Hitting a High Point

Corey Davis' 'long road' with the Titans takes a positive turn with his performance at Denver.

In the first game of his most important season to date, Corey Davis played about as well as he could have.

In Monday night’s 16-14 triumph over the Denver Broncos, the Tennessee Titans wide receiver caught seven passes for 101 yards, good for the third best single-game performance of his career and a game-ball honors from his teammates and coaches.

“It’s been rough. It’s been a long road,” Davis said during a virtual postgame interview inside Empower Stadium at Mile High. “There have been highs, there have been lows. I am just happy we got this win.”

Davis, who was questionable for Monday’s game with a hamstring injury, described his career perfectly. It has been a bit of a roller coaster ride.

Drafted fifth overall by the Titans in the 2017 NFL Draft, Davis played in 11 games (nine starts) as a rookie and made 34 catches for 375 yards. He led the Titans with 65 catches for 891 yards and four touchdowns in 2018 and in 15 contests last season, he finished second on the team to A.J. Brown with 43 catches, 601 receiving yards and two touchdown receptions.

Until Monday night, Davis had just two 100-yard receiving performances, a career-high 161 yards against Philadelphia in 2018 and a 125-yard performance against the New England Patriots later that season. Before Monday, he had gone 25 games, including the playoffs, since that last 100-yard effort.

“I felt good,” Davis said. “Me and [quarterback Ryan] Tannehill were clicking. I am happy we got the ‘W.’”

In the 10 games Tannehill started last season, he targeted Davis 42 times, more than all of the Titans receivers other than Brown. Yet only 27 of those throws (64.3 percent) resulted in catches.

Against the Broncos, Tannehill threw to Davis eight times and completed seven. Five of the Titans’ seven biggest gains in the contest were Davis receptions, topped by one that went for 23 yards late in the second quarter.

“I'm really proud of the way he went out and battled,” Tannehill said of Davis. “Obviously, just dealing with some things throughout the week and being able to go out and make some huge catches for us, successful catches in traffic, big catch and runs as well.

“I'm really proud of the way Corey played. [He's] obviously a talented guy and he made big plays for us.”

The Titans decided during the offseason not to exercise the 25-year-old’s fifth-year option, which means he is scheduled to be a free agent after the season. While it’s possible this season could be his last as a Titan, Davis could still cash in with Tennessee or elsewhere if he turns in more performances like the one he had against the Broncos.

No matter what happens, Davis said he hasn’t felt this good after a game since “sometime last season.”

Davis -- and the Titans -- hope that can become a trend.

“It felt good to get the game ball,” Davis said. “It was a long road, for me personally. Just to have coaches and players believe in me the whole way through, it means a lot.”


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