Report: Titans' Game vs. Bills 'In Doubt' After More Titans COVID-19 Tests

The Tennessee Titans reportedly had two players test positive for COVID-19 on Thursday.

According to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero, one of the positives was new, while the other was an inconclusive test from the previous day that came back positive. Albert Breer of The MMQB backed up Pelissero's report.

Two new positives would bring the Titans' total positive cases between players and personnel to 24 since Sept. 24, per ESPN.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport noted Thursday that the scheduled Week 5 game between the Titans and Buffalo Bills is "clearly in doubt," as the Titans' team facility remains closed amid the organization's COVID-19 outbreak.

Last week, the Titans' scheduled game against the Pittsburgh Steelers was postponed until Week 7 because of the number of positive COVID-19 tests within the Titans organization.

Tennessee was originally slated to have its bye in Week 7, but that moved to Week 4, so there is no way to reschedule the Bills vs. Titans game unless an extra week is added to the regular season.

The NFL also may not have the luxury of moving Sunday's game to Monday or Tuesday since the Bills face the Kansas City Chiefs in the Thursday night game to open Week 6.

ESPN's Dianna Russini reported Thursday, however, that the NFL could consider moving Bills vs. Titans to Monday or Tuesday and then moving Chiefs vs. Bills in Week 6 from Thursday to Saturday.

One option the NFL could conceivably consider is forcing the Titans to forfeit the game against Buffalo. On Monday, the NFL sent a memo to teams informing them that they could be punished with a loss of draft picks or forfeiture of games if they are found to have violated COVID-19 protocols.

An official from Montgomery Bell Academy in Nashville, Tennessee, confirmed to ESPN's Turron Davenport this week that some Titans players held a workout at the school last week while the team's facility was shut down.

That would likely be considered a violation now, but since it occurred before the NFL sent out the memo, the league may not want to retroactively punish the Titans.

ESPN's Adam Schefter noted on Get Up on Thursday that the NFL might determine the playoff field based on winning percentage rather than total wins if not all teams are able to play a 16-game schedule.

The Bills vs. Titans game is among the most highly anticipated contests on the Week 5 slate with Tennessee sitting at 3-0 and Buffalo at 4-0.