Another Titans player tests positive for COVID-19. Here’s how it could affect Chiefs.
The news out of Nashville on Thursday could be bad news for the Chiefs.
Another Tennessee player tested positive for COVID-19, Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network reported. The team’s facility has been shutdown since Sept. 29, and Rapoport said 21 members (12 players and nine coaches or team personnel) have now tested positive.
Tennessee’s game last weekend against the Steelers was postponed, and the Titans have a game scheduled this Sunday against the Bills.
“Clearly that game is now in flux and the NFL is going to continue to review that situation,” Rapoport said on the NFL Network.
The good news for the Chiefs is they have had no other positive tests, Rapoport reported. But with Sunday’s Titans-Bills game in doubt, there could be a ripple effect felt by the Chiefs.
That’s because Buffalo’s next game is against the Chiefs on “Thursday Night Football” on Oct. 15.
ESPN’s Dianna Russini reported that players for the Bills and Titans have been told their game could be played Monday or Tuesday, while the Chiefs-Bills game would move to Saturday.
As Russini noted, this is just being discussed as one possibility.
There is also a chance the Titans-Bills game could be canceled. ESPN’s Adam Schefter said Thursday morning the NFL has discussed determining the playoff field based on win percentage and not most victories.
One other thought was bandied about Wednesday after a report surfaced that Titans players practiced on their own, defying an NFL directive: Tennessee forfeiting Sunday’s game against the Bills.
“The NFL, which has fined coaches and teams six figures for taking down their masks during games, isn’t going to like this news,” wrote Yahoo Sports’ Frank Schwab. “It will also have to consider the possibility of making the Titans forfeit a game.”
If the Titans did forfeit, which would give Buffalo a win, it would a double impact on the Chiefs. Here’s the first way, from Aaron Schatz, an ESPN analyst:
Also, the Bills would then have an extra week off before a Thursday game, which is a huge benefit, especially since the Chiefs would be playing three games in 11 days:
If the Titans/Bills game is postponed or canceled, the Chiefs would have played two games (New England on Monday, and against Raiders this Sunday) since Buffalo’s last game (last Sunday against Las Vegas).
CBS Sports’ John Breech offered up this suggestion to the NFL schedule makers:
The NFL has some tough decisions to make.
