Henry who? Titans’ ‘D’ dominates Rams
On two snaps 20 seconds apart, Jeffery Simmons and Kevin Byard forced Matthew Stafford into a pair of terrible decisions. The stunning sequence ended with Byard sprinting to the end zone carrying the second of Stafford’s back-to-back interceptions.
With Derrick Henry sidelined for at least the near future, the Tennessee Titans might need a new identity on their Super Bowl quest.
In their first game without the NFL’s rushing leader, the Titans found it: They’re a dominant defensive team capable of forcing even Stafford and the Los Angeles Rams’ powerful passing offense into game-deciding mistakes.
Byard returned Stafford’s second consecutive interception 24 yards for a touchdown in the second quarter, and Tennessee’s defense carried the Titans to a 28-16 victory in a showdown between conference co-leaders.
“Those guys played fantastic,” Titans coach Mike Vrabel said of his defense. “It was fun to watch them play.”
Raiders: The Las
Vegas Raiders waived
2020 first-round pick Damon Arnette and have now cut ties with both first-round picks from that draft before the midpoint of their second season.
General manager Mike Mayock called it a “painful decision” to release Arnette on Monday but said it was necessary in response to a social media post with Arnette brandishing a gun and threatening to kill someone.
“There have been a series of bad decisions over the last year or so, but we can’t stand for the video of Damon with a gun threatening to take a life,” Mayock said. “…The bottom line, the Raiders will not tolerate this type of behavior.”
Arnette was drafted 19th overall with a pick acquired in the Khalil Mack trade despite what Mayock called “significant concerns” about his character.
The move to cut Arnette comes less than a week after No. 12 overall pick Henry Ruggs III was released following a fatal DUI crash. Authorities said Ruggs was driving 156 mph with a blood-alcohol level twice the legal limit in Nevada. He faces multiple felonies and jail time if convicted.