NASHVILLE, Tenn. — For the second week in a row, the NFL is changing its schedule because of COVID-19.

The Bills-Titans game has been moved from Sunday to Tuesday night at 7 p.m. as long as Tennessee has no more positive tests in the interim.
CBS will televise the game.

The NFL also is rescheduling the Broncos-Patriots game from Sunday to Monday at 5 p.m. as part of an ESPN doubleheader. New England had a smaller outbreak of COVID-19.

The Chiefs at Bills game scheduled for Oct. 15 will move to next weekend if the Buffalo-Tennessee game actually is played on Tuesday. No specific day or time has been determined.

“These scheduling decisions were made to ensure the health and safety of players, coaches and game day personnel and in consultation with medical experts,” the NFL said in a statement Thursday night.

Four games have now been postponed or reschedule because of the pandemic. The Patriots are moving from Sunday to Monday for the second straight week, and last weekend’s Pittsburgh at Tennessee game was moved to Oct. 25.

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The Titans’ outbreak increased to 23, with tight end MyCole Pruitt and a defensive back from the practice squad placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list Thursday afternoon. The Titans’ facility remains closed, and the team is still prohibited from any in-person activities.

Tennessee (3-0) has had 21 positive tests returned since Sept. 29, and 13 players are on the reserve/COVID-19 list, including four starters and a long snapper.

Patriots Coach Bill Belichick said his the team has continued to prepare for its game against the Broncos even though its facilities have been closed.

“This is really more of a medical situation than a football situation,” Belichick said during a conference call before the decision was made to move the game to Monday. “So we’ll work through the decisions and input from the people in the medical field, a combination of the Patriots and league. People that know this, know the situation, know the virus and the specific circumstances that are involved here, both in the past and going forward.”

The Patriots shut their practice facility Wednesday and Thursday after quarterback Cam Newton, cornerback Stephon Gilmore and practice-squad player Bill Murray tested positive for COVID-19 over a five-day period.

Newton was held out of New England’s loss to the Chiefs on Monday after testing positive on Saturday. Gilmore didn’t test positive until Tuesday.

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Belichick said the Patriots have been in communication with the league regarding the time they need to prepare to play, but will keep those talks private.

“We knew that at the beginning of the season that there were going to be challenges, and there have been,” he said. “We’re ready to work through them. And that’s what we’re doing.”

It is unknown whether Newton exhibited any coronavirus symptoms before or after his positive test, but Gilmore posted on Twitter that he was showing no symptoms as of Wednesday. Belichick said he hadn’t spoken with Newton in a day and had no update on his status.

According to the NFL’s COVID testing protocols, players showing symptoms can’t return until at least 10 days have passed since symptoms were first reported and at least 24 hours have passed since their last fever. All other symptoms, such as cough and shortness of breath, also must have improved.

If a player tests positive but shows no symptoms, he must either wait 10 days from the initial positive test, or can return after having two consecutive negative tests 24 hours apart.

So that leaves at least a chance both players could be available for Monday’s game.

Belichick said there was nothing preventing either player from participating in virtual meetings Thursday.

“We do the best we can with the opportunities we have,” he said. “It’s not ideal, but there is an opportunity to cover things and get things taught.”

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