Blaine Gabbert makes giant contribution, and hopefully heads back to the bench

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- When Blaine Gabbert started in Jacksonville and quarterbacked a win, Mike Vrabel pointed out the Titans got something out of their backup quarterback they hadn’t the previous year.

In Saturday’s 25-16 win over Washington, Gabbert helped engineer the win in relief, the first time in seven games Marcus Mariota’s been knocked during play that the Titans have gone on to win.GabbertSignalWash

It means the Titans could be in line for a win-and-in Week 17 game against the Colts at Nissan Stadium on Dec. 30. It would take a 10th win, without another key starter, Jurrell Casey, and with Mariota’s status uncertain. Oh, and they are 0-10 against Andrew Luck.

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NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Titans late-season slew of injuries continued when Pro Bowl defensive linemen Jurrell Casey was helped off the field in the fourth quarter of Saturday’s win over Washington.

The team is not expecting he will play again this season, in Sunday’s regular-season finale and in any playoff games the Titans earn beyond that.

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Casey was just elected to his fourth-consecutive Pro Bowl and is a singular pass-rushing force in the Titans defensive front. He has a team-leading seven sacks and went into Week 16 with 48 quarterback pressures, 30 more than anyone else. [Unlocked]

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Titans must finish soft section of schedule 5-1 with win over Washington

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- With 14 of 16 games played for each team, knowing what we know now, the Titans have six games on their schedule they shouldn’t have lost or shouldn’t lose this season.

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If they won/win all six, they’d have only had to split the remaining 10 for an 11-5 record and they’d have contended to the very end for the AFC South with the mark.

It doesn’t work like that of course.

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YAZOO PODCAST: Derrick Henry nears 1,000, impact of others' injuries on Malcolm Butler and Rashaan Evans, Hall of Fame cut-downs

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Welcome, welcome. welcome. It's time for this week's edition of the podcast.

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I discuss Derrick Henry and Corey Davis approaching 1,000 yards and their team-first feel about the marks as well as Dean Pees' formula for drives without explosive plays and penalties.

I also hit Malcolm Butler's readiness for a bigger role with Logan Ryan out for the season injured, what the absence of Brian Orakpo and Sharif Finch at outside linebacker this week may mean for Rashaan Evans and what I was thinking as I cut down my Pro Football Hall of Fame ballot from 25 to 15.

You can find it on iTunes, here, or directly through the Vokal website, here. Feel free to hook us up with a rating and review on iTunes.

If you're a member of the site, Part 1 and Part 2 are together, and all you have to do is head below the line.

It's a great time to become a member or buy a membership as a gift since we're on sale for 25 percent off. Just head here for the steal of a deal.

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Scout's take: If Washington can slow Derrick Henry, deep inside routes will be key

By BLAKE BEDDINGFIELD, special correspondent

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Scouting notes in advance of the Titans' big game Saturday against Washington at Nissan Stadium...

Washington is playing for its own playoff life this week. It is down to its fourth QB, but still has a chance.  

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Its offense is suspect with journeyman Josh Johnson at quarterback. Johnson wasn’t even in the NFL a month ago. He does have experience playing in games in the NFL and has a unique skill set with good arm strength and is very athletic moving in the pocket. The limited experience in the offensive system will hold him and the offense back.

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NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Adrian Peterson is having a very solid year.

TitansFlameballWallHe is the NFL’s seventh-leading rusher with 221 carries for 923 years with a 4.2-yard average and seven touchdowns.

Most coach speak would head the direction of Dean Pees, who said: “the guy’s still got it.”

So we must pause to appreciate a rare moment of real candor from an NFL head football coach talking about a 33-year old NFL running back, who’s been a God-send for Washington but is not exactly what he was 10 years ago.

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Titans' left tackle lockdown: Three guys, 25 years and counting

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Drafted by three different general managers, they made room for 62 players who took handoffs and protected 19 different quarterbacks.

So far.

For all the talk about wide receiver, the position the Titans have failed to figure out, there is a spot the franchise has nailed three times in a row. Perhaps no team has fielded back-to-back-to-back Pro-Bowl caliber left tackles the way the Oilers and Titans have.

They drafted Brad Hopkins in 1993, who overlapped for a year with Michael Roos in 2005 who was a teammatebof Taylor Lewan in 2014.

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"That might be as good as it gets,” said Gil Brandt, the longtime Cowboys' executive who now writes for NFL.com and is Pro Football Hall of Fame finalist in the contributors' category.

“I think the three positions you want are QB, defensive right end and left tackle. I’m not sure who comes second and who comes third. But having a left tackle is a monumental help to your line.”

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How the 2018 schedule has shaped the AFC South standings

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The NFL’s scheduling formula only gives divisional foes two different games each season. Those two are based on the previous year’s finishes.AFCSouth

So the AFC South’s plays another AFC division, the East this year, and then the first-place team gets games against the first-place teams from the two other AFC divisions, the second-place team gets the second lace teams, and so on.

Often times, in the year-to-year changes of the NFL, those games may not reflect much of a reward for the bad team or punishment for the good teams.

But this year for the Titans and their closest foes, it has.

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