Photo by Harry How/Getty Images
It should be another weird week, this time in Dallas, Texas, with (somehow) 30,000 fans in the seats. The 49ers and Cowboys don’t look anywhere near set to renew their decades-old rivalries, but it’s difficult to set expectations for teams with a combined 9-17 record, but which still have playoff hopes.
San Francisco had a sudden gameday absence, among three other expecteds. Inactive for Sunday:
- CB Jason Verrett (illness)
- WR Deebo Samuel (hamstring)
- C Hroniss Grasu (knee)
- LB Mark Nzeocha (quad)
The team announced that it’s an illness for Verrett, but he wasn’t placed on the Reserve/COVID-19 list. Because of COVID concerns, players are forced to isolate and have negative tests to return from illness, to confirm it is not coronavirus-related.
They already have three players on that list in TE Charlie Woerner, RB Austin Walter and RG Colton McKivitz, which, after Grasu’s injury and Tom Compton going on injured reserve last week, means that Justin Skule will not only play, but start at right guard for the first time in his career.
On a more encouraging note, both K’Waun Williams (ankle) and Emmanuel Moseley (hamstring) are active.
The Cowboys will be without star running back Ezekiel Elliott, who head coach Mike McCarthy had said he expected to play this week. Below are their remaining inactives:
Today's @dallascowboys inactives vs. @49ers: pic.twitter.com/t1YrHgLVk0
— Dallas Cowboys Public Relations (@DallasCowboysPR) December 20, 2020