Over the last month, the Tennessee Titans defense and running game have been able to drag this team to a winning record.
It seems like each week the Titans are forced to start a new receiver or give reps to multiple backup linebackers and cornerbacks. While the results have been passable, this team is once again surviving by the skin of their teeth praying that reinforcements arrive next week.
As the Titans head into a home matchup against the Denver Broncos, here are the injuries that we need to keep an eye on.
Tennessee Titans’ key injuries
Treylon Burks and Elijah Molden returning from I.R.
This will be the first week that Burks is eligible to return after a turf toe injury landed him on I.R. For better or worse, the Tennessee Titans were very cautious with Burks and put him on I.R. despite reports suggesting that the injury might only hamper him for a couple of weeks.
All reports are that he has been firing on all cylinders behind the scenes and that he will be ready to go.
On the other hand, Molden looked like he was going to return last week and he even practiced every day. Unfortunately, the Titans decided to push his return back another week, so hopefully, that was just a one-week setback and he will be ready to make his return.
Ryan Tannehill
The Tennessee Titans starting QB has pushed himself each week to get ready and was a game-time decision according to Mike Vrabel. I don’t know how true that was, but we should find out quickly how close he really was.
If Tannehill can’t have a limited practice on Wednesday, I think it would be a stretch that he plays against the Denver Broncos. Whether they admit it or not, I think Mike Vrabel and company are terrified to put him behind Dennis Daley, but they also won’t make a change at left tackle, so they are in a tight spot.
Tory Carter and Amani Hooker
Carter has missed three straight games and Amani Hooker has suffered yet another injury (this time to his shoulder). I would imagine that we see Carter suit up sometime this week because he wasn’t placed on I.R., but this training staff is genuinely awful so there is a good chance that they misevaluated his injury in the first place and he should have gone on I.R.
I would categorize both as doubtful, but there might be a pleasant surprise.
Bud Dupree
Finally, Bud Dupree missed the second half of the Tennessee Titans game against the Kansas City Chiefs game with another hip flare-up. Dupree is a force multiplier on this Titans defense and his value is clear, but the last time Dupree hurt his hip it cost him multiple games worth of action. It is only fair to assume that this will be the same thing until we see otherwise.