Steelers-Titans game postponed

23 positives among the Titans. Working out as a group? Didn’t they understand that the purpose of closing their facility was to keep them apart and keep the virus from spreading further? The Titans might as well have had an official White House team visit for all the good closing the facility did. The virus is contagious but so was stupidity, or arrogance, or whatever makes people assume they wont get it.

The Steelers game should be a forfeit, and the Steelers’ bye week restored. Otherwise the schedule blows up the next time something happens (which will be soon) and they’ll have to shorten the season. That may well happen anyway.

 

It's like the Titans wanted Covid not the Steelers.

 

Agreed. It seems as if the league is considering making the Titans forfeit to the Bills, but not to the Steelers? WTF?!

 

Sounds more like the NFL is playing musical schedules. Everyone runs around in a circle and the team who doesn't test positive gets screwed.

Or Duck Duck Goose, NFL style. A Titan runs around a bunch of clean players and infects them all. Goodell yells GOOSE and then changes 5 teams' schedules.

Hey, I've got a really stupid, irrational idea. Why doesn't Goodell and his band of merry misfets stop being douches and simply not allow teams to play if they can't stay healthy?

 

Yep.

My suspicion is that these are less decisions about schedule strategy, and rather decisions made with lawyers in close attendance advising on risk to $$$. If I was the Titans, I wouldn't take forfeits and lost income without some kind of appeal. Mind you, if I was the Titans, I wouldn't have had players practising when they weren't meant to.

 

If they violated the league's COVID protocols, and it sure looks like they did exactly that, they have no legs to stand on. That does seem to be the biggest roadblock for forfeits, that the teams would not be contractually obligated to pay the players that week. Of course, the league loses the revenue from those games, so it is tough to say just pay them anyway. That is on the league to sort that out.

My issue is with potentially having the Titans forfeit this week, but not the game against the Steelers. That is asinine and incredibly unfair to the Steelers. I know some people say they want the game instead of the forfeit. I don't. If the Steelers can get another victory and have their bye restored, that is the best thing for their chances at making the playoffs and getting a higher seed. That is what is best for the Steelers, which is what we should all want.

 

Can't believe I'm saying this, but I want what's best for the entire league right now. Obviously, I don't want the Steelers handcuffed or treated unfairly, but if everything was handled well across the board, we would have a better, and more sustainable, situation throughout the season.

And you said, "Of course, the league loses the revenue from those games, so it is tough to say just pay them anyway. That is on the league to sort that out." That is why I'm a broken record on my stance. It shouldn't be tough to say anything. There should be nothing at this point to sort out.

The NFL had the backing of the pandemic when deciding to have a season. The players' union were at their mercy. They could have drawn a line in the sand and ammended the CBA in countless ways or simply shut down the league. Tv contracts, pay, protocols, and repercussions were all on the table before the season was greenlit. The fact that there is anything to sort out today is what is asinine.

 

https://www.nfl.com/news/bills-won-t-practice-friday-after-week-5-schedule-change

 

Pretty soon all games will be moved to 2021 lol

 

It's okay guys after a week long string of positive covid test in Tennessee they have magically stopped!! We've found the cure. It's Goodell and wanting to force every team to play 16 games no matter how bad it screws up schedules and his inability to do the right thing and just forfeit 2 regular season games.

 

they are not going to do forfeit's. Thats a last resort if they have absolutely no other options left. The reasoning is the TV contracts. If they cancel games then I'm sure there is something in the contract that would cause them to be in breach of contract and allow them to opt out and renegotiate. Remember the NFL was very big on getting the contracts taken care of and everything squared away cause they were worried about work stoppage and anything else that could and would affect the TV money. Make no mistake the TV contracts are what make the money for the league and the owners. It is and will continue to be their #1 priority (until something eclipses the TV money).

 

First off, with a name like Mike T, you're going to be polarizing around here at best. Be prepared to defend a LOT.

Now, to your comments. You can't say they "are not" going to do forfeits, then say it's a last resort. And while I agree that TV contracts are a big issue, the #1 priority is not dealing with a covid-related death as a result of conducting the season. The league had time to deal with TV contracts and the possibility of rescheduling/cancelling games before they greenlit the season. It shouldn't really be an issue at this point.

 

I'm sorry but this excuse doesn't fly. People fail to see the big picture like I do. Lets look at what the NFL and Networks goal should be.. It should be to get the season over. Then playoffs and Super Bowl where I'm sure they make the most of their ad revenue. Not forcing some lousy 1pm game involving the Titans. It's jeopardizing the season and player safety imo to mess with byes and force games so close and so many in a row. These Networks are dying for sports and something to put on TV during this pandemic. If they are really going to play hardball over a few lousy games involving the Titans then that's just stupid. I'm not buying it.

 

I think we fail to see a lot more than just the big picture.

 

Absolutely....Fans aren't even allowed into the games ( or very ,very few ) And the NFL is still making huge profits...

No doubt the TV Contracts are the straw that stirs the Drink!

 

it holds all the water. Your thinking from what you want to see not what the networks and the NFL wants to see. Do you pay attention to how the NFL has operated (especially since Goodell)? The NFL's concern point blank above and beyond anything and everything is the almighty dollar. Where do they get the lion share of their dollars? From the TV contracts. If games are cancelled they are in breach of contract. If games are cancelled then someone is receiving a competitive advantage therefore alienating someone's fan base directly affecting viewing numbers and ratings. This then will affect the Stations making money, which in turn will cause them to not like their current contract. With cancelled games (especially due to their own employees not following protocols they cant claim act of god) they can renegotiate their contract. EVERYTHING is about the ratings and keeping this monster going. Obviously you do not pay attention to what the NFL is. Its a business that sells a product and that product is football. Do you think Coke makes as much money if they cancel 1/8" of their product for any given week?

My wife is a special Ed teacher if you need it broken down in a more simpler way i can ask her to respond for you to help it make more sense?


On a side note the real idiocy to all this is that they started the season with no plan in place for when a outbreak happened. It wasnt a matter of if it was a matter of when. Typical Goodell flying by the seat of his pants and making it up as he goes.

 

I had covid back in March very severely. I still can't breathe worth a damn due to the perminent lung damage, and never will again. Yes, alot survive, but at what cost? People look at the death toll and that's it. The number that survive a severe case is easily 10x the death toll. On a side note.. my 93yrd old mother was tested positive 3 days ago after complaining of not feeling well. She is currently stable but not in good shape. She lives in a nursing home and was infected by a staff member. This **** is real!!!

 

Damn Man, So sorry to hear... I'm praying for you, and your Mom!

 

You act like I don't get all that. My point is cancelling two Titans games isn't the end of the world. Nobody gives a **** about the Titans. They aren't some ratings giants. Actually it's the opposite, Pittsburgh is a huge draw and usually Top 3 market for the NFL so alienating them and screwing over the Steelers would be stupid. But our fans cave like always.

These networks need the NFL as much as the NFL needs them. They aren't ripping up contracts over two Titans games. Trust me.

 

My grandfather once told me not to yell ouch before I got hit.

Bellyache when/if the league gives the a Bills forfeit, but not one to the Steelers. My guess there won’t be any.

 

Not to be too personal, but purely for my education, what symptoms did you first feel that told you something was wrong?

 

I had flu like symptoms to start. I didnt think anything of it because I NEVER get sick, but when I have, its always amounted to nothing. But my breathing got worse and my fever spiked to over 104. Thats when I was taken to the hospital. I was put on oxygen, but never had a breathing tube put in. I was hospitalized for 17 days. I dont remember a loss of taste or smell thats been reported, but I was feeling like death and didn't notice. Plus it was early on in the pandemic and didnt know what to watch for at the time

 

Really sorry to hear that.

I find increasingly, over here in the UK at least, all the discussions on various lockdowns/sports/politics tends to overlook the actual suffering involved.

 

Thank you

Good luck