NASHVILLE
Luke Stocker Jersey , Tenn. (AP) — The Titans have assured themselves of a third straight winning season for the first time since moving to Tennessee, and the NFL’s longest current winning streak has them playing the final game of the regular season with a playoff berth on the line.They’ll find out Sunday night if that’s enough to sell-out their home stadium with Titans fans.Safety Kevin Byard believes they’ve done enough to convince fans to turn out.“You have a team that’s playing for a playoff spot, be one of the few teams that’s going to be in the postseason,” Byard said. “I think that’s every motivation that everybody in Nashville should be in Nissan Stadium. I think we’ve done a great job this year and previous years. This game is a playoff game, and I think it’s something we’re trying to make history right now.”The Titans (9-6) will host Indianapolis (9-6) in a win-and-in prime-time showdown on Sunday night; the loser is done for the season. The Titans and Colts will play for at worst the AFC’s second wild-card spot and the sixth overall seed with the AFC South title possible if Jacksonville beats Houston.Crazier still, losses by Houston, Baltimore and New England could leave Sunday night’s winner not only as a division champ but the No. 2 seed with a first-round bye.It’s almost unimaginable for the Titans after being 5-6 and fighting to get to .500 when December started. Now the Titans have won four straight to climb past teams like Cincinnati, Denver, Miami and now Pittsburgh. Only the Colts stand in their way now.“We all can recognize we’ve been in the playoffs now going on five weeks, we’ve been in the playoffs for the past four weeks,” coach Mike Vrabel said.The Titans will have to wait and see if Marcus Mariota is available after a stinger knocked the quarterbackout of their 25-16 victory over Washington on Saturday. That was the third game Mariota couldn’t finish this season and seventh of his four-year career.Vrabel said Mariota felt better Monday than the quarterback did after his last stinger Nov. 18 in a 38-10 loss in Indianapolis. Mariota didn’t miss a start, but the Titans did bring back quarterback Austin Davis who spent two weeks on the active roster in September.Mariota and the Titans are in a similar situation with an extra day to recover between games. Vrabel said they planned to test Mariota on Monday with individual drills while making sure through the rest of the week that the quarterback can do everything needed to play.But the Titans will be without four-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Jurrell Casey after they placed him on injured reserve Monday with a knee injury aggravated in the fourth quarter against the Redskins. Casey is the secondOne more win ensures a second straight playoff berth for the Titans for the first time 2007 and 2008. This franchise hasn’t won five straight since 2009 when the Titans reeled off five straight after starting the season 0-6. This also will be their first Sunday night game since Oct. 11, 2009, when they lost to the Colts 31-9.Safety Kenny Vaccaro has never played in the postseason. He broke his ankle as a rookie with New Orleans and tore an abductor muscle last year.“This is like my first playoff game
Will Compton Jersey , so I’m excited,” Vaccaro said. “We’ve been in the playoffs the last four weeks if you think about it. Not too long ago we were 5-6 just trying to get back to .500.” ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Kevin Byard secured the interception that sparked the sluggish Tennessee Titans and turned toward midfield.The flashback for the Dallas Cowboys was just as disheartening as the original.Byard mimicked Terrell Owens’ mocking celebration on the star logo at the 50-yard line from 18 years ago, Marcus Mariota accounted for three touchdowns and the Titans spoiled Amari Cooper’s Dallas debut with a 28-14 victory on Monday night.The end-zone pick of Dak Prescott came after Mariota fumbled on the first two Tennessee possessions. Just as T.O. did at old Texas Stadium 18 years ago, Byard ran to midfield, under the huge videoboard at spacious AT&T Stadium, and spread his arms.Owens did it twice in a blowout San Francisco win over a bad Dallas team that time. This win by the Titans (4-4) ended their three-game losing streak while handing the Cowboys (3-5) their first loss in four home games and making their road to the playoffs a difficult one.“It was huge,” Mariota said of Byard, while adding that he didn’t see the celebration. “The defense has done an unbelievable job throughout the year in building us up. They found ways to give us plays, to get turnovers.”The Cowboys looked like the team headed for a blowout win, but led just 7-0 after Mariota’s early miscues because of Brett Maher’s missed 38-yard field goal on the opening possession and Prescott’s ill-advised throw into double coverage.“That was the difference. Simple as that,” said Prescott, who lost a fumble at his 40-yard line to set up Tennessee’s tiebreaking score in the third quarter. “Defense gives a turnover there. We’re up seven points and I go down there and try to force the ball and give it right back to them.”Cooper scored the first Dallas touchdown after DeMarcus Lawrence stripped the ball from Mariota . The two-time Pro Bowl receiver finished with five catches for 58 yards after coming over from Oakland in a trade for a first-round pick during the open week.Given another chance when what would have been a third straight fumble to start the game was overturned by a review that showed Luke Stocker didn’t have the ball long enough on a catch, Mariota led an 80-yard drive capped by Derrick Henry’s 1-yard plunge for a 7-7 tie.Mariota converted two third-and-9s with passes and a shorter third down with a run on his first TD drive
Kenny Vaccaro Jersey , setting the stage for the Titans to convert 11 of 14 third downs.The Cowboys fell flat in 15-year tight end Jason Witten’s first trip home since retiring to become lead analyst for “Monday Night Football.”Dallas had just 108 yards in the second half — the bulk of those on a desperation drive down two scores late — and was booed several times at the end of failed drives.After getting sacked on third down with nobody realizing Tennessee had called timeout in a 7-7 game in the second quarter, Mariota completed a 36-yarder to Darius Jennings before a screen pass to Dion Lewis went 18 yards for a touchdown.Mariota broke a 14-14 tie in the third quarter when he pulled the ball out of Lewis’ gut at the last second and delivered a 7-yard shovel pass to Jonnu Smith to put the Titans ahead for good. Mariota’s 9-yard scoring run all but sealed things with 4:38 to go.Mariota was 21 of 29 for 240 yards without an interception and had 32 yards rushing. Lewis had 62 yards rushing and 60 receiving coming off a career-high 155 scrimmage yards in his last game.Star Dallas running back Ezekiel Elliott finished with 61 yards after a hot start. Prescott was 21 of 31 for 243 yards and two scores — 4 yards to Cooper and 23 yards to Allen Hurns. The two turnovers were Prescott’s first at home this season.T.O. FLASHBACKThere was something else familiar about Byard’s celebration: a Dallas defender trying to do something about it.George Teague famously knocked Owens off the star back then, and Cowboys cornerback Byron Jones made a similar move on Byard and the group that joined the celebration. Owens seemed to get a kick out of the whole thing on Twitter.“I was actually expecting somebody to knock my head off,” said Byard, who thought about the possible celebration at the team hotel. “I was like, ‘If we get to the 50, if we get enough guys to the 50, we are just going to start dancing on the star.'”WITTEN TRIBUTEThe Cowboys paid tribute to Witten with a pregame video on the giant board hanging over the field. The franchise leader in games, catches and yards receiving wiped his eyes when a small inset of him was shown during the video, but seemed to have gained his composure when he was shown on the full screen. Witten waved, smiled and tapped his chest around his heart several times as the crowd roared.INJURIESDallas LB Sean Lee pulled up with a hamstring injury while trying to cover Smith on a 26-yard completion to the Titans tight end. Lee didn’t return. … Titans WR Taywan Taylor left with what coach Mike Vrabel said was a lower leg injury.UP NEXTTitans: Home against AFC East-leading New England next Sunday.Cowboys: At Philadelphia next Sunday in the first meeting with the NFC East rival.
NASHVILLE Luke Stocker Jersey , Tenn. (AP) — The Titans have assured themselves of a third straight winning season for the first time since moving to Tennessee, and the NFL’s longest current winning streak has them playing the final game of the regular season with a playoff berth on the line.They’ll find out Sunday night if that’s enough to sell-out their home stadium with Titans fans.Safety Kevin Byard believes they’ve done enough to convince fans to turn out.“You have a team that’s playing for a playoff spot, be one of the few teams that’s going to be in the postseason,” Byard said. “I think that’s every motivation that everybody in Nashville should be in Nissan Stadium. I think we’ve done a great job this year and previous years. This game is a playoff game, and I think it’s something we’re trying to make history right now.”The Titans (9-6) will host Indianapolis (9-6) in a win-and-in prime-time showdown on Sunday night; the loser is done for the season. The Titans and Colts will play for at worst the AFC’s second wild-card spot and the sixth overall seed with the AFC South title possible if Jacksonville beats Houston.Crazier still, losses by Houston, Baltimore and New England could leave Sunday night’s winner not only as a division champ but the No. 2 seed with a first-round bye.It’s almost unimaginable for the Titans after being 5-6 and fighting to get to .500 when December started. Now the Titans have won four straight to climb past teams like Cincinnati, Denver, Miami and now Pittsburgh. Only the Colts stand in their way now.“We all can recognize we’ve been in the playoffs now going on five weeks, we’ve been in the playoffs for the past four weeks,” coach Mike Vrabel said.The Titans will have to wait and see if Marcus Mariota is available after a stinger knocked the quarterbackout of their 25-16 victory over Washington on Saturday. That was the third game Mariota couldn’t finish this season and seventh of his four-year career.Vrabel said Mariota felt better Monday than the quarterback did after his last stinger Nov. 18 in a 38-10 loss in Indianapolis. Mariota didn’t miss a start, but the Titans did bring back quarterback Austin Davis who spent two weeks on the active roster in September.Mariota and the Titans are in a similar situation with an extra day to recover between games. Vrabel said they planned to test Mariota on Monday with individual drills while making sure through the rest of the week that the quarterback can do everything needed to play.But the Titans will be without four-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Jurrell Casey after they placed him on injured reserve Monday with a knee injury aggravated in the fourth quarter against the Redskins. Casey is the secondOne more win ensures a second straight playoff berth for the Titans for the first time 2007 and 2008. This franchise hasn’t won five straight since 2009 when the Titans reeled off five straight after starting the season 0-6. This also will be their first Sunday night game since Oct. 11, 2009, when they lost to the Colts 31-9.Safety Kenny Vaccaro has never played in the postseason. He broke his ankle as a rookie with New Orleans and tore an abductor muscle last year.“This is like my first playoff game Will Compton Jersey , so I’m excited,” Vaccaro said. “We’ve been in the playoffs the last four weeks if you think about it. Not too long ago we were 5-6 just trying to get back to .500.” ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Kevin Byard secured the interception that sparked the sluggish Tennessee Titans and turned toward midfield.The flashback for the Dallas Cowboys was just as disheartening as the original.Byard mimicked Terrell Owens’ mocking celebration on the star logo at the 50-yard line from 18 years ago, Marcus Mariota accounted for three touchdowns and the Titans spoiled Amari Cooper’s Dallas debut with a 28-14 victory on Monday night.The end-zone pick of Dak Prescott came after Mariota fumbled on the first two Tennessee possessions. Just as T.O. did at old Texas Stadium 18 years ago, Byard ran to midfield, under the huge videoboard at spacious AT&T Stadium, and spread his arms.Owens did it twice in a blowout San Francisco win over a bad Dallas team that time. This win by the Titans (4-4) ended their three-game losing streak while handing the Cowboys (3-5) their first loss in four home games and making their road to the playoffs a difficult one.“It was huge,” Mariota said of Byard, while adding that he didn’t see the celebration. “The defense has done an unbelievable job throughout the year in building us up. They found ways to give us plays, to get turnovers.”The Cowboys looked like the team headed for a blowout win, but led just 7-0 after Mariota’s early miscues because of Brett Maher’s missed 38-yard field goal on the opening possession and Prescott’s ill-advised throw into double coverage.“That was the difference. Simple as that,” said Prescott, who lost a fumble at his 40-yard line to set up Tennessee’s tiebreaking score in the third quarter. “Defense gives a turnover there. We’re up seven points and I go down there and try to force the ball and give it right back to them.”Cooper scored the first Dallas touchdown after DeMarcus Lawrence stripped the ball from Mariota . The two-time Pro Bowl receiver finished with five catches for 58 yards after coming over from Oakland in a trade for a first-round pick during the open week.Given another chance when what would have been a third straight fumble to start the game was overturned by a review that showed Luke Stocker didn’t have the ball long enough on a catch, Mariota led an 80-yard drive capped by Derrick Henry’s 1-yard plunge for a 7-7 tie.Mariota converted two third-and-9s with passes and a shorter third down with a run on his first TD drive Kenny Vaccaro Jersey , setting the stage for the Titans to convert 11 of 14 third downs.The Cowboys fell flat in 15-year tight end Jason Witten’s first trip home since retiring to become lead analyst for “Monday Night Football.”Dallas had just 108 yards in the second half — the bulk of those on a desperation drive down two scores late — and was booed several times at the end of failed drives.After getting sacked on third down with nobody realizing Tennessee had called timeout in a 7-7 game in the second quarter, Mariota completed a 36-yarder to Darius Jennings before a screen pass to Dion Lewis went 18 yards for a touchdown.Mariota broke a 14-14 tie in the third quarter when he pulled the ball out of Lewis’ gut at the last second and delivered a 7-yard shovel pass to Jonnu Smith to put the Titans ahead for good. Mariota’s 9-yard scoring run all but sealed things with 4:38 to go.Mariota was 21 of 29 for 240 yards without an interception and had 32 yards rushing. Lewis had 62 yards rushing and 60 receiving coming off a career-high 155 scrimmage yards in his last game.Star Dallas running back Ezekiel Elliott finished with 61 yards after a hot start. Prescott was 21 of 31 for 243 yards and two scores — 4 yards to Cooper and 23 yards to Allen Hurns. The two turnovers were Prescott’s first at home this season.T.O. FLASHBACKThere was something else familiar about Byard’s celebration: a Dallas defender trying to do something about it.George Teague famously knocked Owens off the star back then, and Cowboys cornerback Byron Jones made a similar move on Byard and the group that joined the celebration. Owens seemed to get a kick out of the whole thing on Twitter.“I was actually expecting somebody to knock my head off,” said Byard, who thought about the possible celebration at the team hotel. “I was like, ‘If we get to the 50, if we get enough guys to the 50, we are just going to start dancing on the star.'”WITTEN TRIBUTEThe Cowboys paid tribute to Witten with a pregame video on the giant board hanging over the field. The franchise leader in games, catches and yards receiving wiped his eyes when a small inset of him was shown during the video, but seemed to have gained his composure when he was shown on the full screen. Witten waved, smiled and tapped his chest around his heart several times as the crowd roared.INJURIESDallas LB Sean Lee pulled up with a hamstring injury while trying to cover Smith on a 26-yard completion to the Titans tight end. Lee didn’t return. … Titans WR Taywan Taylor left with what coach Mike Vrabel said was a lower leg injury.UP NEXTTitans: Home against AFC East-leading New England next Sunday.Cowboys: At Philadelphia next Sunday in the first meeting with the NFC East rival.