Titans Give Fans a Win for Christmas

Titans Give Fans a Win for ChristmasTennessee scored ten unanswered fourth-quarter points and held on just enough for a 30-29 victory over the Bills. The Titans’ offensive line pounded the smaller Bills defenders as Tennessee had 215 total rushing yards. Travis Henry carried 25 times for 135 yards, not including a 57-yard run called back on a penalty. Henry has now surpassed the 1,000-yard mark for the season, the third time he’s done that in his career. It was the Cheese’s first return to Buffalo since the Bills traded him to Tennessee last summer.
In what has become commonplace for the Titans lately, it was another crazy win with a wild ending. With less than a minute remaining, Buffalo had a fourth-and-five at the Titans 28-yard line, with a chance to kick a 46-yard go-ahead field goal. Their field goal team went on the field and then came back off, apparently because of the stiff wind Rian Lindell would have to kick into. J.P. Losman’s desperation pass under pressure was intercepted by Reynaldo Hill, sealing the Titans’ win.
Two plays before that, Hill made another big play with an open-field tackle, holding the Bills at the 28. If Hill missed that tackle, Buffalo would have been in field goal range and the game could have had a different outcome.
Vince Young passed for two touchdowns on 13-for-20 passing and 183 yards, compiling a 127.7 passer rating. He also added 61 yards rushing, with an electrifying 36-yard touchdown run. It was one of his best games of the year, which is saying something after he won the Rookie of the Week award three consecutive times earlier this season.
Rob Bironas was perfect on three field goal attempts, including a 42-yard kick into the wind, which barely cleared the crossbar. Craig Hentrich did an outstanding job holding for him, handling several bad snaps.
The win is the sixth in a row and eighth of the last ten for Tennessee, bringing their record to 8-7. They remain alive in playoff contention for a wild card berth.
Game balls this week are awarded as follows.
Offense – Vince Young, 183 yards passing with two TDs and 61 yards rushing and one TD.
Honorable Mention – Travis Henry (135 yards rushing) and Brandon Jones, who had five catches for 101 yards and a TD.
Defense – Reynaldo Hill, who had six unassisted tackles and the game-clinching interception.
Honorable Mention – Keith Bulluck, with eight tackles.
Special Teams – Rob Bironas, who had three field goals and three PATs in the gusting wind.
Honorable Mention – Craig Hentrich, for handling all the bad snaps and getting good holds down for Bironas.

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