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Friends as playoff foes: Packers' LaFleur faces Rams' McVay

(AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill, File)Green Bay Packers coach Matt LaFleur and Los Angeles Rams coach Sean McVay say their friendship and shared history shouldn't have much of an impact on their teams’ upcoming NFC divisional playoff matchup. The top-seeded Packers (13-3) host the Rams (11-6) on Saturday with an NFC championship game berth at stake. San Francisco’s head coach is Kyle Shanahan, who worked at Washington with Matt LaFleur and McVay from 2010-13. LaFleur was the quarterbacks coach on Quinn’s Atlanta staff from 2015-16 and worked for Mike Vrabel at Tennessee in 2018. They reunited in 2017 when McVay became the Rams’ head coach and hired LaFleur.

Column: Smith-Schuster fires up foes through jigs and digs

(AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)Say this about Ju-Ju Smith-Schuster: he sure knows how to fire up foes through jigs and digs alike. He said he thought “they’re still the same Browns teams I play every year” and while they had talent, “the Browns is the Browns." The Browns snapped their 17-game losing streak at Heinz Field with their first road playoff win since 1969. “That turns you up a little bit,” Buffalo safety Jordan Power said after the Bills’ 26-15 win over Pittsburgh in Week 14. “For the betterment of myself and my teammates, I’m going to stop dancing on the logos,” Smith-Schuster declared after that loss to Cincinnati.

Henry passes 2K, Titans beat Texans 41-38 on late field goal

Tennessee Titans kicker Sam Sloman (2) kicks a 37-yard game-winning field goal against the Houston Texans during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Jan. 3, 2021, in Houston. But it was a lucky bounce that gave the Tennessee Titans a win over Houston Texans and their first AFC South title since 2008. Henry ran for a career-high 250 yards to surpass 2,000 yards rushing and rookie Sam Sloman’s 37-yard field goal bounced off the upright and through for the 41-38 victory. Henry had touchdown runs of 52 and 6 yards in his third straight 200-yard rushing game against the Texans. The Titans then capped a long drive with a 5-yard TD run by Tannehill with less than two minutes remaining.

AP Exclusive: Titans' ownership staying in Adams family

(AP Photo/Matt Dunham, File)Ownership of the Tennessee Titans is remaining with the Adams family with Susie Adams Smith agreeing to sell her share of the team to the family-controlled KSA Industries Inc.Amy Adams Strunk will hold a 50% share with the other 50% held by Kenneth Adams IV, Barclay Adams and Susan Lewis. Those three will continue as owners of the Titans with Adams Strunk continuing as controlling owner in a sale expected to be completed by the end of this year. “The Titans franchise has meant so much to me and my family over the 61 years of its existence,” Adams Strunk said in a statement to The Associated Press. Initially, after Bud Adams' death, the family installed Susie Adams Smith as controlling owner and made her husband Tommy Smith team president. Adams Strunk fired Ken Whisenhunt in November 2015 and fired Mike Mularkey in January 2018 after the Titans' first playoff berth since 2008 when Tennessee reached the divisional round.

Mayfield throws 4 TDs in 1st half, Browns beat Titans 41-35

The Browns had their best-scoring half ever, leading 38-7 at halftime, topping the 35 points scored in the second half at Cincinnati in 2004. The Titans made it interesting late, outscoring the Browns 28-3 in the second half. Mayfield became the first Browns quarterback to throw four TDs in the first half since Hall of Famer Otto Graham in 1951. That’s the guy that the Cleveland Browns know who he is. Tennessee opened the second half scoring back-to-back touchdowns within the first six minutes.

Colts grab AFC South tiebreaker by beating Titans 34-17

Indianapolis Colts running back Nyheim Hines celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Tennessee Titans in the first half of an NFL football game Thursday, Nov. 12, 2020, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Coaches and quarterbacks change for the Indianapolis Colts. Philip Rivers threw for 308 yards and a touchdown, and Nyheim Hines scored twice as the Colts trounced the Titans 34-17 Thursday night to grab the head-to-head edge atop the AFC South. The Colts (6-3) will host the rematch in Indianapolis on Nov. 29 after helping coach Frank Reich improve to 4-1 against Titans coach Mike Vrabel. Indianapolis took advantage of the Titans' special teams woes to score twice in the third quarter for a 27-17 lead. He passed Marino on the Colts’ first play from scrimmage with an 11-yard pass to rookie Jonathan Taylor.

Seahawks keep top spot in AP Pro32; Steelers, Titans move up

(AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)NEW YORK – As the NFC's only 5-0 team, the Seattle Seahawks had a quiet week on a bye. However, the Seahawks didn't lose any ground and maintained the top spot in the latest AP Pro32 poll. The Seahawks received nine of 12 first-place votes for 377 points in balloting Tuesday by media members who regularly cover the NFL. The Chiefs earned two first-place votes for 366 points, while the loss dropped the Bills one spot to No. 3 and the Tennessee Titans, the league's other 5-0 team, received the remaining first-place vote and gained two places to No.

AP source: No talk of individual punishment for Titans

The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because neither the NFL, the NFL Players Association nor the Titans have commented on the review. “This is not about discipline," NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said last week when asked about potential punishment for the Titans. The Titans' facility was shut down Sept. 29 after eight positive tests. The review says the Titans cooperated fully with the “comprehensive” look into how the team had been following protocols. Titans players worked out Sept. 30 in groups including at a private Nashville high school.

Seahawks gain top spot in AP Pro32 poll

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson passes against the Minnesota Vikings late in the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2020, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)NEW YORK – For the first time this season, there's a new top team in the AP Pro32 poll. The Seattle Seahawks have vaulted all the way to the No. The Seahawks, the league's only 5-0 team, inched up a place after rallying for a 27-26 victory on Sunday night against Minnesota. The Browns head to Pittsburgh this week in one of the top matchups of Week 6.

Bills-Titans, Broncos-Patriots rescheduled by NFL

FILE - In this Sept. 27, 2020, file photo, members of the Tennessee Titans take part in the national anthem before an NFL football game against the Minnesota Vikings, in Minneapolis. The NFL also is rescheduling Sunday’s Broncos-Patriots game from Sunday to Monday at 5 p.m. EDT as part of an ESPN doubleheader. The Titans' outbreak increased to 23 Thursday with tight end MyCole Pruitt and a defensive back from the practice squad put on the reserve/COVID-19 list Thursday afternoon. The Titans' facility remains closed with the team still prohibited from any in-person activities. Sills noted they wanted to learn how to improve and the NFL already has made a number of changes.

NFL looking at "several" protocol incidents with Titans

FILE - In this Sept. 27, 2020, file photo, members of the Tennessee Titans take part in the national anthem before an NFL football game against the Minnesota Vikings, in Minneapolis. The Titans had no positive tests Monday or Tuesday for the first time after six consecutive days of positive results. The Titans cannot return to their facility before Saturday at the earliest, needing back-to-back days without a positive test result. Titans coach Mike Vrabel said Tuesday any discipline would be something for the NFL to discuss. Both Sills and Dr. Thom Mayer, the NFL Players Association's medical director, said the key is everyone following the protocols.

Vrabel says Titans hope NFL allows them to return Wednesday

“And then we'll kind of see where we're at with the league and hopeful to return and get back in the building,” Vrabel said. The NFL and its players union had people in Nashville meeting with the Titans to review how the team handled the outbreak and checking protocols. The Titans’ outbreak reached 20 cases on Sunday, the team’s sixth straight day of at least one positive, with 18 returned since Sept. 29. “ I’m not even thinking about that.”The Titans' outbreak also affected the Baltimore Ravens, who now will have a bye Week 7 instead of playing Pittsburgh. The NFL and the players union agreed Oct. 2 to continue daily testing, and they both agreed to ramp up health and safety procedures in the wake of the Titans' outbreak.

NFL reschedules Steelers-Titans, Ravens' bye now Week 7

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. But another positive test result Thursday led to the postponement and Friday's rescheduling. Each new positive test requires the team’s infectious control officer to track down everyone in contact with those people.

Titans back to waiting after NFL postpones game vs. Steelers

The Titans suspended in-person activities through Friday after the NFL says three Titans players and five personnel tested positive for the coronavirus, becoming the first COVID-19 outbreak of the NFL season in Week 4. Their game against the Pittsburgh Steelers is now postponed until later in the season because of the league's first COVID-19 outbreak. The NFL postponed Sunday's game in Nashville after one additional Titans player and one personnel member tested positive for COVID-19. The NFL decided to postpone the game “to ensure the health and safety of players, coaches and game day personnel." For now both the Titans and Steelers went from game preparation to an unexpected bye and a chance to heal up some players.

Hospitals feel squeeze as coronavirus spikes in Midwest

Like other states, health officials in Wisconsin had warned since the pandemic began that COVID-19 patients could overwhelm hospitals. Nearly 678 COVID-19 infections per 100,000 people have been diagnosed over the past two weeks, leading the country for new cases per capita, according to the COVID Tracking Project. The space isn't exclusively for coronavirus patients but could be used to treat them if needed. Last week, the state had the nation’s sixth-highest rate of coronavirus infections per 100,000 people, according to a White House coronavirus task force report dated Sunday. The number of reported coronavirus cases in Oklahoma increased by 980 on Wednesday, with 13 additional deaths, state health officials said.

Virus outbreak pushes Steelers-Titans to Monday or Tuesday

The Titans suspended in-person activities through Friday after the NFL says three Titans players and five personnel tested positive for the coronavirus, becoming the first COVID-19 outbreak of the NFL season in Week 4. Only one new positive test result came back Wednesday, a day after the Titans had three players and five team personnel test positive for COVID-19. The Vikings had no positive test results Wednesday and were preparing to reopen their building Thursday, with a game Sunday at Houston. Other Titans are home hoping no more positive results turn up and that they themselves don't test positive even as they attempt to keep their family members safe. It’s tough to keep the virus completely out.”And the Titans are the NFL's first team tasked with finding a way to adapt and play through the league's first COVID-19 outbreak.

NFL: Steelers-Titans postponed after positive virus tests

The Titans suspended in-person activities through Friday after the NFL says three Titans players and five personnel tested positive for the coronavirus, becoming the first COVID-19 outbreak of the NFL season in Week 4. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Pittsburgh-Tennessee game originally scheduled for Sunday will be played either Monday or Tuesday due to positive coronavirus tests among the Titans, the NFL announced Wednesday. The NFL said a new date and time would be announced as soon as possible and that the postponement would allow additional time for further testing. On Tuesday, the NFL said three Titans players and five team personnel had tested positive for COVID-19. ET, will be rescheduled to allow additional time for further daily COVID-19 testing and to ensure the health and safety of players, coaches and game day personnel,” the NFL said.

Titans have NFL’s first COVID-19 outbreak, with 8 positives

The Titans suspended in-person activities through Friday after the NFL said three Titans players and five personnel tested positive for the coronavirus, becoming the first COVID-19 outbreak of the NFL season in Week 4. Now, the Titans will become the first significant in-season test of the league's virus protocols. The Minnesota Vikings also suspended in-person activities Tuesday following the Titans' test results. Titans outside linebackers coach Shane Bowen did not travel with the team to Minneapolis following a virus test result Saturday. The Titans, like other NFL teams, use devices that detect whenever someone is within 6 feet of another device and records how long they are that close together.

Jaguars, with shot to move to 2-0, eager to end slide in Nashville

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Starting 2-0 is an opportunity the Tennessee Titans simply haven’t seized in a very long time. “So, yeah, I think it’s a big game for us, it’s a big game because it’s a divisional game. Jack and Jones led the way Sunday as Jacksonville held Indy to 88 yards rushing — more than 50 yards under what it allowed last year. Henry also is averaging 104.3 yards rushing against AFC South teams since becoming the starter in 2018. His 1,251 yards rushing inside the division lead the NFL in that time, a total that includes 498 yards rushing against the Jaguars.