Report: NFL could determine playoff berths by winning percentage instead of total wins due to COVID

The NFL is currently trying to figure out how to manage the season going forward, as the Tennessee Titans' coronavirus outbreak continues to be a scheduling nightmare and several other teams have had players test positive this week. And according to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the league is considering having the playoffs be decided by win percentage rather than record if games can't be made up due to the COVID pandemic.

"The NFL has gone over a number of alternative scenarios, and in a season of COVID, it very well may be forced to resort to one of those," Schefter said on "Get Up" Thursday morning. "And one of those that has come up is that the playoffs won't be based on a number of wins as it has been every year that the NFL has existed, it could just simply be that it's based on win percentage. That if the Tennessee Titans go 10-3 this year, or whatever their record is, if their win percentage is better, they go to the playoffs."

Schefter said the league is aware this is "not an ideal scenario" but obviously, we aren't exactly living in ideal times and if the league is forced to cancel more Titans' games following their outbreak, they might not be able to play a full 16-game season in time. 

The Titans have already been forced to postpone their game against the Pittsburgh Steelers due to the outbreak and their game against the Bills could be in danger as well, as more players tested positive this week. To make matters worse, the team is reportedly being investigated about whether or not the Tennessee Titans violated the league's mandated health and safety protocols. If they are found to be guilty of violating protocol, they could face severe punishment from the league, including fines and/or loss of draft picks.