Tag: bills titans

What Josh Allen, Stefon Diggs said about COVID impact on game with Titans

The Buffalo Bills are preparing to head into a Week 5 matchup against the Tennessee Titans. This despite continued news of Titans players testing positive for coronavirus, creating uncertainty about whether the game will be played. The Titans have …

The Buffalo Bills are preparing to head into a Week 5 matchup against the Tennessee Titans. This despite continued news of Titans players testing positive for coronavirus, creating uncertainty about whether the game will be played.

The Titans have 23 total positive tests since Sept. 24 which puts postponement or a Tennessee forfeit on the table due to an illegal workout organized by Titans players a day after positive COVID-19 test results showed a breakout amidst their organization.

So how are the Bills handling the uncertainty regarding the game this week? Some of the team leaders shed some light on their game plan.

“If the game does happen, I trust our staff and trust what Coach (Sean) McDermott and the league kind of tell us to do,” quarterback Josh Allen said via video conference. “We’re not writing anything off yet, we really don’t know what’s gonna happen but the best thing that we can do is prepare like we’re playing a game on Sunday.”

Receiver Stefon Diggs echoed a similar attitude towards the team’s advance preparation.

“We can only control our end of it, we can’t control the other side,” said Diggs while addressing the media, “trust that they are going to put us in a safe environment if there’s a game or if not, but for us, we’re going to prepare like there’s a game, anticipate it being a game and practice like there’s going to be a game… So even if there isn’t, we’ll be preparing for every opponent and we want to stay on point.”

Allen spoke further on safety measures that help to ensure that teams not find themselves in this predicament.

“It takes one guy to go to the grocery store, it’s as simple as that sometimes,” said the QB. “You don’t ever suspect anybody to have it in the facility but you’ve got to hope that guys are wearing their masks… That’s one of the great reasons we’ve been okay with what’s going on right now because we are accountable and we trust the guys in this locker room to do the right thing.”

“Unfortunately it takes two to tango and it is what it is. We’ll figure it out, the league will figure it out and then we’ll move forward from whenever we get the news if we’re playing if we’re not playing.”

In awaiting the status of the Week 5 game, stay tuned to Bills Wire for the latest updates.

[lawrence-related id=71118,71114,71180,71203]

Bills next few games could be moved after more Titans COVID positives

Buffalo Bills latest schedule updates with the Titans and Chiefs.

It’s Thursday and typically we’re in the heart of looking at the Buffalo Bills’ next upcoming opponent. Instead, because of the Tennessee Titans’ troubles with COVID-19, it’s not so clear what’s going on.

As of Thursday, the Titans had two more people in their organization test positive for coronavirus after two more confirmed positive reports on Wednesday. Sunday’s originally scheduled game is now certainly in doubt, and it’s hard to envision it taking place.

So what’s the NFL to do? ESPN’s Diana Russini reported on one possible solution which could move Buffalo’s next two games from their initially scheduled time. Instead of Buffalo visiting the Titans on Sunday, that game could be moved to this upcoming Monday or Tuesday to give Tennessee more time to rid their clubhouse of coronavirus.

But after that, the Bills were scheduled to work again on Thursday as the Kansas City Chiefs were slated to head to Buffalo for a Thursday Night Football meeting. Instead of that game happening on Oct. 15, it’d be moved to Oct. 18 on Saturday.

Stay tuned to Bills Wire for the latest news on what could happen to the team’s upcoming schedule.

[lawrence-related id=71199,71191,71193,71189]

Bills at Titans: Wednesday injury reports

Buffalo Bills, Tennessee Titans injury reports for Wednesday ahead of Week 5.

Here are the full Wednesday injury reports for the Buffalo Bills and Tennessee Titans ahead of their Week 5 meeting at Nissan Stadium:

Buffalo Bills (4-0)

Did not practice

  • WR John Brown (calf)
  • OL Cody Ford (groin)
  • LB Matt Milano (pectoral)
  • WR Andre Roberts (ankle)
  • CB Levi Wallace (ankle)
  • CB Tre’Davious White (back)

Limited

  • WR Cole Beasley (foot)
  • QB Jake Fromm (quarantine)
  • RB Zack Moss (toe)
  • LB Del’Shawn Phillips (quad)
  • OL Brian Winters (knee)

Full practice

  • QB Josh Allen (shoulder)

Notes:

Ford, Roberts, and White are new surprise addition to the injury report. … Beasley, Winters Milano, and Wallace suffered their injuries vs. the Raiders & Sean McDermott said Milano and Wallace are “week-to-week.” … Brown was injured in Week 3 but played in Week 4.

Tennessee Titans (3-0)

The Titans did not practice on Wednesday due new COVID-19 positive test results discovered within the organization. Here’s the latest news on the Titans: 

Titans have new COVID-19 positive test Wednesday ahead of Bills meeting

[lawrence-related id=71165,71173,71112,71166]

NFL Week 5 odds, betting lines: Bills might be favorites vs. Titans

Buffalo Bills, Tennessee Titans potential spread?

Well, this game might not even be played, but in case it is, there’s at least one spread out there for the Buffalo Bills’ (4-0) visit to the Tennessee Titans (3-0) on Sunday in Week 5.

The Bills are favorites for the fifth straight game to start the 2020 season, this time being favored by 8.5 points on OddsShark. As mentioned, this one game could be postponed, and can even be considered likely to change. Find more updates at BetMGM as well.

Due to COVID-19 concerns surrounding the Titans, it’s currently unknown if Tennessee will be able to host the Bills in Week 5. Stay tuned to Bills Wire for all of those updates.

If the game does happen, the Bills might be road favorites for back-to-back games after they were last week against the Raiders. Buffalo covered their three-point spread in that one with a 30-23 win.

Despite a spread potentially being around, there’s no money line or over/under yet available.

[lawrence-related id=71112,71166,71046,71044]

Report: Titans held illegal workout

Tennessee Titans, Buffalo Bills’ Week 5 opponent, had illegal workout.

The Titans now could be under hot water for their involvement in an illegal workout held.

Last week, the Titans had to cancel their Week 4 meeting against the Pittsburgh Steelers because of a COVID-19 outbreak in their clubhouse. According to Paul Kuharsky in Tennessee, a group of Titans players held a workout together just a day after the team initially had their first outbreak of COVID-19 within the organization.

The workout was reportedly held at a nearby private school.

Here’s a photo of the potential workout via PaulKuharsky.com:

The report also suggested that the NFL cannot force the Titans to forfeit the Week 5 game with the Bills because the league only just implemented a new ruling on doing so this week, after the the illegal workout took place.

[lawrence-related id=71185,71161,71177,71173]

Bills’ Jon Feliciano returns to practice on Wednesday

Buffalo Bills offensive lineman Jon Feliciano returns to practice on Wednesday, per Sean McDermott.

Buffalo Bills offensive lineman Jon Feliciano will return to practice on Wednesday, according to head coach Sean McDermott.

Feliciano has been battling a pectoral injury he suffered during the offseason. The 28-year-old has spent the first four games of the 2020 season on the Bills’ injured reserve list.

“He’ll begin practice today in some capacity,” McDermott said via video conference.

McDermott also said linebacker Matt Milano (pectoral) and cornerback Levi Wallace (ankle) would not practice on Wednesday.

The Bills will release their official injury report later in the day on Wednesday.

Buffalo is scheduled to visit the Tennessee Titans on Sunday in Week 5, however, the game is in jeopardy due to COVID-19 concerns.

[lawrence-related id=71166,71046,71044,71122]

Could Titans be forced to forfeit vs. Bills?

After the Titans battle with COVID-19, there’s speculation the Buffalo Bills might get a forfeit win in Week 5.

The COVID-19 world we live in has caused many uncertainties. While the NFL seems immune to such circumstances, it is not, and that has hit a fever pitch on Wednesday and it involves the Buffalo Bills.

In Week 5, the Bills are scheduled to visit the Tennessee Titans. But the Titans have been under a microscope for a week because of COVID-19. The Titans had nearly a week straight of positive test results for coronavirus, but that finally stopped on Monday and Tuesday.

Tennessee had two-straight days of no positive results. That all went for naught.

On Wednesday, two more members of the Titans organization were deemed positive for the virus. The hope was that the Titans would find a way to get back to practice on Wednesday to prepare for the Bills, but that’s not happening. So what does the NFL do?

The word “forfeit” is being tossed out there.

Because of the NFL’s schedule, there’s some speculation that the Titans might have to do just that with the Bills. Among national analysts that have mentioned that: ESPN’s Dianna Russini and ESPN’s Dan Graziano on the world-wide leader’s morning program, Get Up.

There’s two big keys in regard to this, one for each team. Because of the Titans’ week-long battle with the virus outbreak in their clubhouse, their Week 4 game against the Pittsburgh Steelers was already postponed. Tennessee’s bye week this season could be an area of where that game could be actually played. Because that’s already being used, the Titans don’t have that option for their meeting with the Bills.

In other cases, the NFL has moved games back a day to Monday in order to get them played. That was the case with the Patriots and Chiefs last weekend, who first played on Sunday, but had their game moved to Monday because of a positive test for both teams.

That’s also off the table, though. The Bills in Week 6 are scheduled to play against the Chiefs… and that’s on Thursday Night Football. If that’s still scheduled to go down and not moved, Buffalo’s cannot play on Monday against the Titans and then Thursday against the Chiefs. That is not enough days in between games.

Aside from a forfeit, the NFL has to choose between moving that Thursday game potentially to Sunday, pushing Bills-Titans to a “Week 18” after the regular season concludes, or hit the eject button and force the Titans for forfeit. The league could be researching how badly the Titans had broken COVID-19 related safety protocol to justify potentially forfeiting the game.

If that does happen, folks in Pittsburgh certainly won’t be happy.

As of Wednesday, the Titans have not been at team faculties since Sept. 28 and will now not get in a “normal” work week ahead of facing Buffalo, no matter what. Typically NFL teams start preparing for their next opponent on Wednesdays and with the latest additional positive tests, that won’t be the case for the Titans.

Stay tuned to Bills Wire for the latest updates on the Bills-Titans Week 5 meeting.

[lawrence-related id=71110,71035,71095,71065]

Titans have new COVID-19 positive test Wednesday ahead of Bills meeting

Tennessee Titans have a new COVID-19 positive test on Wednesday ahead of Week 5 meeting with Buffalo Bills.

Update (8:12 a.m.): According to MMQB’s Albert Breer, the Titans have two potential new positive tests for COVID-19, not one.

Previous coverage:

After a week of mostly bad news in regard to the Tennessee Titans and their battle with COVID-19 as the virus has made its way through their locker room… there were two good days. On Monday and Tuesday, the Titans had back-to-back days with no positive tests.

But now, that’s all a thing of the past.

According to ESPN, the Titans had another new positive test for coronavirus on Wednesday. Reportedly a player has tested positive, bringing their team’s total to 19 people in the team’s clubhouse who have contracted the virus since Sept. 28.

The hope was that the Titans would come back all clear on Wednesday for a third-straight day, meaning players and other staff members could return to their team facility and get a “normal” work week in ahead of their meeting with the Bills in Tennessee. Typically NFL teams begin their preparations for their next opponent on Wednesdays. Now they won’t.

In Week 3, the Titans played the Vikings and in the ensuing days from there, things went from bad to worse. Minnesota never found any positive results via their post-Week 3 testing, but Tennessee continued to see the number of positive tests in their club increase, until the recent stoppage for two days.

Last weekend the Titans canceled their game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Buffalo’s game is certainly in jeopardy in Week 5 now.

[lawrence-related id=71095,71065,71060,71049]

Power rankings: Bills firmly in top-5, clocking as high as No. 2

The Buffalo Bills improved to 4-0 for the first time since 2008, so it’s fair to wonder how that might be reflected in the Week 5 NFL power rankings as other elite teams continue to keep pace. So how did the Bills fare in the pools around the …

The Buffalo Bills improved to 4-0 for the first time since 2008, so it’s fair to wonder how that might be reflected in the Week 5 NFL power rankings as other elite teams continue to keep pace.

So how did the Bills fare in the pools around the league? National media headlines this week would indicate the team is making its presence among the top teams known.

The Bills once more have been dominant on and off the field, appearing at the top of this week’s rankings. One of only four teams at 4-0, the Bills are undefeated and currently sitting 3rd in ESPN’s leaguewide NFL standings. While some have them in a similar position as last week, the team rests in most lists top-five, reaching as high as the 2nd spot in one list.

Here is this week’s power ranking poll roundup for the Bills as they head into Week 5:

USA TODAY

8. Bills (10)

Who was Buffalo’s starting QB last time it started *4-0? Answer: Trent Edwards, who went 7-7 in 2008. I suspect Josh Allen will finish stronger than Edwards did. (*With assist from officials.)

Touchdown Wire

2. Buffalo Bills (4-0. Last week: 3)

If you had said before the season that Bills quarterback Josh Allen would be a legitimate MVP candidate after the first four games, you would have seen more than your share of skepticism. But Allen’s out-of-nowhere hot streak continued unabated in a 30-23 win over the Raiders on Sunday. Allen, who completed 24 passes in 34 attempts for 288 yards, two passing touchdowns, one rushing touchdown, and no interceptions, became the second quarterback in NFL history with at least two touchdown passes and one rushing touchdown in three of his team’s first four games of a season.

The other guy? Steve Grogan, for the 1976 Patriots. Bet you didn’t expect that!

Also, Allen scored the 20th rushing touchdown of his career in his 32nd NFL game, and only Cam Newton (27 games) reached that mark more quickly.

Here’s Touchdown Wire colleague Mark Schofield with more on how Allen is taking it to every defense he faces. If the Titans can manage to get back on the horse, they are the next team to face this.

Sports Illustrated 

4. Buffalo Bills (4-0)

Last week: Win at Las Vegas 30-23
Next week: at Tennessee

Josh Allen’s growing, Stefon Diggs is balling, and Buffalo’s pulling on all cylinders right now. We’ll see if they get to show in Nashville this week—no certainty yet given the circumstances there.

NFL.com

4. Buffalo Bills (4-0)

Previous rank: No. 6

Lost amidst the buzz over Josh Allen’s huge Year 3 leap: A suspect start by Buffalo’s defense, one of the league’s strongest units in 2018 and ’19. The defense struggled again early against the Raiders on Sunday before delivering a vintage second half — forcing a punt and two turnovers in an eventual 30-23 win. The Bills are 4-0 because they no longer need the defense to be perfect to win games. The Allen-led offense hums week after week, and Stefon Diggs proved again why he was the best offseason acquisition made by any team in 2020. His 49-yard catch, coming immediately after a Raiders turnover, set up the game-clinching score. There’s nothing fluky about this start.

Pro Football Talk

3. Bills (No. 4; 4-0)

The Josh Allen injury scare underscores how important he is to the team; his replacement is (checks notes) Matt Barkley.

Sporting News

4. Buffalo Bills 4-0 (5)

The Bills have now put together two impressive wins over the Rams and Raiders because of Josh Allen playing at an MVP level a notch below Wilson. The tests will keep on coming with the Titans and the Chiefs next.

Yahoo! Sports

4. Buffalo Bills (4-0, LW: 3)

The Bills have been good, but there is still room for improvement. The Raiders had more yards and first downs on Sunday, but the Bills forced some well-timed turnovers and made some big plays to get the win. This team is going to get better as the season goes on. There’s a lot of talent, a good coaching staff and they have a 4-0 start in their back pocket.

CBS Sports

4. Bills

Winning on the road the way they did at Las Vegas shows how good they are this season. Now they face another tough road test at Tennessee against the undefeated Titans.

Bleacher Report

6. Buffalo Bills (4-0)

High: 4

Low: 7

Last Week: 6

Week 4 Result: Won vs. Las Vegas Raiders 30-23

It’s been a long time since the Buffalo Bills were a legitimate Super Bowl contender.

But after watching them peel off four straight wins to open the 2020 season, it’s hard to view the Bills as anything else.

The driver of Buffalo’s hot start is undoubtedly quarterback Josh Allen, who has played at an MVP level over the first month of the season. Head coach Sean McDermott raved about the growth he’s seen from Allen in his third season.

“He’s a competitive sucker, and he loves to win,” McDermott told the media. “I can’t say enough about him. He loves to play the game, loves to win, and he puts his heart and soul and body into everything in this game. How could you not love him as a teammate?”

Allen has impressed our analysts as well.

“I never thought I’d find myself saying this,” Davenport said. “But Allen might be the best quarterback from the class of 2018—a class that includes the reigning MVP in Lamar Jackson. The arrival of Stefon Diggs has taken Allen’s development to a whole other level, and his decision-making has improved markedly. Russell Wilson has company in the MVP race.”

ESPN

5. Buffalo Bills (4-0)

Week 4 ranking: 5

FPI chance to make playoffs: 91.7%

This is about where it should be. The Bills are for real this season, with a high-octane offense powered by an early MVP candidate in Josh Allen. The only thing keeping this number from being even higher is Buffalo’s defensive struggles through four games, but that unit showed serious signs of life during a Week 4 win over the Raiders. The Bills have the seventh-hardest remaining schedule according to FPI, but if this defense can return to the top-three form we’ve seen from it each of the past two seasons, Buffalo will be contending for an AFC title — and possibly a Super Bowl.

[lawrence-related id=71122,71108,71110,71035]

Another step in right direction for Titans ahead of Bills meeting

The Tennessee Titans have a second-straight day of positive COVID-19 tests.

About 48 to 72 hours ago, the Buffalo Bills were probably pretty unoptimistic that their Week 5 game against the Tennessee Titans would be played. Fast forward to Tuesday, and things have done a complete 180.

According to various reports, Tuesday has seen the Bills’ upcoming opponent have a second-straight day without any new COVID-19 positive tests in their clubhouse. On Monday, the Titans had their first round of no new positive coronavirus tests in a week.

In Week 3, the Titans played the Vikings and in the ensuing days from there, things went from bad to worse. Minnesota never found any positive results via their post-Week 3 testing, but Tennessee continued to see the number of positive tests in their club increase all the way up to 18 people on Sunday.

Their Week 4 game against the Pittsburgh Steelers was long canceled by then.

With the Titans recording another day of no new positive results, there’s a chance that the team can return to their facilities on Wednesday. If that happens,  the Titans could get in a “normal” work week ahead of their meeting with the Bills in Tennessee. Typically NFL teams begin their preparations for their next opponent on Wednesdays.

Stay tuned to Bills Wire for the latest updates on the Titans’ COVID-19 battle.

[lawrence-related id=71049,70794,71041,71032]