FOOTBALL

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Tenn. (AP) — Coach Mike Vrabel heard that his banged-up Tennessee Titans were being written off after the left side of their offensive line was ruled out a day before hosting the streaking San Francisco 49ers.

Then they lost their backup left tackle to a positive COVID-19 test Thursday morning, forcing them to use their 52nd different starter and 88th player this season.

“We’re not dead yet,” Vrabel said.

Alive and kicking.

Randy Bullock booted a 44-yard field goal with 4 seconds remaining and the Titans rallied from a 10-point halftime deficit to beat the 49ers 20-17 Thursday night.

The Titans (10-5) are a win or a Colts’ loss away from clinching their second straight AFC South title despite losing three of their past four games to drop from the AFC’s top seed to third. Indianapolis plays Arizona on Saturday. Tennesse moved to second in the AFC.

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 The Cleveland Browns got their coach back on the sideline. The New York Jets might be without theirs this weekend.

Browns second-year coach Kevin Stefanski cleared COVID-19 protocols Wednesday and returned to the team after missing Monday’s home loss to Las Vegas, a 16-14 setback that damaged Cleveland’s playoff hopes. Stefanski also sat out the Browns’ playoff win at Pittsburgh last season after testing positive.

Meanwhile, Jets coach Robert Saleh tested positive for COVID-19 after feeling symptoms in the morning, the latest in what has been a surge of coronavirus cases on the team.

Tight ends coach Ron Middleton will coach the team at practice in Saleh’s absence. Saleh could return as soon as Thursday if he no longer shows symptoms and tests negative.

If Saleh doesn’t test out of the COVID-19 protocols before Sunday, Middleton will also serve as the head coach in New York’s game against Jacksonville.

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The Los Angeles Rams overcame 12 players absent due to being on the NFL's COVID-19 list to pull even with the Arizona Cardinals for the NFC West lead by beating the Seattle Seahawks 20-10 in a bizarre Tuesday afternoon game.

This game should have been played last Sunday, however, due to the aforementioned COVID-19 outbreak the Rams had to reschedule, as well as Washington Football Team vs. Philadelphia Eagles for this Tuesday.

Two records in one game for Kupp

It was a historic game for Rams star wide receiver Cooper Kupp who reached ten consecutive games with at least 90 yards per reception, breaking a tie with Hall of Famer Michael Irvin and current teammate Odell Beckham Jr.

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CHICAGO (AP) — Kirk Cousins threw two touchdown passes, and the Minnesota Vikings beat the struggling and short-handed Chicago Bears 17-9 on Monday night.

The Vikings (7-7), part of a tight pack of teams vying for one of the NFC’s seven playoff spots, were in line for their most lopsided win before Justin Fields threw a touchdown pass to Jesper Horsted on the game’s final play.

The final play aside, Minnesota withstood several scoring threats by Chicago down the stretch coming off a tight win over Pittsburgh in which they nearly blew a 29-0 lead.

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The bad news for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers did not end after the ugly NFL Week 15 loss on Sunday Night Football by a score of 9-0 to the New Orleans Saints, as one of star quarterback Tom Brady's favorite weapons will not return for the rest of the season and most likely the postseason.

In the second quarter of the game, wide receiver Chris Godwin left the field to not return to action after taking a nasty fall following a blow to his right knee.

After undergoing an MRI, it was revealed that the receiver tore his ACL and will not be able to see action until next season.