(WBEN/AP) - Where will the Buffalo Bills play next week?
That has suddenly become a question after Santa Clara County banned all sports teams from holding games and practices for the next three weeks.
The Bills were scheduled to play the San Francisco 49ers in Santa Clara a week from tonight on Monday Night Football. Now there's uncertainty to where the game will be held.
"The place that the game is played, whatever stadium it is, is not as important as when it will be played," said former Bill and current broadcast analyst Steve Tasker. "When the league starts moving games around the calendar from this day to that day... that's more important for preparation than where they play it."
The Bills have already had two games shifted on the calendar due to COVID.
The 49ers could look to play at the Oakland Coliseum — the Raiders' old home — or possibly the Giants' baseball stadium in San Francisco. Currently, it looks like Dallas and Arizona are the top options for relocating not only the Bills game, but all of the team's practices as well as the December 13 game against Washington. Arizona would be a fine option for Buffalo, who just played in that stadium two weeks ago.
"There's absolutely a degree of comfort that you can get by repeating a trip that you just took a few weeks ago," Tasker said. "It's something that will be helpful to them if they do go to Arizona. The players will feel mentally at ease making a return trip."
The rules in Santa Clara County take effect Monday and will last until December 21.
"We are working with the NFL and our partners on operational plans and will share details as they are confirmed," the team said in a statement.
A person familiar with the situation said the NFL and 49ers prepared possible back-up plans before the season in case the Niners needed to move their operations and have an NFL stadium ready for games.
