Tag: D’Onta Foreman

Tunnel Vision of Week 17

Tunnel Vision – a look back at Sunday for fantasy free agents, injuries and notable performances.

SUNDAY SALUTES
Quarterbacks Pass-Rush TD
 Joe Burrow 446 – 10 4
 Tom Brady 410 3
 Russell Wilson 236 – 23 4
 Josh Allen 120 – 81 2
Dak Prescott 226 – 20 3
Running Backs Yards TD
Rashaad Penny 25-170 rush
2-15 catch		 2
Darrel Williams 14-88 rush
3-19 catch		 2
Boston Scott 14-47 rush
4-39 catch		 2
Devin Singletary 110 rush 2
R. Stevenson 19-107 rush 2
Wide Receivers Yards TD
Ja’Marr Chase 11-226 3
Amon-Ra St. Brown 8-111 catch
2-23 rush		 2
DK Metcalf 6-63 catch
1-6 rush		 3
Davante Adams 11-136 catch 1
Cooper Kupp 6-95 catch 1
Tight Ends Yards TD
Noah Fant 6-92 1
Rob Gronkowski 7-115 0
Mark Andrews 6-89 0
Travis Kelce 5-25 1
Dallas Goedert 6-71 0
Placekickers XP FG
Jason Meyers 6 3
Matt Prater 1 4
Justin Tucker 1 4
Brett Maher 0 4
Mason Crosby 4 3
Defense Sack – TO TD
Bears 4 – 4 0
Titans 2 – 3 0
Saints 7 – 2 0
Ravens 1 – 3 1
Patriots 2 – 3 0

Bumps, Bruises and Bowouts

QB Joe Burrow – Knee
QB Drew Lock – Shoulder
RB – Michael Carter – Concussion
RB Damien Harris – Hamstring
RB Ronald Jones – Ankle
WR Antonio Brown – Streaking
WR Michael Gallup – ACL
TE Rickey -Seals Jones – Neck

Chasing Ambulances

Nothing major other than Michael Gallup, but an interesting day.

QB Joe Burrow (CIN) –  Twisted his knee at the end of the game but doesn’t appear to be an issue. He jogged off the field and did an interview.

RB Michael Carter (NYJ) – Was evaluated for a concussion and his status is not known. Ty Johnson and Austin Walter replaced him against the Buccaneers and would again versus the Bills this week if needed.

RB Damien Harris (NE) – Did not play in the second half with another hamstring injury. Harris initially injured it in Week 13 and has been hampered by it since. Harris said he was good later on so he’ll probably be questionable again for Week 18 at the Dolphins which usually means little with the Patriots. Harris did not return to the game but the Pats won  50-10 anyway.

RB Ronald Jones (TB) – The dream matchup against the Jets didn’t happen when Jones left the game with an ankle injury. Ke’Shawn Vaughn (8-31) and Le’Veon Bell (3-5) filled in after he left.  They’d replace him again versus the Panthers this week if needed.

WR Michael Gallup (DAL) – The soon-to-be free agent was reported to have torn his ACL. That opens up his spot for Cedrick Wilson who replaced him earlier this season.

Free Agents, Flops and Other Notables

WR Antonio Brown (TB) – The Bucs mercurial wideout was never going to let his time in the NFL end with a whimper. His outburst on the sideline was followed by stripping off his jersey, pads, and tee-shirt. His shirtless exit had him waving goodbye to his career and endless second chances   the Jets fan as he trotted into the stadium tunnel.  It was one of the more surprising game-day developments of the season. HC Bruce Arians refused to comment other than to say “He’s no longer a Buc.” Watch football all your life and you think you’ve seen everything. Not so, apparently.

WR Cooper Kupp (LAR) – He caught six passes for 95 yards and one score in the win over the Ravens. That gives him 138 receptions on the year with one game left to play. The Rams host the 49ers and Kupp is currently  No. 3 in NFL history for single-season receptions. He trails only Marvin Harrison (143 – 2002) and Michael Thomas (149 – 2019). Six catches and he’s No. 2.  Make a dozen catches and he owns the record.

TE Kyle Pitts (ATL) – His two catches for 69 yards in the loss to the Bills gives him 1,018 yards and he became the second rookie tight end to break 1,000 yards. If he gains more than 58 yards this week versus the Saints, he’ll pass Mike Ditka (1,076 yards) for the all-time record. Chances are the Falcons will make that a priority.

RB Saquon Barkley (NYG) – The Giants’ running back did very little to repay fantasy drafters with a season where he never rushed for more than 64 yards. So, in the unlikely chance you made the playoffs with him as your  first-round pick, Barkley turned in a season-best 102 yards on 21 carries. That’s five more carries than any other game. The Giants gave up trying to throw the ball in the 29-3 loss to the Bears and ran Barkley instead of using the ineffective pass. Shame they didn’t opt for that about two months ago.

Rethinking RBs – Look, it’s been a tough year all around in the NFL and fantasy football. Remember back last summer how nuts everyone gets scraping up running backs for the first two rounds? It is championship week and here are the Top-10 fantasy running backs for Week 17.

1 SEA Rashaad Penny
2 KCC Darrel Williams
3 PHI Boston Scott
4 BUF Devin Singletary
5 NEP Rhamondre Stevenson
6 GBP AJ Dillon
7 CHI David Montgomery
8 NOS Alvin Kamara
9 SFO Elijah Mitchell
10 WAS Jaret Patterson

Yeah. Kamara cost about a No. 3 pick and Montgomery showed up later in Round 2.  But, those were the best scorers for running backs. And yet, you’ll still go heavy on running back. Almost everyone does, except for those in fantasy championships this year.

RB Rashaad Penny (SEA) – He finally was given a full workload and ran for over 100 yards in three of the last four games.  He comes off a career-best 170 yards and two touchdowns on 25 carries. Of course, that was versus the visiting Lions. Last week it was the visiting Bears (17-135, TD) and in Week 14, it was the Texans (16-137, 2). His rookie contract expires this spring and if they bring him back, they should look into giving him the jersey number “2-29” because he only shows up every four seasons like Leap Year.

WR Cyril Grayson (TB) – The third-year wideout only totaled two career catches through Week 15 but the undrafted LSU-product helped replace Chris Godwin with three catches for 81 yards in Week 16. Then he just turned in six receptions for 81 yards and a score on Sunday. And apparently, new openings in the Buccaneers wideout crew are happening all the time.

RB D’Onta Foreman (TEN) – The fifth-year back did little in the NFL until finally getting picked up in the wake of Derrick Henry’s injury. Now Foreman totals three touchdowns and three 100-yard rushing efforts in the last five weeks including a career-best 132 yards and a score on 26 carries in the win over the Dolphins. Maybe he’s finally found a home where they know how to use him. Or maybe, just maybe, he’s enjoying the advantage of lining up behind one of the elite run-blocking offensive lines in the NFL.

QB Trey Lance (SF) – His second start was better than his first. Lance filled in for Week 5 when he ran for 89 yards on 16 rushes, and passed for 192 yards and one interception at the Cardinals. On Sunday, he only ran for 31 yards on eight attempts but threw for 249 yards and two touchdowns versus the Texans. He connected with Brandon Aiyuk (4-94) and Deebo Samuel (3-63, TD) but ignored George Kittle (1-29).

WR Amon-Ra St. Brown (DET) – The Lions 4.07 draft pick was the seventeenth wideout taken this year. Between Dez Fitzpatrick and Jaelon Darden. But he’s been nothing short of spectacular playing on a bad offense with Jared Goff or Tim Boyle at quarterback. He produced a season-best eight catches for 111 yards and one score, plus ran in a touchdown on his two carries for 23 yards. During fantasy playoffs. He’s scored five times over the last five games and never fallen below 73 yards in that time. There was a whole lot of nothing between the third-drafted wideout and the seventeenth.

Huddle player of the week

WR Ja’Marr Chase  –  The Bengals star went on a downturn after midseason but then caught seven passes for 125 yards in Week 16 versus the Ravens. In Week 17, during fantasy league championships, all he did was catch eleven passes for 266 yards and three touchdowns. That’s 55.6 points in a reception point league. And this is the guy that last summer said he was dropping passes because NFL balls lacked white stripes. To him and all his fantasy owners:

Salute!

Drama 101 – Somebody has to laugh, somebody has to cry

Comedy Yards TDs Tragedy Yards TDs
QB Tim Boyle 276 2 QB Matt Ryan 204 0
RB Boston Scott 86 2 RB Ezekiel Elliott 30 0
RB Jaret Patterson 98 1 RB Dalvin Cook 16 0
WR Kristian Wilkerson 42 2 WR A.J. Brown 41 0
WR Cyril Grayson 81 1 WR Jaylen Waddle 47 0
WR Zay Jones 120 0 WR Stefon Diggs 52 0
TE A. Firkser 24 1 TE George Kittle 29 0
PK Jason Meyers   6 XP  3 FG PK Matt Gay  2  XP
Huddle Fantasy Points = 123 Huddle Fantasy Points = 31

Now get back to work…

Titans’ winners and losers from Week 17 victory over Dolphins

Brett Kern was a big reason why the Titans won the field position battle in Week 17.

The Tennessee Titans took care of business in Week 17 against the Miami Dolphins, winning 34-3. The victory not only helped the Titans clinch the AFC South, but it also improved their playoff positioning.

With the win and a loss by the Kansas City Chiefs to the Cincinnati Bengals, the Titans are back in the No. 1 seed entering Week 18 and control their own destiny.

The Titans simply need to beat the Houston Texans in Week 18 and they will earn a first-round bye, which would give running back Derrick Henry even more time to get right before his much-anticipated return.

As far as the game on Sunday was concerned, it was a solid all-around effort. The offense did what it needed to, led by running back D’Onta Foreman, the defense was sensational once again, and even special teams chipped-in with some key plays throughout.

This week produced no shortage of winners, but there was one player labeled as a “loser,” although it had nothing to do with his play on the field.

Tennessee Titans’ Week 17 Player of the Game: D’Onta Foreman

D’Onta Foreman provided the spark the Titans needed on offense to put them over the top in Week 17.

On a day when the Tennessee Titans’ passing attack threw 18 passes and totaled 110 yards, running back D’Onta Foreman was the spark Tennessee needed to put it over the top in a 34-3 win over the Miami Dolphins.

Foreman carried the ball 26 times for 132 yards and a touchdown, while also tallying a long gain of 35 yards. His 21-yard touchdown run in the second quarter put the Titans up 17-3.

Since the injury to Derrick Henry, Foreman has been sensational in picking up the slack, with 112 carries for 497 yards and three scores, along with eight receptions for 108 yards.

If Foreman doesn’t stick with the Titans beyond the 2021 season, he has more than proven he deserves a look as a starting back elsewhere.

Honorable mention: The defense

Tennessee’s defense was sensational yet again in this one, allowing just three points and 256 yards of total offense. The unit also notched three sacks, five passes defensed and two turnovers, while holding Miami to just 3-for-12 on third downs.

The Dolphins’ offense had multiple drives get into Tennessee territory in this game, but still wasn’t able to break through. The Titans have now allowed a remarkable 9.8 points per game in their last four.

After securing the AFC South in Week 17, the Titans will look to clinch the No. 1 seed in Week 18, which they can do with a win over the Houston Texans.

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Texas ex D’Onta Foreman is having the best season of his NFL career

D’Onta Foreman has become a key piece in the Titans playoff push.

Stepping in for the reigning NFL offensive player of the year is no easy task but D’Onta Foreman is making the most out of his opportunity.

The 2017 third round pick of the Houston Texans is making a name for himself after a slow start to his career.

In the seven games Foreman has played since Henry’s injury, the former Longhorn has totaled 473 yards of offense and a couple of touchdowns. Including this score to tie the game in a pivotal Thursday night matchup against San Francisco.

Foreman was able to pass the century mark against the strong Steelers and Patriots defenses.

The strong play of Foreman has kept the Titans in the thick of the playoff race. Many expected Tennesse to fall apart when Henry went down, but the Titans have kept a winning record since.

Foreman won the Doak Walker Award back in 2016 as a Texas Longhorn. An honor given to the best running back in the country over the course of a single season.

Contact/Follow us @LonghornsWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas news, notes and opinions.

Tunnel Vision of Week 15

Tunnel Vision – a look back at Sunday for fantasy free agents, injuries and notable performances.

SUNDAY SALUTES
Quarterbacks Pass – Rush TD
 Tyler Huntley 215 – 73 4
 Patrick Mahomes 410 – 32 3
 Cam Newton 156- 71 2
Justin Herbert 236 – 16 3
 Aaron Rodgers 268 – 11 3
Running Backs Yards TD
Duke Johnson 22-107 rush
1-20 catch		 2
Jonathan Taylor 29-170 rush 1
Jeffery Wilson 21-110 rush
2-9 catch		 1
Austin Ekeler 12-59 rush
4-23 catch		 1
James Robinson  18-75 rush
3-13 catch		 1
Wide Receivers Yards TD
Tyreek Hill 12-148 1
Brandin Cooks 7-102 2
Gabriel Davis 5-85 2
Christian Kirk 9-94 1
Amon-Ra St. Brown 8-90 1
Tight Ends Yards TD
Travis Kelce 10-191 2
Mark Andrews 10-136 2
Hunter Henry 6-77 2
Dalton Schultz 8-67 1
George Kittle 6-93 0
Placekickers XP FG
Ka’imi Fairbairn 3 3
Chris Boswell 1 4
Riley Patterson 3 3
Evan McPherson 0 3
Greg Zuerlein 2 3
Defense Sack – TO TD
Cowboys 1 – 4 0
Steelers 4 – 4 0
Jets 1 – 3 0
Colts 1 – 2 1
Texans 1 – 0 1

Bumps, Bruises and Bowouts

QB Teddy Bridgewater – Head
RB Joe Mixon – Ankle
RB Leonard Fournette – Hamstring
WR Chris Godwin – Knee
WR Mike Evans – Hamstring
WR Julio Jones – Hamstring
WR Tajae Sharpe – Foot
WR Sterling Shepard – Torn Achilles
WR Rondale Moore – Ankle
TE Pat Freiermuth – Concussion
PK Zane Gonzalez – Quad

Chasing Ambulances

QB Teddy Bridgewater (DEN) – Was carted from the field and sent to the hospital after suffering a  neck/head injury in the loss to the Bengals. While HC Vic Fangio said that Bridgewater “checked out good,” he remained in the hospital overnight to be observed. Drew Lock replaced him  and will again at the Raiders if Bridgewater doesn’t return.

RB Joe Mixon (CIN) – He entered the win over the Broncos already banged up and then left later when his left leg was rolled up, and  he injured his ankle. HC Zac Taylor did not give a post-game update. His status should be known on Monday and the Bengals need him for their matchup with the Ravens this week. He may have just reaggravated his previous sprain.

WR Julio Jones (TEN) – His first season with the Titans is a bust. Now he let the loss to the Steelers with a hamstring injury before recording a catch.  He just returned from injured reserve last week and hasn’t been a factor since Week 2 anyway.

WR Sterling Shepard (NYG) – Tore his Achilles and is gone for the season. Given the constant stream of injuries to the Giants’ wideouts and the level of quarterbacking, there is no other receiver worth grabbing.

RB Leonard Fournette (TB) – Injured his hamstring and left the matchup with the Saints. Ronald Jones becomes a must-own if Fournette misses any time since the Bucs final three games are against the Panthers (twice) and the Jets.

Buccaneers wideouts – Mike Evans (hamstring) and Chris Godwin (knee) left the matchup with the Saints. Initial speculation is that Godwin has a sprained MCL and will be back.  The severity of Evans’ hamstring strain will be determined.  Antonio Brown has served his most recent suspension and will rejoin the team this week. He’ll be immediately returned to the field if either Evans or Godwin misses any time with their injuries.

Free Agents, Flops and Other Notables

For the first time ever, there are still four games left to play.

TE Hunter Henry (NE) – Henry already scored seven touchdowns on the year but had been quiet in the last three games. Against the Colts in a game when the Pats couldn’t win by rushing and good defense, Henry delivered six receptions for 77 yards and two scores for a season-best.

WR Gabriel Davis (BUF) – The Bills’ wideout just pulled the hat trick. After scoring against the Pats and Buccaneers in the two previous games, he led the Bills with five catches for 85 yards and two scores. Emmanuel Sanders’ absence hasn’t hurt Davis but he was already scoring before Sanders was hurt in Week 14.

RB Devin Singletary (BUF) – The Bills backfield is always among one of the least productive but they’ve settled on Singletary as the primary rusher. He comes off a season-high 22 carries for 86 yards and a score on the Panthers and he added a ten-yard catch. Matt Breida was the only other running back and he ran just once.

RB Chase Edmonds (ARI) – First game back from injured reserve and the “other half” of the Cardinals’ backfield  ran six times for 53 yards against eight rushes for 39 yards by James Conner. That split the backfield that Conner has owned in recent weeks. Conner caught two passes for 31 yards while Edmonds failed to catch his only target. The game did not go as planned, so the ratios are not set in stone. But so far, Edmonds reduced Conner’s fantasy value without creating much of his own.

RB Craig Reynolds (DET) – The undrafted practice-squad call-up surprised in Week 14 when he ran for 83 yards on 11 carries in Denver. He followed that with 26 carries for 112 yards in the improbable win over the Cardinals.  D’Andre Swift takes over whenever he returns, but Reynolds deserves a spot on the bench, not the practice squad after two impressive performances.

WR Amon-Ra St. Brown (DET) – The Lions’ rookie gets better and better. After recording over 70 yards for the last two weeks, St. Brown turned in a season-high 90 yards and a score on eight catches.  Josh Reynolds (6-68, TD) also looks better back with Jared Goff and not many people can say that.

WR Brandin Cooks (HOU) –  The Texans’ only weapon served up a season-high seven catches for 102 yards and two touchdowns in the win over the Jaguars. He caught eight passes for 101 yards last week versus the Seahawks. This coincided with Davis Mills being re-installed as the starting quarterback. Deshaun Watson is gone next year, but do the Texans need  to address quarterback? Lots of needs, Mills seems to be improving.

RB James Robinson (JAC) – The Jaguars’ passing offense remains weak in the Post-Meyer era, but at least Robinson is back to business with 18 rushes for 75 yards and a touchdown in the loss to the Texans.  Robinson added three catches for 13 yards as well.

RB Michael Carter (NYJ) – Returned from injured reserve but a disappointing eight runs for 18 yards in the loss to the Dolphins. Tevin Coleman (8-50) ran better and even Austin Walter had two carries. Carter had just gotten the backfield to use him as a primary back but his return created just another three-man committee.

RB Duke Johnson (MIA) – His first action as a Dolphin was in Week 11 when he rushed for  18 yards on four runs. Myles Gaskin was on the COVID list but returned in time to play the Jets. He gained 54 yards on ten carries versus the worst defense against running backs in the NFL, maybe the entire world. But Johnson ran for 107 yards and two scores on 22 carries in a career-best performance. It was his first-ever 100-yard game. The most important word in all of this is “Jets”, but he’s added to one of the weakest backfields in the NFL. He’ll probably find it tougher this week at the Saints.

RB D’Onta Foreman (TEN) – This is basically Duke Johnson on another team. Foreman ran for 108 yards on 22 carries at the Steelers and added 27 yards on two receptions. Dontrell Hilliard (9-49) and Jeremy McNichols (6-26) also mixed in as well, but Foreman’s been fantasy relevant for the last three games.

RB Jeff Wilson (SF) – Elijah Mitchell missed his fourth game of the season – starting to wonder about the whole “durability” thing – but a healthy Jeff Wilson ran for 110 yards and a touchdown on 21 carries versus the Falcons while Deebo Samuel only ran six times for 29 yards (and a touchdown, of course).  The problem with the 49ers isn’t a lack of talent, it is trying to guess which one goes off when they are all healthy. Fortunately, it’s been rare that all offensive stars are healthy in any given week.

QB Tyler Huntley (BAL) – The Ravens replacement quarterback did himself proud with 215 passing yards and two scores on the Packers, plus ran for 73 yards and two more touchdowns on his 13 runs. He led the Ravens on a comeback that could have tied the game had they not opted for the two-point play in an attempt to win outright. But everyone knew the pass would go to Mark Andrews and it was incomplete. But Huntley took over in Week 14 when Lamar Jackson was injured. He connected with Andrews for 115 yards on 11 catches with a touchdown. And this week as the starter, Andrews ended with ten  receptions for 136 yards and two touchdowns.

Huddle player of the week

TE Travis Kelce (KC)  –  He cost a first-round pick in August Fantasy drafts. For fantasy owners in their playoffs, Kelce delivered everything that was hoped when he caught ten passes for 191 yards and two touchdowns in the win over the Chargers that produced 41 points in a reception-point league. He’ll be a first-rounder again next summer. And he’s a difference-maker in fantasy playoffs.

Salute!

Drama 101 – Somebody has to laugh, somebody has to cry

Comedy Yards TDs Tragedy Yards TDs
QB Tyler Huntley 288 4 QB Tom Brady 214 0
RB Duke Johnson 127 2 RB Najee Harris 26 0
RB Jeffrey Wilson 119 1 RB Joe Mixon 60 0
WR Gabriel Davis 85 2 WR Ja’Marr Chase 3 0
WR Amon-Ra St. Brown 90 1 WR Michael Pittman 7 0
WR M. Valdes-Scantling 98 1 WR Mike Evans 14 0
TE Hunter Henry 77 2 TE Dawson Knox 38 0
PK Chris Boswell  1  XP   4 FG PK Ryan Succop  whiff
Huddle Fantasy Points = 161 Huddle Fantasy Points =  22

Now get back to work…

Tennessee Titans’ Week 15 Player of the Game: The defense

The Titans’ defense was great once again in Week 15, even with the offense handing the Steelers great field position on multiple occasions.

The Tennessee Titans could not have asked for anything more than what their defense gave them in the 19-13 Week 15 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Tennessee’s unit put the clamps on the Steelers all game long, allowing just 168 yards of total offense, including 35 on the ground. The pass-rush also sacked Ben Roethlisberger three times, one of which came from Bud Dupree.

Most weeks that effort, combined with 19 points allowed, would be more than enough to win a game, but that was not the case on Sunday.

That’s because the Titans’ offense was inept and handed the Steelers the ball in Tennessee territory three times, leading to three field goals. Pittsburgh also capitalized on Tennessee’s fourth turnover with another three points.

Without those turnovers, the offense’s awful showing would have been enough to win thanks to how great the defense played.

The Steelers’ lone touchdown drive was aided by a few penalties, which was the only blemish for this unit overall. One could point to the zero turnovers as another issue, but the defense was so good on Sunday that it didn’t really need them.

It’s too bad the Titans can’t get their offense going or else this team would be a major force. Hopefully things can get back on track with the returns of A.J. Brown and Derrick Henry. Brown is eligible to return off IR in Week 16.

Honorable mentions: RB D’Onta Foreman and WR Chester Rogers

Foreman was sensational for the Titans on Sunday. He accounted for 109 of the Titans’ 201 rushing yards. Foreman, who ran hard and showed great effort despite battling an injury, single-handedly carried the Titans down the field on their final drive before it was stalled.

We also want to give a shutout to Rogers, who notched a 55-yard punt return in the first quarter that set the Titans up for their lone touchdown of the game. Tennessee probably doesn’t find pay dirt on Sunday without it. Rogers also had multiple big catches to move the chains throughout and finished with four catches for 30 yards.

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Fantasy start or sit Week 15: D’Onta Foreman, Ryan Tannehill, Julio Jones

D’Onta Foreman is the only viable starter from the Titans’ backfield in fantasy football.

It’s Week 15 of the fantasy football campaign, which means many leagues are beginning their playoffs this week, making every lineup decision crucial for fantasy managers looking to make their way to the championship.

In Week 14, we saw a mixed bag from three of the Tennessee Titans’ most notable fantasy assets, quarterback Ryan Tannehill, running back D’Onta Foreman and wide receiver Julio Jones.

Tannehill threw for 191 yards and found pay dirt with his legs, while D’Onta Foreman also scored a rushing touchdown and tallied a team-high 47 yards. Jones, on the other hand, didn’t find the end zone and finished with just 33 receiving yards in what was yet another disappointing performance.

With your season on the line, can you trust either Tannehill, Foreman or Jones in your lineup in Week 15 against the Pittsburgh Steelers? Find out now as we take a look at some start or sit advice for each Titans player.

Titans vs. Jaguars: Keys to victory for Tennessee in Week 14

Three keys to victory for the Titans in their Week 14 matchup against the Jaguars.

The Tennessee Titans (8-4) host the Jacksonville Jaguars (2-10) in Week 14 at Nissan Stadium in what is a crucial AFC South showdown.

Tennessee is on a losing streak for the first time this season after dropping games to the Houston Texans and New England Patriots. The team is also coming off its much-needed bye after being riddled with injuries for much of the year.

Head coach Mike Vrabel and his staff emphasized throughout the week that they are confident the time off helped the team recover, both mentally and physically, for this stretch run.

This AFC South game between Tennessee and Jacksonville may not mean much on the national landscape, but make no mistake about it, this is a massive game for the Titans.

Tennessee is hopeful they will start their December on a much more positive note than their November ended, and the Titans are looking to keep a surging Indianapolis Colts team at bay in the division.

We all know the Titans aren’t immune to playing down to their opponent; just this year alone they have lost to two of the bottom-feeder teams in the league.

If Tennessee is going to avoid another upset loss, a good start would be to ensure they accomplish the following keys to victory.

Titans’ Dontrell Hilliard reacts to career day in loss to Patriots

“It’s motivation is how we’re gonna look at it from this point, just focusing on the things that we’ve done wrong,” Hilliard said of the Titans’ Week 12 loss.

The Tennessee Titans are officially on their much-needed bye week after falling in Foxborough to the New England Patriots on Sunday, 36-13.

With wideouts Julio Jones, A.J. Brown, and Marcus Johnson all on Injured Reserve, quarterback Ryan Tannehill turned in another subpar outing after throwing a career-high four interceptions against Houston last week.

But the duo of D’Onta Foreman and Dontrell Hilliard put up the best rushing performance of the season.

The duo accounted for 240 rushing yards, with Hilliard rushing for 131 on just 12 carries. The undrafted free agent out of Tulane gained a big chunk of those yards on a 68-yard touchdown run with under a minute to play in the first half.

“O-line did a wonderful job of moving guys around [and] creating those lanes for me to get through, I commend them for that, for sure,” he said. “And when I [saw the opening], I just hit it.”

The play itself was pivotal in terms of keeping the Titans in the ballgame. Trailing by 10 points and with New England set to receive the second-half kickoff, Hilliard’s long run gave Tennessee a lot of confidence heading into the locker room.

Unfortunately, the Titans’ offense was shut out in the final two quarters, as mistakes were again the theme of the day.

Tennessee had three penalties called within the first five minutes of the first quarter, followed by kicker Randy Bullock hitting the upright on an extra point and 44-yard field goal attempts.

Before his long touchdown run, Hilliard fumbled inside the New England 35-yard line, which the Patriots converted into three points. And, on the Titans’ first possession of the second half, Foreman fumbled after ripping off a 30-yard run.

The two fumbles were part of the Titans’ four turnovers on the day, coming on the heels of a five-turnover performance against the Texans last week.

“It’s motivation is how we’re gonna look at it from this point, just focusing on the things that we’ve done wrong,” Hilliard concluded. “We look at the “L” as a lesson, so just gonna focus on the things that we didn’t get right and try to focus on those things and get better at it.”

As noted, the Titans are off this week, with Julio Jones eligible to return from IR when the team resumes play against the Jaguars in Week 14.

At least for the time being, the Titans can feel good about their running backs heading into the bye after struggling to replicate Derrick Henry’s dominance during the first three games of his absence.

Titans’ Mike Vrabel encouraged by rushing attack after Week 11

“There were some good clips in the run game, and some good production,” Vrabel said.

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The Tennessee Titans found some success moving the football on the ground in Week 11 against the Houston Texans, which was also the third game Tennessee didn’t have the services of Derrick Henry.

In the first two games, both of which came against top 10 run defenses in the Los Angeles Rams and New Orleans Saints, the Titans averaged just 2.7 and 2.3 yards per carry, while also failing to surpass 70 yards in either contest.

The Titans averaged 4.1 yards per carry and crossed the century mark versus a Texans defense that ranked as the second-worst against the run going into the game.

Titans head coach Mike Vrabel was encouraged by what he saw in the run game.

“There were some good clips in the run game, and some good production,” Vrabel said, per John Glennon of Sports Illustrated. “Then with the way the game was going, it pretty much dictated, unfortunately, that you couldn’t stick with it. (But) I thought the run game was headed in the right direction.”

Going into the game, we expected D’Onta Foreman to lead the way in carries because he had been Tennessee’s best back the past two games, but that turned out not to be the case.

Instead, Adrian Peterson led in carries with nine, and had a team-high 40 rushing yards. Dontrell Hilliard had the most touches, seeing seven carries and a team-high eight receptions en route to finishing with 82 total yards.

Whether it was his work in the passing game or on the ground, Hilliard, who averaged a team-high 5.0 yards per carry as well, was Tennessee’s best back on Sunday.

Foreman, on the other hand, had less rushing yards (25) and yards per carry  (3.6) than both Peterson and Hilliard. He was the Titans’ least-effective back.

Despite the overall success running the football, Vrabel says there are some things that need improvement.

“There are always going to be cuts we can (improve) and talk about split-second decisions that could have been better,” Vrabel admitted. “I really believe that it was on the right track and the game dictated that we couldn’t really run it more than we did.”

Jeremy McNichols, who sat out in Week 11 with a concussion, might make his return in Week 12. It’ll be interesting to see how the Titans handle that.

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