Titans Covid positives, first outbreak

[Bill Lee]

The problem is, if they have to shut down the facility for 1-2 days and can't meet/practice. Therein lies an issue I hadn't thought of either.

It's already more than 1-2 days, NFL is shutting down all Titans gatherings till Saturday.

I think a 3 team outbreak would get them to pull the plug

Nah, there's way too much money on the line for that. I'd think it'd have to be more like 12-16. I hope we don't go past one, though.

 

[SHOWTIME15]

It appears the league's only plan was to expand the practice squad and make it easier to move players from the practice squad to the active roster, and also to place less restrictions on the injured list.

They have protocols right down to the coin toss and national anthem, but no mention of what to do if eight players test positive.

I don't see how they could reschedule any game, unless those two teams have the same bye week.

Edit: see post #11

NFL COVID rules, explained: Everything to know about coronavirus and football in 2020 | Sporting News

Explaining the NFL's COVID rules

www.sportingnews.com

Really, the big problem comes when you have to cancel a game when both teams don't have the same bye week...when are you going to find the time to reschedule that? They should have scheduled an extra week at the end of the season where all makeup games can be played...of course that's going to screw up everyone's fantasy leagues, but at least they get full season in...

 

[Ian]

Good conversation here.
Slater just keeps getting better in the locker room.
The masks worn by the coaches on the field seem less significant, fer sur. I guess it's all the symbolism of doing their part for national public health.

Not just that, as the league has pointed out, there's too much riding on it to take any chances. You've got photographers in the stands/camera people on the field/reporters at games and some non-team personnel. That's the real reason and that's why the penalties are so harsh. They're afraid of having enough happen to potentially lose the season. The goal is to minimize that and every little bit obviously helps.

 

[XLIX]

We all knew this was going to happen eventually. It has already happened to several college teams. If baseball can figure out a way to play around virus outbreaks, the NFL can too. The only question is do you force the team to find replacements and play this Sunday, or do you just push this game (and any subsequent postponed games) to Week 18... either case, not a big deal.

 

[h0c2000]

Why not Monday afternoon or Tuesday day games? NBA and NHL will be over soon. No other sports are going to be around for a long time. Oh yeah, baseball, so forgetful.

 

[SHOWTIME15]

Why not Monday afternoon or Tuesday day games? NBA and NHL will be over soon. No other sports are going to be around for a long time. Oh yeah, baseball, so forgetful.

This would completely screw things up. If you are a team that is playing on Thursday, you have 2 days to get ready after a monday night game...physically impossible. 3 days of rest in between games is already pushing it, but it takes more than 2 days for bodies to heal up after an NFL game...All Thursday night games SHOULD HAVE been cancelled for the 2020 season.

 

[XLIX]

The NHL and NBA did it right with their bubbles...no major covid issues in those leagues and both have or will soon crown a champion. The NFL should have had followed suit, but Goondell thinks he's smarter than everyone

The NFL could not have a "bubble" due to the nature of the game. Where could you find the facilities for 32 different teams to hold practice? Where could you find 16 football fields all within a single "bubble"? Keep in mind that those football fields would have to be more than just open spaces, they would *each* have to be able to handle national TV broadcasts and all the equipment and personnel.

There's a reason why MLB and NFL didn't bubble up.

 

[Ian]

We all knew this was going to happen eventually. It has already happened to several college teams. If baseball can figure out a way to play around virus outbreaks, the NFL can too. The only question is do you force the team to find replacements and play this Sunday, or do you just push this game (and any subsequent postponed games) to Week 18... either case, not a big deal.

Baseball has a much longer schedule with more games and the ability to play double headers. The NFL doesn't have that luxury and has little margin for error. Can they figure this one out? Sure. But another outbreak against one of their opponents? As I mentioned in an earlier post, that could be a problem.

Again, given the competitive advantage this now sort of gives Tennessee that their fans brought up, I'm certainly curious to see how it plays out.

 

[cmasspatsfan]

The problem is, if they have to shut down the facility for 1-2 days and can't meet/practice. Therein lies an issue I hadn't thought of either.

Good point, I didn't think of how long it would take to clean the facilities.

 

[h0c2000]

This would completely screw things up. If you are a team that is playing on Thursday, you have 2 days to get ready after a monday night game...physically impossible. 3 days of rest in between games is already pushing it, but it takes more than 2 days for bodies to heal up after an NFL game...All Thursday night games SHOULD HAVE been cancelled for the 2020 season.

I think they're going to have to be flexible and if that means moving a thursday night game, that might be the difference between having a season or not.

 

[203Pat]

 

[Simpelton]

shut everything down, get in bubble wrap, cancel the season...

of course, no one in here said it was only 3 players that popped positive. 55 active roster plus 12 practice squad means there's 67 players getting tested multiple times a week...3 + tests...this isn't a surprise people.

Someone doesn't understand what "contagious" means

 

[203Pat]

I wonder if they have a "week 18" built in to play any/all games that were postponed? I would assume not unless since I would guess the playoff dates are already firm.

 

[Ian]

I think they're going to have to be flexible and if that means moving a thursday night game, that might be the difference between having a season or not.

The challenge there is it has to work out schedule-wise. You can't play a Thursday game and then turn around and play Sunday. At best, it would get moved to Monday but that's still not nearly enough time for those guys to recover. Not to mention, the NFLPA would absolutely fight that.

 

[Ian]

I wonder if they have a "week 18" built in to play any/all games that were postponed? I would assume not unless since I would guess the playoff dates are already firm.

I could see them pushing things back, but we're only in Week 4. If this happens a couple of more times, which is probably likely, it will obviously create a problem.

 

[XLIX]

Baseball has a much longer schedule with more games and the ability to play double headers. The NFL doesn't have that luxury and has little margin for error. Can they figure this one out? Sure. But another outbreak against one of their opponents? As I mentioned in an earlier post, that could be a problem.

Again, given the competitive advantage this now sort of gives Tennessee that their fans brought up, I'm certainly curious to see how it plays out.

Oh I understand football has different challenges, but I still think they can handle it. Several months ago when someone in this forum asked the question "Do you think the NFL plays a full season?" my prediction was yes, but they won't necessarily play it as originally scheduled or finish during their original timeframe. Outbreaks are inevitable and I don't see postponing games and pushing the playoffs back a week as a big deal in the overall scheme of things.

 

[Tottie]

If it's only 3 players they should just keep the in person activities closed until you double checked the rest of the players and then allow them to play. Being less prepared is part of the deal. If it becomes a bigger outbreak they should forfeit. A forfeit is such a big deal that it sends a big message to all teams. It's a tough situation for TEN though because no matter what most people will think someone broke protocol when really these things can happen even if you did everything right.

 

[Bill Lee]

I could see them pushing things back, but we're only in Week 4. If this happens a couple of more times, which is probably likely, it will obviously create a problem.

That's where the NFL will play the 'too bad for you' card.

I really wish we had zero outbreaks, and hope we only ever have this one, but I think it will be interesting to see what happens if they go forward more aggressively than most think, and wait till we get to 10%-20% forfeits before they consider shutting it down.

The limiting factor will be players themselves deciding they won't have any more of it and deciding to not play, since it's their health and their career that is being put on the line.

But like MLB this is just the first set back and we probably should hold back on projecting negative things forward.

 

[Nehalem]

Some Titans fans are pointing something out that pushes me toward a forfeit. They have guys who are banged up and they're actually happy about this since guys will now have an extra week to recover - which again, actually gives them a competitive advantage...which isn't exactly fair.

What competitive advantage?

Would you be in favor of the PAtriots getting a 2nd bye week in exchange for starting the season with 1L?

 

[Ian]

Oh I understand football has different challenges, but I still think they can handle it. Several months ago when someone in this forum asked the question "Do you think the NFL plays a full season?" my prediction was yes, but they won't necessarily play it as originally scheduled or finish during their original timeframe. Outbreaks are inevitable and I don't see postponing games and pushing the playoffs back a week as a big deal in the overall scheme of things.

In Week 4, yes, but down the road, it's going to be tougher. Like I said, if this happens a few more times (which as I said, probably will happen), you don't exactly have much flexibility. But definitely curious to see how this plays out. I would force a forfeit out of fairness to keep things moving, and only because I can't see how it's fair to make the other team adjust because the opponent couldn't maintain the protocols.