football Team has an extensive list of players currently on the COVID/reserve list, and instead of taking on the Eagles on Sunday, they will also move to a Tuesday game slot.
The really confusing part of this rescheduled contest?
It is also scheduled for 7:00 PM ET on Tuesday night.
What is the league thinking here? Even if these games were originally supposed to be played in the same time window on a Sunday, why would you not spread these start times out and try to let fans watch both games?
Having them at the same time seems suboptimal.
Complete updated NFL Week 15 schedule
Again, these schedule changes are not what any of these six teams would prefer. The teams dealing with COVID outbreaks would, of course, certainly rather not be dealing with that at this point. The teams that are having to move their schedules around to accommodate these other teams?
They are understandably frustrated, but of course, they would want the league to be flexible if they were on the other side of the coin.
The primary issue is player safety. Of course, no one wants the spread of COVID, but players are also concerned about their bodies, understandably so, playing on such short rest. The Eagles, for instance, will now have to play three games in a matter of just 13 days as a result of this schedule change, and they are not the team dealing with a COVID outbreak.
Time will tell how this schedule change truly affects the teams and players involved, and it’s hard not to wonder how the NFL would handle a situation like this come playoff time.