The Las Vegas Raiders just can't catch a break right now. Although they're still in the hunt for a spot in the playoffs, things aren't looking great for this franchise. The team was hopeful Darren Waller would return in Week 17. Instead, his chances of playing have drastically decreased due to COVID-19.

According to Paul Gutierrez, Darren Waller is currently in COVID protocols. This is less than ideal, as the Raiders need as much help as possible to clinch a playoff berth. They're taking on the red-hot Indianapolis Colts in Week 17 and not having Waller could be detrimental.

Waller hasn't played in the last four games and is in line to miss his fifth contest. At first, it was a knee injury he sustained in Week 12 against the Dallas Cowboys, but now COVID looks to keep him out of the Raiders lineup. With the knee injury lasting as long as it has, Las Vegas might have been better off putting him on the IR.

Regardless, the Raiders hope to stun the Colts on Sunday. Hunter Renfrow has been amazing this year and Foster Moreau has stepped up nicely when filling in for Darren Waller. For that reason, Las Vegas isn't dead in the water, as they'll have a fighting chance against Indianapolis.

We'll see how this game plays out, but Raiders fans should expect to not see Darren Waller on the field on Sunday. Hopefully, Waller can recover, as he's a key piece to his offense. If Las Vegas can find their way to the postseason, Waller should be able to bounce back and provide consistency for his team once again.