NFL

AFC Divisional Round: Derrick Henry to return for Titans in showdown vs. Bengals

Derrick Henry Bengals Titans
Derrick Henry
Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

Bengals vs. Titans AFC Divisional Round info, odds, promos

  • When: Saturday, Jan. 22, 4:30 p.m. ET
  • Where: Nissan Stadium, Nashville, TN
  • TV: CBS
  • Spread: Titans -3.5
  • Over/under: 47
  • Bengals Moneyline: +160
  • Titans Moneyline: -190
  • To bet with BetMGM and win $200 on a $10 bet if either team scores a touchdown, click here.
  • To bet with FanDuel and make your first risk-free bet up to $1,000, click here.
  • To bet with DraftKings and get a $50 free bet with your first deposit plus a bonus of $1,000, click here.
Joe Burrow led the Bengals to their first playoff victory in 31 years last week over the Raiders.Katie Stratman-USA TODAY Sports

For the first time in 31 years, the Cincinnati Bengals have won a playoff game and will be appearing in the AFC Divisional Round, though the means of their advancement provided some controversy after a rogue whistle was waved off on a touchdown that proved to be the margin of victory over the Las Vegas Raiders.

Granted, the Raiders had ample opportunities to overcome the officiating and had a chance to at least tie the game up in the final seconds of regulation. However, Derek Carr was picked off by Germaine Pratt to preserve Cincinnati’s victory.

The dynamic duo of Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase lived up to the hype in their playoff debuts. Burrow passed for 244 yards and two scores while completing 70.5% of his passes while Chase reeled in nine catches for 116 yards.

But now they face an entirely different opponent in a Tennessee Titans team that is the No. 1 seed in the AFC and managed to keep its perch in the conference despite having superstar running back Derrick Henry available for only eight games this season due to a foot injury that required surgery.

Much of that is a testament to Tennessee’s defense, which was a top-six unit in the NFL this season in terms of points allowed.

It appears as though the Titans will get an added boost though, as Henry is forecasted to be back for the first time since Week 8 this weekend.

“It’s going to be a big week of practice for us to continue to get Derrick back out there and get him acclimated to running the football and to seeing blocking schemes and seeing where guys are and to see where the cuts are,” Titans head coach Mike Vrabel said on Monday, according to The Tennessean.

Henry looked as though he was going to repeat his 2,000-yard season from 2020 this year when he posted 937 yards and 10 touchdowns on 219 carries in just those eight games before his injury.

Bengals vs. Titans AFC Divisional Round Tale of the Tape

No. 4 Bengals Stat No. 1 Titans
11-7 (1st, AFC North) Record (including playoffs) 12-5 (1st AFC South)
27.1 (7th in NFL) Points/game 24.6 (15th in NFL)
259.0 (7th in NFL) Passing yards/game 201.1 (24th in NFL)
102.4 (23rd in NFL) Rushing yards/game 141.4 (5th in NFL)
22.1 (17th in NFL) Points allowed/game 20.8 (6th in NFL)
248.3 (26th in NFL) Passing yards allowed/game 245.2 (25th in NFL)
102.4 (5th in NFL) Rushing yards allowed/game 84.6 (2nd in NFL)

Bengals vs. Titans AFC Divisional Round Players to Watch

  • Joe Burrow, QB, CIN (In Wild Card Game): 24-of-34 passing, 110.4 QB rating, 244 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT
  • Ja’Marr Chase, WR, CIN (In WCG)12 targets, 9 receptions, 116. yards, 3 rushing attempts, 23 yards
  • Germaine Pratt, LB, CIN (In WCG)9 tackles, 1 INT, 1 tackle for loss
  • Sam Hubbard, DE, CIN (In WCG): 3 tackles, 1.0 sack, 1 pass defended, 1 tackle for loss
  • Derrick Henry, RB, TEN: 8 games, 937 rushing yards, 154 receiving yards, 10 TD
  • Ryan Tannehill, QB, TEN: 67.2% completion rating, 3,734 yards, 21 TD, 14 INT
  • Harold Landry, LB, TEN: 12.0 sacks, 74 tackles, 1 forced fumble, 14 tackles for loss, 22 QB hits
  • Kevin Byard, S, TEN: 88 tackles, 5 INT, 1 TD, 13 passes defended, 1.0 sack

A version of this story first appeared on AMNY.com