Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
BY: MIKE READ
After a week of uncertainty with the COVID-19 outbreak in the Tennessee Titans organization, and games across the league being postponed because of it, the matchup between the Buffalo Bills and Tennessee Titans is actually happening (Unless more cases are reported).
The Bills (4-0) are on the road in Nashville and set to take on the Titans (3-0) in a week five matchup that was supposed to be played on Sunday, October 11 but was moved to this evening after the Titans had an outbreak of positive COVID-19 cases.
Tennessee’s first positive case surfaced on September 24 and to date, the Titans have had 24 positive COVID-19 tests (13 players, 11 staff).
As of yesterday, the Titans did not have any new positive COVID-19 tests and they were back to practice in preparation for the Bills.
This game will be only the third game in NFL history to be played on a Tuesday since 1946.
The Bills’ offense, led by September AFC Offensive Player of the Month Josh Allen, will look to dominate a Titans defense, that is without a coordinator after Dean Pees retired earlier this year and the organization chose not to fill the position. The Titans defense currently ranks 30th in the league in total defense and has allowed 422.3 points per game this season.
Through week five, the Bills rank third overall in total offense and second overall in the passing game. This could be a balanced game for Josh Allen and the offense as they will look to exploit a Titans defense that has allowed 256.3 yards a game through the air and 166.0 rushing yards on the ground.
As for the Bills’ defense, it is unclear if All-Pro cornerback Tre’Davious White is going to play after not practicing the entire week due to a back injury.
Linebacker Matt Milano has already been ruled out for the game.
With quarterback Ryan Tannehill leading the offense for the Titans, he will try and attack the Bills passing defense which has struggled, in part, due to injuries. The Bills are allowing 280.3 passing yards a game but are solid defending the run as they have only allowed 101.1 rushing yards a game so far this season.
They will try and slow down running back Derrick Henry for the Titans who has 319 yards and 2 touchdowns through three games.
One big note for the Titans defense, defensive lineman DaQuan Jones who was put on the teams Reserve/COVID on September 29, was removed on Sunday and is eligible to play against the Bills.
WHAT TO WATCH FOR
- Devin Singletary and Zach Moss to put up points and big numbers for the Bills against a struggling Titans rush attack.
- With Titans wide receiver Corey Davis on the teams Reserve/COVID list, look for receiver Adam Humphries and tight end Jonnu Smith to get more targets against an injured Bills secondary with Milano out and Tre’Davious White’s game status up in the air.
- Josh Allen to light up against the Titans, in the air and on the run.
Bills-Titans kickoff is 7 p.m. for a national broadcast on CBS (Channel 4/WIVB here in Western New York). There will also be a crowd of roughly 8,600 fans in the stands in Nissan Stadium even after the outbreak within the organization.
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