FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE JANUARY 9, 2020 TITANS-RAVENS SUPPLEMENTAL NOTES VRABEL LEADING CHARGE TO SECOND PLAYOFF GAME: Titans head coach Mike Vrabel became the franchise’s sixth head coach in franchise annals to have the team in the playoffs within his first two full seasons. This week he can become the organization’s first head coach since Lou Rymkus from 1960–1961 to win at least two playoff games within his first two seasons. Vrabel is the fourth head coach in Titans/Oilers history to win a playoff game in his first two full seasons. He joins Mike Mularkey (2017 playoff victory), Jack Pardee (1991) and Rymkus (1960 and 1961). Titans/Oilers head coaches in the playoffs within their first two full seasons: First Full Season Postseason Berths Playoff Wins in Head Coach as Head Coach in First Two Seasons First Two Seasons Mike Vrabel 2018 2019 (Year 2) 1 Mike Mularkey 2016* 2017 (Year 2) 1 Jack Pardee 1990 1990, 1991 (Years 1 & 2) 1 Wally Lemm 1966* 1967 (Year 2) 0 Frank “Pop” Ivy 1962 1962 (Year 1) 0 Lou Rymkus 1960 1960 (Year 1) 2 * Mularkey served as interim head coach for the final nine games of the 2015 season. Lemm was the head coach for the 1961 AFL Champion Oilers after taking over as head coach for the final nine games of the season. He left the team following the season and returned in 1966. TANNEHILL TRAILED ONLY JACKSON IN TOTAL TOUCHDOWNS FROM WEEK 7-17: Since Ryan Tannehill took over the starting quarterback duties in Week 7, he has thrown at least one touchdown pass in every game, including one last week to help the Titans win at New England. From Week 7 through the end of the regular season, he accounted for 26 total touchdowns—22 through the air and four on the ground. He tied New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (25 passing, one rushing) for the second-largest total in that span. Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson ranked first with 30 total touchdowns, passing for 25 touchdowns and reaching the end zone five times on rushing attempts. For the entire 17-week regular season, Jackson led the NFL with 43 combined passing (36) and rushing (seven) touchdowns. Most combined rushing and passing touchdowns, Week 7-17: Player Pass TD Rush TD Total TD 1. Lamar Jackson 25 5 30 2. Ryan Tannehill 22 4 26 Drew Brees 25 1 26 4. Ryan Fitzpatrick 18 4 22 Jameis Winston 21 1 22 6. Josh Allen 15 6 21 7. Jimmy Garoppolo 20 0 20 Dak Prescott 19 1 20 9. Aaron Rodgers 18 1 19 Baker Mayfield 17 2 19 Daniel Jones 19 0 19 HENRY MOVING UP FRANCHISE POSTSEASON RUSHING LIST: In only three career postseason games, Titans running back Derrick Henry has rushed for 366 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 69 attempts. That includes 182 rushing yards last week at New England to break Eddie George’s franchise single-game playoff record by 20 yards (162 on Jan. 16, 2000). Henry’s effort last week moved him past Steve McNair (349) for third place on the franchise’s all-time postseason rushing list. With 55 rushing yards this week, he will pass Earl Campbell (420) for second place, behind only George (776). Franchise postseason rushing leaders: Player Games Att Yards Avg TD 1. Eddie George 9 206 776 3.8 5 2. Earl Campbell 6 135 420 3.1 4 3. Derrick Henry 3 69 366 5.3 2 4. Steve McNair 9 54 349 6.5 6 5. Lorenzo White 7 76 264 3.5 1 HENRY OUT-RUSHING ALL BUT ONE TEAM IN HIS LAST SEVEN GAMES: In the last seven games Derrick Henry has played, which include last week’s wild card game and six regular season contests, he has exceeded the 1,000-yard rushing mark and recorded six 100-yard rushing performances. In that time period, which began with his 188-yard rushing effort against Kansas City on Nov. 10, his totals include 173 carries for an NFL-high 1,078 yards and a league-high 11 touchdowns. Henry’s average of 154.0 rushing yards per game over those seven contests exceeds the next-closest competitor by more than 50 yards. Cincinnati’s Joe Mixon ranks second over the same time span with 102.1 rushing yards per game. Also, should Henry reach the 150-yard rushing mark this week, he would become only the fourth player in NFL history to post consecutive 150-yard rushing games in a single postseason, joining Marcus Allen (1984), Terrell Davis (1998) and Le’Veon Bell (2017). Most individual rushing yards per game, including postseason, since Week 10: Rush Yards Player Team Games Played Att Yards Avg TD Per Game 1. Derrick Henry Tennessee Titans 7 173 1,078 6.2 11 154.0 2. Joe Mixon Cincinnati Bengals 8 177 817 4.6 5 102.1 3. Nick Chubb Cleveland Browns 8 144 691 4.8 2 86.4 4. Saquon Barkley New York Giants 7 129 602 4.7 4 86.0 5. Aaron Jones Green Bay Packers 7 114 588 5.2 8 84.0 6. Josh Jacobs Oakland Raiders 5 90 410 4.6 1 82.0 7. Lamar Jackson Baltimore Ravens 7 77 569 7.4 2 81.3 8. Chris Carson Seattle Seahawks 6 103 466 4.5 4 77.7 9. Ezekiel Elliott Dallas Cowboys 8 143 616 4.3 6 77.0 10. Kenyan Drake Arizona Cardinals 7 108 533 4.9 7 76.1 In addition to leading all individuals, Henry’s 154.0 average rushing yards per game since Week 10 are more than every other NFL team except the Ravens (207.1). Most rushing yards per game, including postseason, since Week 10: Rush Yards Team Games Yards Per Game 1. Baltimore Ravens 8 1,657 207.1 2. Derrick Henry 7 1,078 154.0 3. Indianapolis Colts 8 1,092 136.5 4. Seattle Seahawks 8 1,079 134.9 5. Green Bay Packers 7 937 133.9 6. Buffalo Bills 9 1,191 132.3 7. Cincinnati Bengals 8 1,041 130.1 8. Arizona Cardinals 7 905 129.3 9. New England Patriots 8 965 120.6 10. Dallas Cowboys 8 959 119.9 KERN DELIVERS CLUTCH PUNT UNDER PRESSURE: In the final minute of the Titans’ win at New England, the Titans were protecting a one-point lead with a fourth down at their 41-yard line. Brett Kern then unleashed his final punt of the game, which traveled 58 yards before it was downed by Dane Cruikshank at the one-yard line. On the next play from scrimmage, Tom Brady’s pass was intercepted by Titans cornerback Logan Ryan and returned for a touchdown. Kern, who led the NFL during the regular season with 37 punts inside the 20-yard line, placed four of his six punts at New England inside the 20. All four came during the second half, during which time the Titans were able to keep the Patriots off the scoreboard. In all postseason games since the 2000 season, Kern’s final punt was only the second one to be placed inside the five-yard line in the final two minutes of a one-score game (eight points or less). The only other occasion was Feb. 6, 2005, when Patriots punter Josh Miller pinned the Eagles on their four-yard line to help New England preserve a Super Bowl victory. Punts placed inside the five-yard line in the final two minutes of a one-score playoff game, 2000–present: Punter Team Opponent Date Punt Yards Downed At Game Result Brett Kern Tennessee Titans New England Patriots Jan. 4, 2020 58 1 W Josh Miller New England Patriots Philadelphia Eagles Feb. 6, 2005 32 4 W TITANS REBOUNDED AFTER 2-4 START: After winning their regular season opener at Cleveland (Sept. 8), the Titans dropped four of their next five games to begin the season with a 2-4 record. From that point forward, including last week’s wild card win at New England, they have won eight of their last 11 games. Since the NFL went to its current playoff format in 1990, 345 teams have gone 2-4 or worse in their first six games of a season. From that group, the Titans became the 21st team to earn a postseason berth. With their victory over the Patriots, the Titans are the 10th team to win a playoff game and the 11th team to advance to the divisional round after faring no better than 2-4 in their first six games. A win this week in Baltimore would make this year’s Titans the third such team to advance to the conference championship, joining the 2002 Titans (2-4) and the 1996 Jacksonville Jaguars (2-4). The Titans/Oilers occupy three spots on the list. In addition to this year’s squad and the 2002 club, the 1993 Oilers went to the divisional round with a first-round bye. Since 1990, NFL teams that advanced to the divisional playoff round after going 2-4 or worse in their first six regular season games: Record in Final Regular Team Season First 6 Games Season Record Note Tennessee Titans 2019 2-4 9-7 Indianapolis Colts 2018 1-5 10-6 Seattle Seahawks 2015 2-4 10-6 Kansas City Chiefs 2015 1-5 11-5 Denver Broncos 2011 2-4 8-8 Tennessee Titans 2002 2-4 11-5 First-round bye; advanced to AFC Championship New York Jets 2002 2-4 9-7 Minnesota Vikings 1999 2-4 10-6 Jacksonville Jaguars 1996 2-4 9-7 Advanced to AFC Championship Houston Oilers 1993 2-4 12-4 First-round bye San Diego Chargers 1992 2-4 11-5 Since their 2-4 start, the Titans’ .727 winning percentage is tied for the fourth-best mark in the NFL, including playoffs.
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