CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (CLARKSVILLENOW) – In one of the more improbable runs in recent NFL postseason history, the Tennessee Titans have advanced to the AFC championship game.
The two-tone blue first traveled to New England and knocked off the defending Super Bowl champion Patriots in a wild-card matchup.
The path didn’t get any easier from there, but the Titans still prevailed the following week against what many considered to be the best team in football; the Baltimore Ravens in the divisional round.
One variable has remained constant for Tennessee throughout the playoffs and that’s running back Derrick Henry.
Over the course of three weeks, Henry has done what no other tailback in history has done and that’s rush for over 180 yards in three consecutive games.
If the Titans hope to continue their magical run by punching their ticket to the Super Bowl, they will first have to get past the Kansas City Chiefs.
Last week against Houston in the divisional round, the Chiefs found themselves down 24-0 in a blink of an eye.
With the Texans in many ways assisting by making questionable play-calling decisions, Patrick Mahomes and company completed the epic comeback by scoring 41 unanswered points to win it 51-31.
The last thing the Titans want to do against the Chiefs is get into a similar track meet.
Even though Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill has made some big plays through the air, he still hasn’t surpassed 100 passing yards in a single game so far this postseason.
Kansas City’s last lost did in fact come against Tennessee 35-32 in Week 10.
In that game, KC was without starting offensive linemen Eric Fisher and Laurent Duvernay-Tardif while Tennessee missed Jurrell Casey and Corey Davis.
The Chiefs are hoping their star defensive tackle and pass rusher Chris Jones will be back on Saturday. Jones missed last week with a calf injury and practiced in a limited fashion on Friday. He’s being viewed as a true game-time decision.
Another key cog for Tennessee during this memorable stretch has been their ability to dominate in the trenches. The offensive and defensive line play has been superb, allowing the Titans to have success on both sides of the ball.
The weather forecast for Saturday is less than ideal with temperatures falling into the teens and double-digit wind gusts expected throughout the stadium.
If the game comes down to a kick for Tennessee, Titan fans should most likely be on the edge of their seats. The team hasn’t made a field goal since Dec. 1, 2019.
The Tennessee Titans (11-7) will take on the Kansas City Chiefs (13-4) in the AFC championship game at 2:05 p.m. Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium.