Coming into the 2020 season, the NFL knew it would have to be flexible regarding its schedule. Well, the league will be put to the test over the next few weeks due to the outbreak that has affected the Tennessee Titans.
The NFL had to postpone last week’s game between the Steelers and Titans due to COVID-19. Unfortunately, the Titans might miss yet another game since they continue to have new cases on a daily basis.
Instead of postponing all these games, the NFL might decide to just take them off the schedule entirely. During this Thursday’s edition of Get Up on ESPN, Adam Schefter revealed a new playoff scenario that’s being discussed.
Schefter believes the league’s postseason could be decided by win percentage rather than number of wins.
“One scenario is that the playoffs won’t be based on a number of wins as it has been every year the NFL has existed. It could simply be that it’s based on win percentage. If the Tennessee Titans go 10-3 this year, if their win percentage is better, they go to the playoffs. Again, it’s not an ideal scenario, but we’re not living in an ideal time.”
.@AdamSchefter says the NFL is discussing a scenario in which the playoffs could be based off win percentage instead of number of wins this season. pic.twitter.com/dzDyUyGgxM
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) October 8, 2020
Win percentage will become extremely important if the NFL doesn’t reschedule the Bills-Titans game this weekend. However, the league currently plans on playing that game.
ESPN insider Dianna Russini is reporting that both the Bills and Titans were told there is an option of playing their game on Monday or Tuesday in Nashville.
If the NFL moves the Bills-Titans game to either Monday or Tuesday, the Bills’ upcoming game against the Chiefs would be moved from Thursday to Saturday.
I’m told by #Titans and #Bills players they were told there is an option of playing their Sunday game on Monday or Tuesday in Nashville. If that happens, Thursday night’s game between the Chiefs at Bills would be moved to Saturday. This all just being discussed.
— Dianna Russini (@diannaESPN) October 8, 2020
This is a very fluid situation at the moment, as the next few rounds of testing for the Titans will be crucial.
Additional positive tests for Tennessee could force the NFL to remove at least one game off its 256-game schedule.