Morning sports update: NFL reportedly considering postseason bubble amid ongoing COVID-19 contingencies
Possible bubble sites include Los Angeles and Dallas.
Tonight, the NFL is set to play its first Tuesday night game since 2010 when the 3-0 Titans — who experienced no new positive COVID-19 tests this morning — take the field for the first time since Sept. 27 against the 4-0 Bills at 7 p.m.
The NFL’s possible plan for a postseason bubble: The Patriots were one of several teams caught in the tangled web of recent NFL schedule changes due to COVID-19 in the last week.
The league has been scrambling to adapt on the fly to positive tests from multiple teams since the start of the season, begging the question of how many more changes will be necessary in order to play a complete number of games.
Beyond that, what will the league do for the playoffs?
One possible answer might come in the form of an NFL bubble. Though the league resisted the idea of a league-wide regular season bubble due to the massive logistical requirements, a smaller version for the postseason might be possible.
According to Lindsay Jones and Daniel Kaplan of The Athletic, the NFL is keeping the bubble option on the table.
“Multiple NFL sources told The Athletic the league is still considering the viability of creating a postseason bubble, which could mean playing later-round playoff games at neutral sites, in advance of Super Bowl LV in Tampa,” wrote Jones and Kaplan.
While the NFL declined to comment on the issue, the possible venues include Los Angeles and Dallas. The league may also choose to send teams into a bubble starting at the divisional round of the postseason, allowing wildcard games to be played in local markets.
Trivia: Rajon Rondo isn’t the first member of the 2007-2008 Celtics to win a title outside of Boston. What three other members of that team won NBA championships with other teams?
(Answer at the bottom).
Hint: Two did so with the Heat, one with the Rockets.
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Revolution midfielder Carles Gil can begin individual training again, according to his doctor
:
https://www.instagram.com/p/CGAy3MzlxTI/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Atlanta closer Mark Melancon made a stylish catch in the bullpen on Ozzie Albies’ 9th inning home run:
Look at me, I can be, centerfield!@ozzie @austinriley1308 @FreddieFreeman5 https://t.co/WYuvMA2yoK
— Mark Melancon (@Mark_Melancon_) October 13, 2020
On this day: In 2013, New England sports fans enjoyed a day of miracles. Trailing the Saints 27-23 with only seconds remaining, Tom Brady found Kenbrell Thompkins in the corner of the end zone to give the Patriots an improbable win.
The moment produced a memorable call from Patriots radio personality Scott Zolak:
https://twitter.com/Patriots/status/908449176257568768
The drama wasn’t done. Later that night, the Red Sox trailed the Tigers 5-1 in Game 2 of the American League Championship Series.
Boston, having dropped Game 1 to Detroit, was staring at a possible 2-0 series deficit. But in the 8th inning, with the bases load, up stepped David Ortiz:
The grand slam was yet another clutch October hit from Ortiz, and the Red Sox went on to win the game 6-5 and the series in six games.
Daily highlight: The Rays took a 2-0 lead in the ALCS on Monday thanks in part to this catch-of-the-year candidate from former Red Sox prospect Manny Margot.
WOW… INSANE CATCH BY MANNY MARGOT 🤯 pic.twitter.com/mMqdIZjd8c
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) October 12, 2020
Trivia answer: Ray Allen, Sam Cassell, and James Posey.
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