Titans AFC Championship Game Notes

Jan 19, 2020 at 07:30 PM

TEAM NOTES

· Fourth-year general manager Jon Robinson and second-year head coach Mike Vrabel led the Titans to their first AFC championship game since they took over their respective roles and the club's first AFC title game since the 2002 season. Vrabel became the first Titans head coach to win his first two postseason games since Jeff Fisher in 1999.

· Since the NFL went to its current playoff format in 1990, the Titans were the third team to begin the season with a record of 2-4 or worse in their first six games and advance to the conference championship game, joining the 2002 Titans (2-4) and the 1996 Jacksonville Jaguars (2-4).

· The Titans were the first No. 6 seed in the playoffs to reach a conference championship game since 2010. They were the sixth team to do so since the current NFL playoff format began in 1990, joining the 2005 Pittsburgh Steelers, 2008 Philadelphia Eagles, 2008 Baltimore Ravens, 2010 New York Jets and the 2010 Green Bay Packers.

· The official kickoff temperature at Kansas City was 17 degrees with a wind chill of 5 degrees.

· The Titans did not have a turnover for the second consecutive game. They were plus-three in turnover margin during the postseason.

· The Titans scored on each of their first three possessions of the game, kicking a field goal on their opening series and following with consecutive touchdown drives.

· In the first half, the Titans offense went on a 15-play, 75-yard touchdown drive that took 9 minutes and 7 seconds. The series used more clock than any other postseason scoring drive by the Titans since the 2000 playoffs. In the last nine NFL postseasons (2011 playoffs through 2019), only the New Orleans Saints have used more clock during a postseason scoring drive (11:29 vs. Philadelphia on Jan. 13, 2019).

· The Titans had three possessions in the red zone and scored two touchdowns on those drives. In three postseason games, they had seven touchdowns on eight drives inside the 20 (87.5 percent) after leading the NFL with a 75.6-percent conversion rate during the regular season.

· The Titans scored touchdowns on both of their goal-to-go possessions at Kansas City and scored touchdowns on all six of their goal-go-go drives during the playoffs. During the regular season, they led the NFL with a touchdown rate of 88.0 percent (22 of 25) in goal-to-go situations.

WR A.J. BROWN

· Totaled 51 yards on three receptions, including a 37-yard reception in the first quarter.

DT JURRELL CASEY

· Combined with defensive lineman DaQuan Jones on a sack of Patrick Mahomes in the fourth quarter.

· His 2.5 sacks during the postseason tied Jason Fisk (2.5 in 1999) for the second-best total for the franchise since individual sacks became an official statistic in 1982. Only Jevon Kearse's three sacks during the 1999 postseason rank higher.

OLB KAMALEI CORREA

· Registered a two-yard sack of quarterback Patrick Mahomes in the first quarter. He notched his second consecutive playoff game with a sack.

· Including the final five regular season games and three postseason games, Correa totaled six sacks in an eight-game span.

· His two sacks during the playoffs tied for the fourth-highest total for the franchise since individual sacks became an official statistic in 1982.

WR COREY DAVIS

· Led the team with 65 yards on five receptions (tied for team lead). His yardage total set a playoff career high, and his reception total tied his playoff career high (five at New England on Jan. 13, 2018).

· Recorded an 18-yard reception in the second quarter and added a 22-yard grab in the fourth quarter.

TE ANTHONY FIRKSER

· Recorded a 22-yard touchdown reception on a pass from Ryan Tannehill in the fourth quarter.

· Led the team with two touchdown receptions during the playoffs.

RB DERRICK HENRY

· Led the team with 69 yards and one touchdown on 19 rushing attempts.

· Recorded a four-yard touchdown run on a direct snap in the first quarter. It was his third career postseason touchdown run (second of 2019 playoffs).

· Finished the postseason with 83 rushing attempts for 446 yards and two touchdowns. His rushing yardage total ranked second in franchise postseason history behind Eddie George's 449 rushing yards during the 1999 playoffs. Henry also finished sixth in NFL history for most rushing yards in a single postseason.

· Ranked fifth in NFL history for a single postseason with an average of 148.7 rushing yards per game (minimum of two games).

· Totaled 1,986 rushing yards and 18 rushing touchdowns on 386 attempts during the 2019 regular season and playoffs. Only Earl Campbell (2,025 rushing yards during the 1980 regular season and playoffs) and Chris Johnson (2,006 during the 2009 regular season) have rushed for more yards in a combined regular season and postseason in franchise history.

DB AMANI HOOKER

· Recorded a 28-yard reception on a pass from Brett Kern on a fake punt in the fourth quarter.

WR ADAM HUMPHRIES

· Appeared in his first game since suffering an ankle injury on Dec. 1. He was inactive for six games after the injury.

· Totaled four receptions for 25 yards, including three catches for first downs.

· Converted a fourth-and-two with a three-yard catch in the first quarter.

DL DAQUAN JONES

· Combined with defensive lineman Jurrell Casey on a sack of Patrick Mahomes in the fourth quarter. It was the first half-sack of his playoff career.

K GREG JOSEPH

· Made a 30-yard field goal in the first quarter, connecting on his first attempt since signing with the Titans on Dec. 18, 2019. He also connected on all three extra point attempts.

T DENNIS KELLY

· Caught a one-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter. It was his first career playoff reception after recording his first regular season catch—a one-yard touchdown against Jacksonville on Nov. 24—earlier in the season.

· Became the first offensive lineman to catch a touchdown pass in the NFL postseason since the 2014 playoffs, when New England's Nate Solder (Jan. 18, 2015 vs Indianapolis) and Seattle's Garry Gilliam (Jan. 18, 2015 vs. Green Bay) accomplished the feat.

P BRETT KERN

· Averaged 46.3 yards (44.0 net) on three punts with one punt placed inside the 20.

· His 53-yard punt pinned the Chiefs on their 12-yard line during the fourth quarter.

· Completed a 28-yard pass to Amani Hooker on a fake punt in the fourth quarter.

· Tied for the third-highest postseason mark in franchise history with an average of 48.6 yards per punt during the playoffs (15 for 729 yards).

TE JONNU SMITH

· Totaled three receptions for 38 yards.

· Recorded a 22-yard reception in the first quarter, which led to a Titans touchdown on the next play.

QB RYAN TANNEHILL

· Completed 21 of 31 passes for 209 yards with two touchdowns. His passer rating of 108.1 ranked fourth in franchise postseason history (minimum 20 attempts).

· His two touchdown passes included a one-yard toss to offensive lineman Dennis Kelly in the second quarter and a 22-yarder to tight end Anthony Firkser in the fourth quarter.

· Registered his 13th consecutive game (regular season and playoffs) with at least one touchdown pass since taking over as the starting quarterback in Week 7.

· Completed a 37-yard pass to wide receiver A.J. Brown in the first quarter.

· Ranked fourth in franchise history with a 98.6 passer rating during the postseason. His playoff totals included 36 completions, 369 yards, five touchdowns and one interception on 60 attempts. He also rushed for 35 yards and one touchdown.

· Tied Warren Moon's franchise record (1991) with five touchdown passes during the postseason.

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KANSAS CITY, MO - JANUARY 19, 2020 - The Tennessee Titans take on the Kansas City Chiefs during the AFC Championship Game at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, MO. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans