2020 AFC Championship: 10 Fast Facts For Titans-Chiefs
The Tennessee Titans and Kansas City Chiefs will meet in a rematch of their Week 10 game on Sunday afternoon with a Super Bowl berth on the line. Ahead of the game's 3:05 ET p.m. kickoff, here are 10 fast facts to get you prepared for the AFC showdown:
- The Titans have reached the conference title game in large part because of running back Derrick Henry. Henry became the first player in NFL history to rush for at least 180 yards in three consecutive regular season or postseason games. Henry rushed for 195 yards in Tennessee's win over Baltimore last week, and 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.
- Titans QB Ryan Tannehill threw for less than 100 yards in both of his team's playoff wins, completing just 15 passes in the two games combined. However, since taking over as the team's starter in Week 7, Tannehill has thrown for more than 250 yards in six of his 10 starts, and over 300 yards three times.
- Throughout the Titans' 9-7 regular season, Tennessee's pass defense allowed 255 passing yards per game, which was 24th in the league. Despite winning in the divisional round, Lamar Jackson still had a productive day through both the air and on the ground, combining for almost 500 total yards. Titans HC Mike Vrabel will look to stunt Kansas City's offense Sunday as he continues to believe in his team.
- Titans kicker Greg Joseph still hasn't tried one in four games with the team. Joesph joined the team on Dec. 18 when the Titans placed Ryan Succop on injured reserve. Joseph converted 85% (17-of-20) of his field goal attempts with the Browns last season.
- Sunday's AFC Championship will be refereed by 20-plus year veteran Tony Corrente. He also was the official during the Titans' 35-32 Week 10 win over the Chiefs. In that game, Corrente called eight penalties on the Titans for 64 yards, and nine on the Chiefs for 80 yards.
- Last year's NFL MVP Patrick Mahomes believes he's a better QB this season than last season. In last week's comeback victory over the Texans, the Texas Tech product became the first player in NFL history with 300-plus pass yards, five or more pass TD and 50 or more rush yards in a playoff game.
- TE Travis Kelce hauled in the most passes in a postseason game in franchise history last week, catching 10 balls for 134 yards and three scores. It was the first time in Kelce's career that he caught three or more touchdowns in a single game and also tied the NFL's postseason record for receiving scores in a single game.
- Last week, the Chiefs recorded five sacks, eight quarterback hits and 29 total pressures on Texans QB Deshaun Watson. During the regular season, Kansas City recorded 45 total sacks, but was near league in average in overall opposing QB pressures percentage.
- Through 21 years of experience, Chiefs head coach Andy Reid is 207-128-1 in the regular season. However, in the postseason, Reid is only 13-14. The former Eagles coach made the Super Bowl in 2004 when he was still with Philadelphia and has not returned since. His team fell to New England in Reid's only Super Bowl appearance 24-21.
- Kansas City combined for only 290 total yards in its overtime loss in the 2019 AFC Championship loss to the Patriots. In that game, the Chiefs allowed the Patriots to score a go-ahead TD with just 39 seconds to go in regulation, before Mahomes marched his offense into field goal range to tie the game. Mahomes's attack would fail to touch the ball in the extra session, as Tom Brady and the Patriots orchestrated a 13-play, 75-yard drive to punch a ticket to the Super Bowl.
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