A week after the Tennessee Titans made history for being the most injured NFL team ever (with five weeks to spare) the late bye week actually helped them with two players.
The news came out today that Jackrabbit Jenkins is dealing with a foot injury that is going to sideline him, but likely won’t end up with a trip to I.R.
Trips to I.R. aren’t a new thing for the Tennessee Titans, but it would have been the first time that Jenkins ended up on that list. In fact, the oldest defensive back on the roster has actually been their healthiest corner.
The only defensive back who has been healthier is safety Kevin Byard. You could argue that Kevin Byard is having a career year and he has definitely been one of the most consistent and impactful players on the roster. He was already a leader on this team, but after a down 2020, it is great to see his play backing up his status in the locker room.
That is exactly why it is lucky that the Tennessee Titans bye week has come so late in the year. This morning Kevin Byard was placed on the Covid list and would have been forced to play without practicing or miss the game entirely this weekend.
While there is never a good time to get Covid, the fact that there will be extra rest days for Byard might make a huge difference down the stretch and in the playoffs.
How will this impact the Tennessee Titans?
Between the two it seems like Byard is more likely to play in Week 14 and Jenkins will probably need some extra time off. In the meantime, the Tennessee Titans will have a chance to evaluate their options at cornerback and figure out which player fits best in their matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars in two weeks.
It has been a great season for the Tennessee Titans that fans haven’t gotten to fully enjoy because at least once a week one of the starters gets placed on I.R.
While it is truly a shame that injuries may end up causing the best team in the AFC to miss out on the top seed, there is some comfort in knowing that nearly every player who is currently missing time should be on track to play in the playoffs.
All Tennessee needs is some combination of three Titans’ wins or Indianapolis Colts’ losses to lock in their spot at the top of the AFC South. After that, it is all about seeding and figuring out when guys are ready to return from their injuries.