Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel emphasized his team won't have any excuses ahead of their Week 5 tilt vs. the Buffalo Bills.
"We're not going to use any sort of excuse," Vrabel told reporters Saturday. "We'll be ready. We'll be focused."
The Titans returned to the practice field on Saturday for the first time this month after a COVID-19 outbreak within the organization halted all team activities. The Titans reopened their facilities on Saturday after consecutive days of negative COVID-19 tests.
As a result of their outbreak, the Titans' Week 4 game vs. the Pittsburgh Steelers was rescheduled for Week 7 and their Week 5 match with the Bills was rescheduled for Tuesday night.
"I think the guys have tried to stay engaged in meetings (this week) via Zoom, and I think our coaches continue to do a great job of coaching," Vrabel said. "We are excited to be back in the building, to continue our prep for Buffalo."
This week, NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported that the NFL and NFLPA looked into multiple unauthorized workouts involving Titans players amid their shutdown. The investigation is ongoing.
Said Vrabel: "With all the questions that are going to relate to the review -- we've been completely transparent with the NFL and NFLPA and we're going to wait to comment."
All-Pro safety Kevin Byard is itching to get back on the field and has been taking note of the criticisms.
"I've been sitting in the house watching stuff being said about us," Byard said. "We're in a pandemic. To see a lot of the comments I've seen around the league. I've taken note of it. I know other guys have seen it too.
"At the end of the day, we're 3-0."
Regarding Saturday's practice, inclement weather moved the Titans into their indoor facilities.
"We'll have an opportunity to move around a little bit today in the bubble," Vrabel said. "We'll try to work with some speed tomorrow, walk through on Sunday."
Vrabel revealed that rookie tackle Isaiah Wilson will be activated from the reserve/COVID list and partake in Saturday's practice. The first-round pick had been on the reserve/COVID list since Sept. 6.
Vrabel hopes more Titans players currently on the reserve/COVID list will be available soon, however, regardless of how short-handed they are entering their game vs. the undefeated Bills and their practice schedule this week, the Titans are maintaining focus.
"Obviously we're going to be missing some guys, but that's just the situation we're in," quarterback Ryan Tannehill said on Saturday. "We didn't choose this, but we're living in the middle of a pandemic and this came up. We're going to be down some guys, but it also raises a big opportunity for some guys that have been with us."
