Graney: Not fair to Raiders, but delay right call

This was NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell from the owners’ meetings connected Wednesday erstwhile asked if helium thought the Raiders-Browns crippled could beryllium postponed owed to an outbreak of COVID-19 cases successful Cleveland:

“There has not been immoderate treatment astir that. We consciousness assured that with continuing changes and adaptations done our protocols that we tin (play).”

He’s not truthful assured immoderate more. Like, not astatine all.

The crippled was so moved disconnected its scheduled Saturday clip slot to Monday afternoon. At past count, and these things alteration by the millisecond, the Browns had 24 players who either tested affirmative oregon were placed connected the team’s COVID-19 reserve list. Twelve are starters.

The Raiders responded arsenic you mightiness expect, publically upset with the decision. Players took to Twitter to dependable their displeasure, suggesting that had it been immoderate squad different than Las Vegas, things would person kicked disconnected Saturday oregon Cleveland would person been forced to forfeit.

One stated argumentation is that immoderate forfeit would beryllium a effect of an outbreak by unvaccinated players. Every subordinate and unit subordinate progressive with the Browns’ concern is reportedly vaccinated. So there’s that.

“I wage my subordinate dues conscionable to get lied to and the rules bent!” Raiders linebacker K.J. Wright tweeted astatine the league and the players’ union. “If it was the different mode around, I curse we would beryllium playing (Saturday).”

I wage my subordinate dues conscionable to get lied to and the rules bent! @NFL @NFLPA

If it was the different mode astir I curse we would beryllium playing tomorrow

— KJ (@KJ_WRIGHT34) December 17, 2021

Bigger than Raiders

Truth is, this is simply a acold bigger contented than 1 team. Much bigger than conscionable the Raiders.

It’s existent that they had their ain (serious) COVID troubles past play and didn’t person immoderate games postponed. They were besides prepared to conscionable Cleveland connected Saturday, nary substance which names lined up other them. The Raiders did their part. They are 100 percent vaccinated.

Of people moving the crippled and putting them connected a abbreviated week to hole for Denver is simply a competitory disadvantage and not of their doing. Of people this isn’t wholly fair.

I get the choler from their side. The enactment and its instrumentality basal person agelong contended that the NFL isn’t a person of the franchise erstwhile either dispensing punishment oregon siding with the squad successful times of controversy.

Show maine a crippled successful which a captious telephone goes against the Raiders — oregon possibly conscionable a first-quarter mendacious commencement punishment — and I volition amusement you a metallic and achromatic outrage to the highest decibel. Such is the lens from which they angrily peer.

It’s besides not mendacious to suggest the Raiders implicit clip person been connected the abbreviated extremity of galore issues with the NFL. They have.

But determination is different broadside this time. First, it’s not the lone crippled being moved. Matchups betwixt the Rams and Seahawks and Washington against Philadelphia person been shifted from Sunday to Tuesday owed to COVID issues.

Health and safety

Think astir it: Health and information can’t conscionable beryllium immoderate catchphrase erstwhile it lone fits your narrative. More than 100 players crossed the league person tested affirmative successful the past 3 days. Most are afloat vaccinated.

The omicron variant is playing havoc with overmuch of the globe, and the league has already seen respective isolated cases of it wrong teams. It’s undoubtedly the crushed for specified a ascent successful cases.

Fact: This is an ever-changing scenery successful which the NFL is not dissimilar astir others — trying to support up. It mightiness person strengthened league-wide protocols this week, but thing astatine this constituent offers a full-proof method against investigating positive.

It’s a full caller satellite of the unknown. If that means rules being bent for — yes, wellness and information — truthful beryllium it.

“We can’t use 2020 solutions to the 2021 problems we’re having,” NFL Chief Medical Officer Allen Sills told reporters astatine this week’s owners’ meetings. “What investigating doesn’t bash is forestall transmission, and we’ve known that always. … What we’re trying to bash is forestall dispersed wrong the installation and support radical from investigating positive.”

This happening is inactive a monster and overmuch bigger than 1 squad feeling it has again been slighted by the NFL.

Sorry. Whether it’s close oregon incorrect to postpone, it’s acold bigger than conscionable the Raiders.

Ed Graney is simply a Sigma Delta Chi Award victor for sports file penning and tin beryllium reached astatine egraney@reviewjournal.com oregon 702-383-4618. He tin beryllium heard connected “The Press Box,” ESPN Radio 100.9 FM and 1100 AM, from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. Monday done Friday. Follow @edgraney connected Twitter.