Last Monday September 28th, several members of the Las Vegas Raiders attended a charity event at the DragonRidge Country Club in Henderson, Nevada. It was a fund-raiser for a charitable foundation created by Raiders tight end Darren Waller. Photos emerged the following day of Raiders players mingling with guests - all of whom were unmasked. Seems like the State of Nevada either doesn't really take the pandemic seriously or doesn't need the money (or probably both) as DragonRidge was fined a whopping $2,000 for violating two of the state's new pandemic rules: the requirement to wear masks at indoor public gatherings and to not have more than 50 people congregated at an indoor event. Compare that fine to the ones handed out by the NFL to Raiders coach Jon Gruden for not wearing his mask properly during a week two game against the Saints. He was personally fined $100,000 and the Raiders were hit for $250,000. At times in yesterday's game against the Bills (particularly in the fourth quarter), Gruden committed the same offence which may generate larger fines this time around.
The talk on WGR radio in Buffalo on Wednesday and Thursday was about the possibility that one or more of the Raiders players who attended the event may have been exposed to the coronavirus and then may have infected some of those teammates who did not attend the event as all Raiders players were in attendance at team meetings and practices from Tuesday onward. But no positive tests emerged within the Raiders organization throughout the week and the game at the brand spanking new Allegiant Stadium in Paradise, Nevada went ahead. And the Bills won to go 4-0 for the first time since 2008.
Next week's scheduled game is another story as the Bills will likely not be able to dodge the virus again as they are scheduled to travel to Nashville to play the Titans. A total of 20 positive tests within the Tennessee organization - 10 players and 10 staff - were confirmed last week. The Titans were scheduled to play the Steelers yesterday but the league had to postpone the game to a yet unknown date. If the Titans v. Bills does not go ahead on Sunday, re-scheduling options become much more limited. The possibility of pushing the game to Monday night or Tuesday is off the table as the Bills are set to host the Chiefs on Thursday October 15th. One scenario floated last night is that the NFL could simply add another week to its season - a week 18 - to complete the schedule for games which have already been postponed and for future postponed games this season - which seems like a virtual certainty. As of this morning, those 10 Titans players and Cam Newton of the Patriots are the only NFL players to have tested positive. It almost seems delusional to think that there won't be more. A week 19 and 20 or more may be needed. The Superbowl could be played on a warm spring day somewhere. Since the game will likely have no fans in attendance, maybe they could find a suitable spot somewhere in Nevada's Area 51.
Josh Allen did not pass for 300 yards yesterday for the first time this season. But he did not turn the ball over either and showed continued passing accuracy and poise. He caused Bills fans a bit of a angst late in the first half with what turned out to be a left shoulder injury he suffered on a hard tackle just as he unloaded a left-handed shovel pass to Stefon Diggs. After a quick trip to the locker room, Allen was back and finished the game. He said that he knew right away that it wasn't a collar bone which would have sidelined him for several weeks. A quarter of the way through the season, Allen is very much in the league MVP conversation.
In a season where defences around the league seem to have taken a couple of steps back, the Bills were able to close out the Raiders yesterday only when the defence finally stiffened in the second half. They were able to pressure Raiders quarterback Derek Carr and forced three fumbles, recovering two of them. A late score allowed the Raiders a chance at an onside kick which was bobbled but recovered by the Bills to seal the win.
As Jerry Sullivan, ever the glass half-empty Buffalo-based sports writer pointed out last night, in 2008, the last time the Bills started 4-0, they finished the season 7-9 under Dick Jauron who, as Sullivan also said a decade ago, "strings up 7-9 seasons like Christmas lights on his house". I highly doubt that Sean McDermott will be stringing up any of Jauron's lights come December. Instead, he has started and I predict will continue to string up playoff appearances which will hopefully soon include a string of home playoff games in January (or, this year, maybe February or even March).
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