BIG RETURNS FROM WASHINGTON: In the first quarter, Leon Washington returned a kickoff 95 yards for the Titans to help set up a touchdown. The return was Tennessee's longest since a 105-yarder by Darius Reynaud against the Lions on Sept. 23, 2012, and it was Washington's longest kickoff return since a 98-yard touchdown at Miami on Nov. 25, 2012. Washington totaled five kickoff returns at Denver for 209 total yards (41.8 avg.). His 209 total kickoff return yards made up the third-highest single-game total in franchise history and the most since Bobby Jancik's 240 kickoff return yards against Oakland on Dec. 22, 1963.
THREE RUSHING TOUCHDOWNS: The Titans scored three rushing touchdowns at Denver—two by Shonn Greene and one by Chris Johnson—to mark their second-highest total of the season (four at St. Louis on Nov. 3).
FITZPATRICK-TO-HUNTER BOMBS: Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick and wide receiver Justin Hunter combined for a pair of big plays against the Broncos. Early in the first quarter, Fitzpatrick found Hunter for a 57-yard gain to set up the team's first touchdown. The reception was the longest of Hunter's rookie season and the team's third-longest reception of 2013. In the third quarter, they hooked up again, this time for a 41-yard touchdown.
HUNTER GOES OVER 100 YARDS, SCORES AGAIN: With a 41-yard touchdown reception in the third quarter—the fourth touchdown catch of his rookie season—wide receiver Justin Hunter went over the 100-yard receiving mark for the second time in three weeks. He led the Titans with a career-high 114 yards on four catches at Denver. On Nov. 24 at Oakland, he reached triple digits for the first time with 109 yards on six receptions. Hunter's four touchdown receptions tie (Kendall Wright in 2012, Tyrone Calico in 2003) for the most by a franchise rookie since Chris Sanders' nine in 1995.
SEASON HIGH FOR KERN: Brett Kern punted four times and set a season high with a gross average of 50.3. His performance included a long of 62 yards and a 53-yard punt when the team was backed up at its own one-yard line.
FIRST-HALF SCORING: The Titans scored 21 points in the first half, their second-highest scoring output of the season in the first half. Their only game with more points in the first two quarters was Sept. 29 against the New York Jets, when they scored 24.
BIG PLAY ON FOURTH DOWN: In the second quarter, the Titans faced a fourth-and-one at their own 49-yard line. They elected to go for it, and the decision paid big dividends. On the fourth-down play, Ryan Fitzpatrick completed a pass to Chris Johnson that went for a 23-yard gain. On the following play, the Titans scored a touchdown.
TOUCHDOWNS ON FIRST TWO DRIVES: For the second time this season, the Titans scored touchdowns on their first two possessions of the game. Against the Broncos, they scored on touchdown runs by Shonn Greene and Chris Johnson. The only other time they scored touchdowns on their initial two possessions was Nov. 14 against Indianapolis. In one other contest—Sept. 29 against the New York Jets—their first two drives resulted in scores, but the scores were a touchdown and field goal in that instance.
GREENE SCORES TWICE: Running back Shonn Greene scored on a one-yard run in the first quarter. Then, in the second quarter, he found the end zone again on a 28-yard run. It gave him five career games with two or more touchdowns, three touchdown runs in 2013 and 21 rushing touchdowns in his five-year career.
CHRIS JOHNSON FINDS END ZONE: In the first quarter, running back Chris Johnson scored on a three-yard run. It was Johnson's fifth rushing touchdown of 2013 and his 49th career rushing touchdown.
GOODEN'S FIRST CAREER START: The Titans defense started in a nickel package with rookie linebacker Zaviar Gooden on the field, giving the third-round pick from Missouri his first career NFL start.
SCHIANCOE STARTS FIRST GAME AS A TITAN: In his first game since signing as a free agent on Dec. 4, tight end Visanthe Shiancoe started for the Titans and recorded a three-yard reception on the game's first play from scrimmage.
KICKOFF TEMP: The official temperature at kickoff was 18 degrees, making the game the fourth-coldest game in the 54-year history of the Titans/Oilers. With five-mile-per-hour winds, the wind chill at kickoff against the Broncos was 11 degrees.
TITANS INACTIVES: The Titans' seven inactive players were quarterback John Skelton, wide receiver Damian Williams, wide receiver Kenny Britt, defensive back Micah Pellerin, tackle Byron Stingily, tight end Delanie Walker and defensive end Lavar Edwards.
