I kick around all these prospective outcomes with TribLive Steelers beat writer Joe Rutter throughout our weekly podcast after Tomlins press conference. Where the Steelers rank among the AFCs elite.
If– as some have actually suggested– the Steelers take this weekend off and move their Week 7 video game versus the Baltimore Ravens to Week 8, all that would have to happen. Thats practical due to the fact that the Ravens have a bye throughout Week 8. In theory, this weeks game could be bumped to Week 7 (when the Tennessee bye is currently arranged), and the Steelers and Ravens might press their contest to their shared bye week.
Which is why all the ideas that have been thrown around for the previous 24 hours about how to manage this situation are overcomplicating things.
If they arent in a bubble like the NBA and NHL gamers were, they arent 100% safe from infection in the outside world.
That doesnt mean he was rubbing his hands all over other individualss things, though, as Gobert performed in that notorious video back in March.
It is, however, the Titans problem. It should not be the Steelers issue.
Unless we discover proof to the contrary, Steelers fans shouldnt blame the Tennessee Titans for being the very first NFL group to become a covid-19 hotspot. Even if that news results in Sundays game between the clubs getting held off or forfeited.
Listen: Tim Benz and Joe Rutter go over the status of the Steelers game versus the Titans, as that group deals with a covid-19 outbreak
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If the game is played and the Titans dont get to practice until Saturday, regrettable.
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The problem is if the NFL leaps through all these hoops to accommodate a rescheduling of the Steelers-Titans game, what if a game turns up when the rescheduling choices arent so easy?
The Steelers shouldnt need to take in a bye week in Week 3 due to the fact that the Titans got ill. The Steelers should not have to play 13 straight weeks without a bye, potentially entering into the playoffs, because the Titans got ill. Because the Titans got ill, the Steelers should not have to play three straight roadway games.
” Those conversations are continuous,” Tomlin stated. “That is their charge. Our mindset is that we are going to proceed as if routinely arranged till we get further information. So I havent entered into a lot of that.”
Frankly, while a minimal concession, the Ravens should not have to move their schedule around since the Titans got ill either.
Being exposed to the virus does not necessarily imply bad behavior on the part of the Titans. It could just be bad luck.
The most obvious method to manage this scenario is to have the Titans play the video game against the Steelers on Sunday– or even Monday night– with whoever is healthy enough to play and whoever evaluates negative. Oh well if star running back Derrick Henry and quarterback Ryan Tannehill cant fit up.
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Tim Benz is a Tribune-Review staff author. You can contact Tim at [email protected] or via Twitter. All tweets could be reposted. All emails undergo publication unless specified otherwise.
The one caution is if the Steelers prefer to make those concessions as opposed to can be found in close contact with a group filled with gamers that have had exposure to the virus. Maybe the Steelers would prefer those annoyances in scheduling as opposed to a lot covid danger.
Tennessee is deemed to be a “quarantine state” by Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolfs office. Bowen couldve contracted the infection in the house, the grocery store or filling station for all we understand. Perhaps he mightve gotten it from one of the other Titans considered to be positive, and he simply tripped the test.
Or– and stick with me here– this is a virus. And bacteria spread. And individuals get ill, try as they might to prevent the illness.
A minimum of 3 players and five others within the Titans team have actually checked positive for the infection. So the status of the Steelers journey to Nashville for the match Sunday remains in concern.
ESPN reports that none of the individuals who tested favorable with the team are symptomatic. With absolutely nothing but previous daily unfavorable tests under their belts, how were they to understand?
Tennessee linebackers coach Shane Bowen has now end up being the Rudy Gobert of the NFL. Hes the leagues client absolutely no. Hes the one who was put in the covid-19 procedure before the group left Nashville Saturday to play Minnesota.
Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin says he hasnt been asked for any input on the matter.
I suppose information could emerge that some members of the Titans imitated the Miami Marlins and headed out on the town. Perhaps somebody on the team went to a strip club for their preferred chicken wings, like NBA gamer Lou Williams. Or someone brought a lady back to the group hotel, camouflaged in team gear like Seattle Seahawks novice Kemah Siverand supposedly did back in August.
If they do not have enough gamers to play, they forfeit. Sorry. Corona-life is difficult.
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The Steelers shouldnt have to take in a bye week in Week 3 due to the fact that the Titans got ill. The Steelers shouldnt have to play 13 straight weeks without a bye, potentially going into the playoffs, due to the fact that the Titans got sick. The Steelers shouldnt have to play 3 straight road games because the Titans got sick.
All that would have to occur if– as some have actually suggested– the Steelers take this weekend off and move their Week 7 game versus the Baltimore Ravens to Week 8. In theory, this weeks video game could be bumped to Week 7 (when the Tennessee bye is presently set up), and the Steelers and Ravens might press their contest to their shared bye week.
