Patriots-Broncos postponement sets off a juggling act
The NFL has juggled its regular-season schedule due to coronavirus outbreaks with the Tennessee Titans and New England Patriots.
Nine teams are being affected, some over a period of weeks through Nov. 22: New England, Tennessee, Denver, Buffalo, Kansas City, Miami, the Los Angeles Chargers, New York Jets and Jacksonville.
Denver’s game at New England, originally scheduled for Sunday and then moved to Monday night when the Patriots had more positive COVID-19 tests, now will be played next Sunday afternoon.
Kansas City’s game at Buffalo, which was supposed to be played Thursday night, has been moved back to Monday, Oct. 19.
Tuesday night’s game with the Bills at the Titans, which originally was to be played Sunday, remains on schedule despite another positive test result in Tennessee.
Other changes: —Jets at Chargers moves from Week 6 to Week 11.
—Jaguars at Chargers moves from Week 8 to Week 7.
—Chargers at Broncos moves from Week 11 to Week 8.
—Chargers at Dolphins moves from Week 7 to Week 10.
—Dolphins at Broncos moves from Week 6 to Week 11.
Changes in bye weeks show Denver’s switching to this week from Week 8;
New England’s from next week to this week; the Chargers’ from Week 10 to next week; the Dolphins’ from Week 10 to next week; Jacksonville’s from Week 7 to Week 8; and the Jets’ from Week 11 to Week 10.
There were no other positive COVID-19 tests Sunday.
The NFL rescheduled New England’s game for a second straight week after reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year Stephon Gilmore tested positive. This latest positive result puts their outbreak at four, according to the person who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because neither team announced the latest results.
Broncos coach Vic Fangio, in a memorable take on the outbreaks in the league, noted on a Zoom call that what is occurring with the Titans and Patriots could happen to anyone.
“But my message to them and to anybody is we were inconvenienced by this,” he said, “but it very easily could have been flipped around to where we had the positive tests and the Patriots were inconvenienced by it. So, I’m happy that the positive tests weren’t in our building.
“But I’m under no illusion that at some point we might have a positive test or two and be the cause of a game getting moved down the road. So, we’re all in this together, the entire league is.”