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The Tennessee Titans postseason outlook got a huge boost over the last few days. They defeated the red-hot Miami Dolphins 34-3, improving their record to 11-5. The Kansas City Chiefs lost to the Cincinnati Bengals, which dropped the Chiefs to 11-5 also. The Titans defeated the Chiefs earlier this season, so they hold the tiebreaker and the current #1 seed in the AFC.
The news got even better as it was reported that Titans running back Derrick Henry might be ready to play in Week 18 vs. the Houston Texans.
Click here for odds on the Tennessee Titans at Houston Texans game, via FanDuel.
Titans officially designate Derrick Henry to return off IR pic.twitter.com/al8r0RZYkp
— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) January 5, 2022
They officially designated Henry to return on Wednesday. He joined his teammates in practice for the first time since going on IR. The team now has 21 days to officially activate him. D'Onta Foreman has filled in admirably, especially of late. But Derrick Henry is one of a kind. The league has not seen a running back with his size, speed and power combination since the early Adrian Peterson days.
For more insight on the Titans' Week 18 matchup against the Texans, listen below:
Here are my bold predictions for the Tennessee Titans Week 18 game vs. the Houston Texans.
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Titans Week 18 Predictions vs. Houston Texans
4. You will not see Derrick Henry in this game
All Pro running back Derrick Henry has been designated to return from IR. He even appeared at practice this week, getting in a limited session.
The King is back. 👑 @KingHenry_2 @Titans pic.twitter.com/MbUwhz0kzf
— Jim Wyatt (@jwyattsports) January 5, 2022
Even though it appears as though Derrick Henry might be healthy enough to suit up, I would be very surprised to see him on the field Sunday.
Tennessee plays the Houston Texans. The Texans are one of the worst teams in the NFL. Granted, their defense is much better than people give them credit for. They did beat the Titans a few weeks ago. But even a broken clock is right twice a day. The Titans should be able to win this game without Henry.
If they do win this game, they clinch the top spot in the AFC and the only first round bye in the playoffs. That would give the Titans another two weeks for Henry to heal up and be 100% for the AFC Division Round of the postseason.
3. D'Onta Foreman balls out again, rushes for over 120 yards with 1+ touchdowns
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Back up running back D'Onta Foreman has played very well lately. Last week, he rushed for 132 yards and a touchdown against the Miami Dolphins. He consistently ran with conviction and power.
D'Onta Foreman's best plays from 132-yard game vs. Dolphins @D33_foreman
📺: More coverage on @nflnetwork pic.twitter.com/HYes36ypwx
— Tennessee Titans (@Titans) January 3, 2022
The Texans secondary is very good. Their rush defense is among the worst in the league. When the Texans beat the Titans in late November, Adrian Peterson was the lead back for Tennessee. Titans head coach Mike Vrabel was yet to release Foreman. That has changed in recent weeks. Expect to see a heavy dose of D'Onta Foreman again Sunday.
2. Ryan Tannehill, AJ Brown connection gets back on track
Two weeks ago, Pro Bowl wide receiver A.J. Brown had a massive game on Thursday night against the San Francisco 49ers. He pulled down 11 passes for 145 yards and a touchdown in the win. It was Brown's first game in over a month after he dealt with injury. Brown himself appears to believe in this connection.
https://twitter.com/1kalwaysopen_/status/1478459543004880899
Last week, if you only looked at the box score against the Dolphins, you would think the connection with quarterback Ryan Tannehill fell off. But if you watched the game, you would see rain. A lot of rain. That impacted passing games for both teams. The Titans ran the ball very well and took an early lead. That led to them running the ball even more in the 2nd half.
But coach Vrabel is going to want this offense in rhythm going into the postseason. I fully expect Tannehill to look Brown's way with double digit targets. The Texans secondary is better than advertised, so I don't think Brown has a massive game, but think he finds the end zone.
1. Titans defense turns in strong performance in a win
The Tennessee Titans team has been so inconsistent all season, on both sides of the ball. The offense, when they are running it well, look like one of the best in the league. That's especially true if Derrick Henry is on the field.
But the Titans defense has been equally inconsistent. At times, they have looked dominant. They completely shut down the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 7, and dominated the Los Angeles Rams in Week 9. That's two of the best offenses in the NFL. But we have also seen this defense give up over 400 yards to the Buffalo Bills and watch the New England Patriots run all over them.
With an inferior opponent and a first round bye on the line, I expect to see the better version of the Titans defense Sunday.
