Rematch 2: Revenge of the Chiefs!
Rematch 2: Revenge of the Chiefs!
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The Kansas City Chiefs (13-4) (6-3 @ Home)
vs.
The Tennessee Titans (11-7) (4-4 Away)
Sunday, January 19, 2:05PM CT
at
Arrowhead Stadium
Kansas City, MO
Television coverage:
Radio Coverage:
Kansas City
Lawrence/Topeka:
Manhattan, KS:
St. Louis
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Stats & Stuff
Weather forecast: 18 degrees fahrenheit. Clear 11 mph NW winds.
Line: Chiefs -7, Over/Under: 59
Trends:
Chiefs:
Kansas City are 7-0 ATS in their last 7 games.
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Kansas City's last 7 games.
Kansas City are 7-0 SU in their last 7 games.
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Kansas City's last 9 games against Tennessee.
Kansas City are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games at home.
Kansas City are 1-6 ATS in their last 7 games when playing at home against Tennessee.
Kansas City are 5-0 SU in their last 5 games this season.
Kansas City are 6-0 SU in their last 6 games against an opponent in the AFC conference.
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Kansas City's last 5 games against an opponent in the AFC South division.
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Kansas City's last 6 games played on a Sunday.
Titans:
Tennessee are 7-2 ATS in their last 9 games.
The total has gone OVER in 9 of Tennessee's last 12 games.
Tennessee are 7-2 SU in their last 9 games.
Tennessee are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games against Kansas City.
Tennessee are 4-1 SU in their last 5 games against Kansas City.
Tennessee are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games on the road.
Tennessee are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games when playing on the road against Kansas City.
Tennessee are 9-3 SU in their last 12 games this season.
Tennessee are 8-1 SU in their last 9 games against an opponent in the AFC conference.
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Tennessee's last 9 games against an opponent in the AFC West division.
Against the Spread:
Last 10 Games Head-2-Head:
Notable Quotables:
Chiefs:
--Chiefs Saftey Tyron Mathieu"The mentality is that somebody is going to have to stop [Titans RB Derrick Henry], somebody is going to have to make a tackle on him if we want to get to Miami. The most important thing is we've got to finish the game strong. If you watch a lot of Derrick Henry, he gets stronger as the game goes on. His first halves, they aren't that great but second-half football he takes off."
Titans:
--Titans QB Ryan Tannehill"I think there is a belief in one another, first and foremost. We've been through a lot this season, ups and downs, and won games in a lot of different ways. With that comes a lot of belief and a lot of confidence in one another."
OddsShark Super Computer Prediction:
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Schedules/Results:
Date
Opponent
Time/TV
Tickets
Sunday
Sep. 8
at JAX Jaguars
TIAA Bank Field
Jacksonville, FL1:00pm ET
CBSW 40-26
Sunday
Sep. 15
at OAK Raiders
Oakland Col
Oakland, CA4:05pm ET
CBSW 28-10
Sunday
Sep. 22
BAL Ravens
Arrowhead
Kansas City, MO1:00pm ET
CBSW 33-28
Sunday
Sep. 29
at DET Lions
Ford Field
Detroit, MI1:00pm ET
FOXW 34-30
Sunday
Oct. 6IND Colts
Arrowhead
Kansas City, MO8:20pm ET
NBCL 19-13 Sunday
Oct. 13HOU Texans
Arrowhead
Kansas City, MO1:00pm ET
CBSL 31-24 Thursday
Oct. 17at DEN Broncos
Broncos Stadium
Denver, CO8:20pm ET
FOX/NFLNW 30-6 Sunday
Oct. 27GB Packers
Arrowhead
Kansas City, MO8:20pm ET
NBCL 31-24 Sunday
Nov. 3MIN Vikings
Arrowhead
Kansas City, MO1:00pm ET
FOXW 26-23 Sunday
Nov. 10at TEN Titans
Nissan Stadium
Nashville, TN1:00pm ET
CBSL 35-32 Monday
Nov. 18
at LA Chargers
Estadio Azteca
Mexico City, MX8:15pm ET
ESPNW 24-17
Sunday
Nov. 24.
BYE
.Sunday
Dec. 1OAK Raiders
Arrowhead
Kansas City, MO4:25pm ET
CBSW 40-9
Sunday
Dec. 8at NE Patriots
Gillette Stadium
Foxborough, MA4:25pm ET
CBSW 23-16
Sunday
Dec. 15DEN Broncos
Arrowhead
Kansas City, MO1:00pm ET
CBSW 23-3
Sunday
Dec. 22at CHI Bears
Soldier Field
Chicago, IL8:20pm ET
NBCW 26-3
Sunday
Dec. 29LA Chargers
Arrowhead
Kansas City, MO1:00pm ET
CBSW 31-21
AFC Wildcard Round
.
.
Bye
.
.
AFC Divisional RoundSunday
Jan. 12
HOU Texans
Arrowhead
Kansas City, MO3:05pm ET
CBSW 51-31
AFC Championship Game
Sunday
Jan. 19TEN Titans
Arrowhead
Kansas City, MO3:05pm ET
CBSBuy Tickets
Date
Opponent
Time/TV
Tickets
Sunday
Sep. 8at CLE Browns
FirstEnergy Stdm
Cleveland, OH1:00pm ET
CBSW 43-13 Sunday
Sep. 15IND Colts
Nissan Stadium
Nashville, TN1:00pm ET
CBSL 19-17 Thursday
Sep. 19at JAX Jaguars
TIAA Bank Field
Jacksonville, FL8:20pm ET
NFLNL 20-7 Sunday
Sep. 29at ATL Falcons
M-B Stadium
Atlanta, GA1:00pm ET
CBSW 24-10 Sunday
Oct. 6BUF Bills
Nissan Stadium
Nashville, TN1:00pm ET
CBSL 14-7 Sunday
Oct. 13at DEN Broncos
Broncos Stadium
Denver, CO4:25pm ET
CBSL 16-0 Sunday
Oct. 20
LA Chargers
Nissan Stadium
Nashville, TN4:05pm ET
CBSW 23-20
Sunday
Oct. 27TB Buccaneers
Nissan Stadium
Nashville, TN1:00pm ET
FOXW 27-23 Sunday
Nov. 3at CAR Panthers
B of Am Stdm
Charlotte, NC1:00pm ET
CBSL 30-20 Sunday
Nov. 10KC Chiefs
Nissan Stadium
Nashville, TN1:00pm ET
CBSW 35-32 Sunday
Nov. 17.
BYE
.Sunday
Nov. 24
JAX Jaguars
Nissan Stadium
Nashville, TN4:05pm ET
CBSW 42-20
Sunday
Dec. 1at IND Colts
Lucas Oil Stdm
Indianapolis, IN1:00pm ET
CBSW 31-17 Sunday
Dec. 8at OAK Raiders
Oakland Col
Oakland, CA4:25pm ET
CBSW 42-21 Sunday
Dec. 15HOU Texans
Nissan Stadium
Nashville, TN1:00pm ET
CBSL 24-21 Sunday
Dec. 22NO Saints
Nissan Stadium
Nashville, TN1:00pm ET
FOXL 38-28 Sunday
Dec. 29
at HOU Texans
NRG Stadium
Houston, TX4:25pm ET
CBSW 35-14
AFC Wild-Card Round
Saturday
Jan. 4at NE Patriots
Gillette Stadium
Foxborough, MA8:15pm ET
CBSW 20-13 AFC Divisional Round
Saturday
Jan. 11at BAL Ravens
M&T Bank Stdm
Baltimore, MD8:15pm ET
CBSW 28-12 AFC Championship Game
Sunday
Jan. 19at KC Chiefs
Arrowhead
Kansas City, MO3:05pm ET
CBSBuy Tickets
Last edited by TopekaRoy; 01-19-2020 at 01:48 AM.
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Injury Report:
Travis Kelce TE Hamstring
Probable
LeSean McCoy RB Illness
Questionable
Morris Claiborne CB Shoulder
Questionable
Chris Jones DT Calf
Questionable
Andrew Wylie G Ankle
Questionable
Juan Thornhill S Knee
Questionable
Chad Henne QB Ankle
IR
Spencer Ware RB Shoulder
IR
Marcus Kemp WR Knee
IR
Breeland Speaks LB Knee
IR
Darrel Williams RB Hamstring
IR
Adam Humphries WR Hamstring
Questionable
Jack Conklin T Shoulder
Questionable
Adoree' Jackson CB Foot
Questionable
Jayon Brown LB Knee
Questionable
Cody Hollister WR Ankle
Questionable
Rashaan Evans LB Foot
Questionable
Delanie Walker TE Ankle
IR
Cameron Wake LB Knee
IR
Ryan Succop K Knee
IR
Malcolm Butler CB Wrist
IR
David Fluellen RB Knee
IR
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Depth Charts:
OFFENSE
Chiefs
DEFENSE
SPECIAL TEAMS
OFFENSE
Titans
DEFENSE
SPECIAL TEAMS
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More Stats & More StuffTeam Leaders:
Expert's Picks:
Prisco's Pick:
This is a game featuring a clash of counter-cultures in terms
of offense. The Titans want to pound the football with the run
game, while the Chiefs want to throw it around with Patrick
Mahomes.
The Titans will feature Derrick Henry, a bruising back who has
rushed for 588 yards the past three games, including 377 the
past two weeks in the postseason. He helped the Titans beat
the Chiefs earlier in the year when he rushed for 188 yards.
Tackling him in the open field is a major challenge for any defense.
The Chiefs have improved against the run from earlier this year,
but they need to have a healthy Chris Jones to slow Henry. He
missed Sunday's victory over the Texans with a calf injury.
The Tennessee defense will be challenged in a big way by
Mahomes and his fleet of speedy receivers, add in tight end
Travis Kelce and it's an even bigger challenge. I just can't see
the Titans slowing Mahomes, who is now healthy. If the game
starts getting away from the Titans, it will hurt them in terms
of getting Henry going. That's exactly what I think will happen.
The Titans won't keep up. The Chiefs, behind another big day
from Mahomes, will go to their first Super Bowl in 50 years.
Chiefs 30
Titans 20
Last edited by TopekaRoy; 01-19-2020 at 02:33 AM.
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Chiefs vs. Titans: Game Preview
From Chiefs.com
Saturday, Jan 18, 2020 12:53 PM
Matt McMullen
Community & Digital Media Producer
Chiefs.com@KCChiefs_Matt
It was almost exactly one year ago that Arrowhead Stadium played host to the AFC Championship Game for the very first time.
The contest was the culmination of perhaps the most exciting season in Kansas City Chiefs' history, pitting the Chiefs' electric offense against the New England Patriots with a shot at the Super Bowl on the line. It was an opportunity to hoist the Lamar Hunt Trophy – named for the man responsible for the Chiefs' existence as a franchise – while reaching the mountaintop of professional sports.
Sixty minutes came and went without a victor, as Chiefs' quarterback Patrick Mahomes led a relentless comeback featuring 24 fourth-quarter points, but Patriots' tailback Rex Burkhead plunged ahead for the go-ahead score in overtime to ultimately end Kansas City's season.
It was simply heartbreaking, there's no way around it. Reaching the conference title game is immeasurably difficult, and for many teams, the opportunity never comes around again.
But, three-hundred and sixty-five days later, it's clear the Chiefs are not an ordinary team.
It was a winding path that led to last Sunday's epic, 24-point comeback against the Houston Texans in the Divisional Round, a rally of historic proportions that kept Kansas City's season alive.
And now, after yet another masterful season engineered by Reid, the Titans stand as the final obstacle in the way of the Super Bowl.
Tennessee, the No. 6 seed in the AFC, is on a magical run of its own with road victories over Baltimore and New England – the No. 1 and 3 seeds in the AFC, respectively - already this postseason behind a historic performance by tailback Derrick Henry.
Henry - at six-foot-three and 247 pounds - is as bruising a runner as they come, wielding an incredible balance of size, speed and power. The former second-round pick got off to a slow start this season, but since Week 10, there's been nobody better.
In fact, Henry's 1,273 rushing yards over his last eight games would rank fifth on NFL full-season leaderboards all by itself. He's done a great deal of that damage during Tennessee's postseason run, too, tallying a ridiculous 377 yards in just two games.
Tennessee doesn't mess around, their offense runs through Henry, and slowing down the University of Alabama product is integral to defeating the Titans.
"They are so big up front - I think their offensive line is really underrated. They are mean, they are nasty, they believe in themselves and they play together. Ultimately, they believe in the guy behind them," said safety Tyrann Mathieu. "Henry obviously put together a great season and has done a lot of great things for his team, and they are really leaning on him. I think the mentality [we have] is somebody is going to have to stop him and somebody is going to have to make a tackle on him if we want to get to Miami. It's one goal - one objective - to win the game, but in order to do that, we know we have to slow down No. 22 – no doubt."
At quarterback for Tennessee is veteran Ryan Tannehill, who began the season on the bench before taking over for incumbent starter Marcus Mariota in Week 7. The Titans, who limped to a 2-4 start, caught fire under the leadership of Tannehill, assembling an 8-4 record with the long-time Miami Dolphins' signal caller under center throughout the remainder of the campaign.
Tannehill led the NFL in passer rating (117.5) while tossing 22 touchdowns to just seven picks, complimenting the Titans' ferocious running game with a capable air attack.
The 31-year-old Tannehill hasn't thrown it much this postseason, as the Titans have handed the ball off to Henry an eye-popping 64 times, but he's often gotten the job done when called upon. Just last week, Tannehill found wide receiver Kalif Raymond for a 45-yard scoring strike off of play action, demonstrating that while he's thrown the ball just 29 times this postseason – with a mere 15 completions – the Titans can move the ball through the air when challenged to do so.
"[They've been] one of the top offenses in the National Football League since he's been in there. Everybody talks about the run game, but this guy can sling it," Reid said. "He has some good guys [around him], too. He's playing good football. Smart kid. You're really into those stories, as long as you don't have to play them, but he's done a nice job."
Tennessee has excelled against some stingy defenses of late, but statistically, nobody has been better than Kansas City since Week 11. The Chiefs are allowing just 14.3 points-per-game in that span, and while Houston tallied 31 points last week, nearly half of that total was amassed on either special teams or following a short field created by a turnover in the opening minutes of the game.
The Chiefs yielded just seven points after the Texans' hot start, preventing Houston from ever getting back into the game as Kansas City began its comeback.
It's something the Chiefs intend on continuing on Sunday, but the Titans' defense has certainly been effective as well. Tennessee has allowed just 25 points combined in their two victories this postseason, forcing five takeaways and five turnovers on downs. It's a formula that has worked exceptionally well with the Titans' rushing attack, as Tennessee has both limited the number of possessions for the opposition while taking the ball away early and often.
In fact, New England and Baltimore combined for 22 possessions in their matchups against Tennessee, losing the ball to either a takeaway or a turnover on downs 45 percent of the time. The Titans aren't scoring points in bunches, but they've excelled at protecting the lead once they have it.
"I think that with the Titans, the physicality and determination they play with is big. They're going to get after it and fight for every single yard," Mahomes said. "Their defense is going to fly around to the ball and not give up on anything. We're just trying to match that. We're going to go out there and give it everything we have to come out with a victory."
Of course, it was only last week that the Chiefs climbed out of a 24-point hole in less than a quarter. Kansas City certainly doesn't want to find themselves behind early again in this one, but the Chiefs have demonstrated that they're going to fight and claw back no matter the score.
Kansas City scored on an NFL record seven consecutive possessions following their early deficit, as both tight end Travis Kelce and tailback Damien Williams each tallied three scores, and it was only two months ago that the Chiefs scored 32 points against Tennessee on the road behind 446 passing yards by Mahomes. Kansas City fell victim to a last-minute rally in that game, but the Chiefs showed they could score on this Titans' defense.
Interestingly enough, those 32 points were the second-most that Tennessee has allowed all year.
It all makes for a truly compelling matchup on Sunday as both teams take the field with the Super Bowl on the line. Tennessee is trying to become just the third No. 6 seed to ever make the Super Bowl while Kansas City is aiming to return to the biggest of stages for the first time in 50 years.
Moments like these are what sports at any level are all about, and a year removed from heartbreak, the Chiefs have an opportunity at glory at Arrowhead.
Last edited by TopekaRoy; 01-19-2020 at 02:52 AM.
Game Preview from ESPN.com
Chiefs-Titans Preview
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Andy Reid rarely digs into his own past, preferring to stay in the moment or focus squarely on the future. It's an approach that has served him well during a coaching career that might someday land him in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Yet when his Kansas City Chiefs faced a seemingly insurmountable hole in the divisional round of the playoffs, Reid caught himself thinking back almost four decades to his final game as an offensive lineman at BYU. It was the Holiday Bowl and SMU had taken a 45-25 lead in the fourth quarter. Just about everybody in Jack Murphy Stadium that night thought it was over, only to watch, stunned, as the Cougars scored three late touchdowns to win the game.
"That kind of stuck in there. You had that hope," Reid said this week when asked what gave him confidence Kansas City could rally to a 51-31 win over the Texans for a spot in the AFC championship game. "You had that hope. Then it's the feel of your team. You're on the sideline, you've been down there long enough, you can sense what they're thinking, where their mind is at. These guys weren't flinching. Let's get it right."
The Chiefs (13-4) got everything right the rest of the way. And the comeback from a 24-0 deficit propelled them into a matchup Sunday with Tennessee (11-7), which has merely knocked off the Patriots and top-seeded Ravens -- on the road, no less -- to reach the precipice of the Super Bowl.
It will be the first time coaching this deep in the playoffs for the Titans' Mike Vrabel, but it's certainly familiar territory to his counterpart. Reid had the Chiefs in the same position a year ago, when they lost in overtime to New England -- the Patriots won the coin toss and marched downfield for a touchdown -- and he led the Eagles to five NFC championship games during his 14 years in Philadelphia.
"I have done a few of these," Reid said, "and you know, we try to keep it as normal as we possibly can as far as the schedule goes for the players, so they can get their work done. One thing that changes is how fast the game is. I can tell you from experience, the magnitude, every time you take a step up in the playoffs -- it's single elimination."
Experience is great. Successful experience is better, and that is where Reid falls short. His only conference title came during the 2004 season, when the Eagles lost the Super Bowl to the Patriots. And who should be on the New England roster that night but a game-wrecking linebacker named Vrabel, who even caught a touchdown pass.
Vrabel may not have any experience in this position as a coach, but has plenty as a player. He lifted the Lombardi Trophy three times with New England before finishing his career -- coincidentally -- with two seasons in Kansas City.
"I spent 14 years in the National Football League," Vrabel said, "and I don't even know how many playoff games, but those were good experiences about preparation and really focusing on what got us to this point from where we were at different points in the season. And then, there's also things that I have to do as a coach to make sure that we're ready."
On offense, that means pounding away with running back Derrick Henry and getting just enough production from Ryan Tannehill, just as the Titans did during a back-and-forth Week 10 win over the Chiefs.
On defense, it means slowing down the aerial assault of quarterback Patrick Mahomes and his fleet of game-changing playmakers: running back Damien Williams, tight end Travis Kelce and wide receivers Tyreek Hill and Sammy Watkins.
"I think there is a belief in one another, first and foremost," Tannehill said. "We've been through a lot this season, ups and downs, and won games in a lot of different ways. With that comes a lot of belief and a lot of confidence in one another."
The Chiefs have plenty of confidence in their own right. They haven't lost since that game in Tennessee, and their comeback last week gave them the belief they can overcome anything. Their offense is still shattering records and a retooled defense under new coordinator Steve Spagnuolo has been playing as well as any in the league.
"I think that with the Titans, the physicality and determination they play with is big," Mahomes said. "They're going to get after it and fight for every single yard. Their defense is going to fly around to the ball and not give up on anything. We're just trying to match that. We're going to go out there and give it everything we have to come out with a victory."
HISTORIC RUN
Henry already made history as the first player in the Super Bowl era to run for at least 180 yards in three consecutive games, and nobody has more yards rushing over the first four postseason games than his 561. He also has the three best games in Titans history for yards from scrimmage, set the franchise's single-game postseason rushing mark in each of the past two weeks, and he even threw a jump pass for a touchdown in their 28-12 win in Baltimore.
"We always knew he was a beast," Titans safety Kevin Byard said. "I'm just glad the whole world knows as well."
MORE MAHOMES
Seemingly forgotten during the brilliant season of the Ravens' Lamar Jackson, Mahomes has again put together an MVP-caliber resume. He kept it going in the playoffs, too, becoming the first player to throw for at least 300 yards, run for at least 50 and throw five TD passes in a single playoff game last week against Houston. He's also healthy after ankle and knee injuries this season, including one that hobbled him in Week 10 against Tennessee.
TITANS DEFENSE
The Titans have gotten back to the stingy defense they played much of the season, including the first seven games, when they didn't allow an opponent to score more than 20 points. They've allowed only two touchdowns on seven chances inside their 20, thanks in part to the return of injured cornerback Adoree' Jackson. Defensive captain and defensive lineman Jurrell Casey says they wanted to make sure and try to match what the offense has been doing.
"And it's just guys locking back in," Casey said.
CATCHING KELCE
The Chiefs' Travis Kelce became the first player with three postseason touchdown catches in one quarter in last week's comeback win over Houston. It was another highlight in another Pro Bowl season for the tight end, who has been dealing with some minor knee pain during the postseason but should be ready to go Sunday.
"Just got to keep your foot on the gas pedal," he said. "You can't get too excited; you can't get a sense of relief like, `Oh, we're back in the game.' You got to keep going forward and know that you've got a lot of unfinished business."
ANCIENT HISTORY
The Titans haven't won a conference championship since 1999 and haven't appeared in a title game since 2002, though to the Chiefs that probably seems like yesterday. It has been 50 years since they played in the Super Bowl, and they ache to give owner Clark Hunt the AFC championship trophy that bears the name of his father, team founder Lamar Hunt.
"We're going to put the pressure on ourselves to find a way to win it," Mahomes said. "When you fall that short and that close last year, the next step is to get to the Super Bowl. We understood that going into this season and we know it's a long season. We know it's a process. We know that day by day we have to get better. I think that's what this team is great at, just getting better every single day and then going out and fighting until the end in every single opportunity we get."
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Titans vs. Chiefs: Six Things to Watch in Sunday's AFC Championship Game
Saturday, Jan 18, 2020 12:59 PM
by JIM WYATT
SENIOR WRITER/EDITOR
TitansOnline.com
NASHVILLE – The Titans face the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game on Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium.
Here's a look at six things to watch:
Derrick Henry Train
The Titans keep handing the ball off to running back Derrick Henry, and Henry keeps delivering. The Texans knew it was coming, the Patriots knew it was coming and the Ravens knew it was coming. But that didn't keep Henry from becoming the first player in NFL history to rush for at least 180 yards in three consecutive regular season or postseason games. Henry has accumulated 377 rushing yards on 64 attempts through two postseason games, setting a new single-game franchise record in consecutive weeks. His pace of 188.5 rushing yards per game is the best in a single postseason in NFL history for players with at least two games played. The Chiefs, who finished the regular season ranked 26th in run defense, will stack the box to slow down the big back. Will Henry and the Titans be able to keep the train moving? Well, a trip to the Super Bowl is waiting at the end of the track.
More From Passing Game?
Those new to the Titans scene probably think quarterback Ryan Tannehill has been a game manager this season, a background piece who has taken a backseat to the running game since taking over as the starter in Week 7. After all, Tannehill has thrown for less than 100 yards in both of the team's playoff wins, and he's completed just 15 passes in the two games combined. But Tannehill was a consistent performer for the Titans all season, throwing for over 250 yards in six of his 10 starts, and over 300 yards on three occasions. Will the Titans need more from Tannehill and the passing game on Sunday against the high-scoring Chiefs? I think the answer to that question is "yes."
Containing Patrick Mahomes
In the first round of the playoffs, the Titans faced legendary quarterback Tom Brady of the Patriots. In round two, slowing down the league's likely MVP, Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, was the challenge. Now the Titans are faced with Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, last year's MVP and the hottest thing going at the position right now. Mahomes is an electrifying player, with 4,031 passing yards and 26 touchdowns in the regular season. He threw for 321 yards and five touchdowns last week vs the Texans, and he threw for 446 yards and three touchdowns in a Week 10 contest in Nashville. The Titans won't be able to stop Mahomes. But they need to find a way to limit his success, both through the air and on the ground. They'll need another solid defensive effort – and an offense that helps limit Kansas City's possessions.
Dealing with Travis Kelce
The biggest target for Mahomes will be the biggest target in stature – Kansas City's 6-foot-5, 260-pound tight end Travis Kelce, who has been a nightmare to cover throughout his career. Kelce led the Chiefs with a team-high 10 catches for 134 yards and three touchdowns in last week's playoff win against the Texans. During the regular season, Kelce caught 97 passes for 1,229 yards and five scores. Kelce is a matchup problem for every team, so it will be interesting to see how the Titans defend him on Sunday — and how well their plan works.
Titans Targets?
I mentioned Tannehill and the passing game a few sections up. With the ball expected to be in the air more, which Titans targets will Tannehill look to the most? Against the Patriots, tight end Anthony Firkser came up with the money balls. Against the Ravens, tight end Jonnu Smith and receiver Kalif Raymond stepped up with some big catches from Tannehill. On Sunday, who will emerge? A.J. Brown has been relatively quiet during the postseason, and Corey Davis' touchdown catch last weekend came on a jump pass from Henry. Receiver Adam Humphries, who had the game-winning catch in the Week 10 meeting vs the Chiefs, figures to be back in the mix after returning to practice all week. Will a new hero emerge for the Titans?
Special Teams
When the Titans beat the Chiefs in Week 10, it was defensive back Joshua Kalu's blocked field goal that sealed the deal. When the Titans won at Arrowhead Stadium in 2016, it was kicker Ryan Succop's last-second field goal that won it. Sunday's game could very well come down to who wins on special teams. The Titans have the game's best punter in Brett Kern, the Chiefs have one of the game's most dangerous returners in Mecole Hardman. Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker has made 34-of-38 field goals, while Titans kicker Greg Joseph still hasn't tried one in four games with the team. The Chiefs had a punt blocked last week. In a game with so much importance, the hunch here is special teams plays a big role in the outcome.
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