TITANS FACING 2 MORE POSITIVE TESTS

The Tennessee Titans now know when they are rescheduled to play the Steelers after the first NFL game postponed by a COVID-19 outbreak.

Getting back into their own building depends on the results of continued testing. The Titans’ outbreak expanded by two more players testing positive Friday, pushing the team’s total to 14 within the past week.

The outbreak forced the NFL to postpone Tennessee’s game from Sunday to Oct. 25 in Week 7, forcing the Steelers into their unplanned bye. Pittsburgh now will play Baltimore on Nov. 1 with the Ravens’ bye now pushed to Week 7 instead of Week 8, which had been the bye for both teams.

Officials from the NFL and the players’ union also were in Nashville, Tenn., on Friday, meeting with the Titans and reviewing the way the team is handling the matter. The NFL and the players’ union also agreed to continue daily testing, including bye weeks, for the foreseeable future in a decision shared with teams Friday.

Coach Mike Vrabel has said he’s very confident that the Titans have followed the league protocols precisely and that nobody was to blame for this outbreak during a pandemic.

The NFL already had postponed the Titans’ game Sunday against Pittsburgh. That came a day after the league said it hoped the teams would play Monday or Tuesday. But another positive test result Thursday led to the postponement and Friday’s rescheduling.

Then the Titans added a pair of wide receivers to the reserve/COVID-19 list Friday: veteran Adam Humphries and Cameron Batson, who’s on the practice squad. Each new positive test requires the team’s infectious control officer to track down everyone in contact with those people.

The Minnesota Vikings (0-3) again had no positive test results Friday, leaving them on target to visit Houston (0-3) on Sunday as scheduled after losing 31-30 to the Titans last week.

Garoppolo out again

Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo will miss his second straight start with a sprained ankle for the 49ers, clearing the way for Nick Mullens to make another start.

Garoppolo got hurt two weeks ago in a win against the Jets and hasn’t practiced since then. The Niners had held out hope he could get on the practice field Friday but they decided to hold him out and listed him as out for the game.

“If Jimmy could have played this week, he would have,” coach Kyle Shanahan said.

Notable

The Raiders will be shorthanded on offense once again this week with two starting receivers and two starting offensive linemen unlikely to play against the Bills. Coach Jon Gruden said that rookie receiver Bryan Edwards will miss the game Sunday after hurting his ankle and foot last week in New England and that fellow rookie Henry Ruggs III is doubtful with injuries to his knee and hamstring. Gruden also said it’s doubtful that right tackle Trent Brown will return after missing the past two games with a calf injury.

The union representing the NFL’s referees reportedly issued a complaint to the league office after Ravens coach John Harbaugh was seen screaming at an official without a mask on during the team’s loss to the Chiefs on Monday night.

Jaguars receiver DJ Chark is no longer on the injury report and expected to return to the starting lineup at Cincinnati.

Sam Darnold’s sprained right shoulder will be the Jets’ focus over the next several days. Coach Adam Gase said there are “a lot of questions to answer there” and it’s possible Darnold could miss some time.