The Tennessee Titans are winners of 3 straight games, the longest active win streak in the NFL. This streak could not have come at a better time, as the Titans are now in the thick of the AFC wildcard race. All but eliminated just a few weeks ago, Tennessee is now tied with both the Colts and the Ravens (who both have tiebreakers over the Titans) for the final playoff spot.

Offense

One of the biggest catalysts for the team’s recent success is RB Derrick Henry. After a mostly pedestrian start to the season, Henry has exploded in the past few weeks, averaging 149.3 yards and 2.3 TD per game during the Titans’ current win streak. While the team’s offense has been stagnant much of the season, it has come alive in recent weeks on the back of Derrick Henry. Here is a comparison of the Titans’ offense in the past three weeks compared to the rest of the season:

Total YD/G Pass YD/G Rush YD/G PPG First 11 301.7 190.6 111.1 17.7 Last 3 376.6 173.6 203.0 24.3

Defense

The Titans’ defense has been great all season, proving to be one of the best defensive units in the league. They have been especially good as of late, allowing just 9 and 0 points in their last two games. Here is the team’s defensive stats this season:

Total YD/G Pass YD/G Rush YD/G PPG Stat 328.9 218.7 110.2 18.1 Rank 7th 6th 12th 2nd

Clearly, the Titans pride themselves on their defense and lean upon them to win games. Diving deeper into the team’s advanced stats, the case for their elite defense becomes even greater:

Def SRS Def EXP Opp SC% Stat 4.3 -20.86 31.1% Rank 2nd 8th 3rd

Veterans such as Malcolm Butler and Jurrell Casey are working seamlessly alongside young talent like Harold Landry and Adoree Jackson to create a shutdown defense that can stop any team they play.

Bottom Line

According to Football Outsiders, the Titans currently have a 38.9% chance to make the playoffs. If they can knock off the Redskins in week 16, their week 17 matchup against the Colts could very well be a win-and-in game for both teams.

If the Titans can make the playoffs, they will be a sneaky threat to upset a divisional winner. If Derrick Henry can continue bulldozing his way into opposing defenses and the team defense continues to play at an elite level, the Titans can be a force to be reckoned with in the AFC.