Titans prepare for Chiefs with Mahomes expected to start
By Teresa M. Walker
NASHVILLE, TENN. (AP) >> For Kansas City coach Andy Reid, the decision on when Patrick Mahomes plays again is easy.
It’s when the reigning NFL MVP is physically ready.
Turns out that’s Sunday when the Chiefs visit Tennessee. Barring a setback, Mahomes will start despite dislocating his right kneecap Oct. 17 in a win at Denver. The Chiefs (6-3) went 2-1 with Matt Moore. Combined with sights set on a fourth straight AFC West title, that makes it easier to think longer term than Sunday’s kickoff on the road in Tennessee.
“I knew I had a chance once I talked to all those doctors, and they said that as long as I was functioning well, moving well, that I could play this week,” Mahomes said Friday.
Titans cornerback Logan Ryan wasn’t sure if Mahomes or Moore will start, saying he won’t “chase ghosts.” He’s preparing for the NFL’s second-best passing offense, with the Chiefs averaging 300.7 yards a game no matter who’s at quarterback. Ryan wants the Titans to get back to the defense that didn’t allow a team to score more than 20 points through the first seven games.
“We got to go play our brand of defense against their brand of offense, and there will be some fireworks,” Ryan said.
This is a crucial game for the Titans (4-5), who are coming off a 30-20 loss at Carolina. They can’t wait until next week’s bye to fix some of their offensive issues when they’re mired at the bottom of the AFC South, where they’re only two back of first-place Houston still with two to play against the Texans.
“We all have to have a sense of urgency,” Titans running back Derrick Henry said. “We know what we’re up against. We know what we have to do.” READY AND WAITING Moore threw for 275 yards and a TD in leading the Chiefs to a 26-23 win over Minnesota last week, and he’s had at least 250 yards passing and a 100 or higher passer rating in what he called a wild couple of weeks.
“I’ve learned a lot,” Moore said. “So what it means moving forward is that I have to be ready to go at all times and who knows what the future holds. In this league, you never know. I’m trying to be the best I can be every day and that is all.”
GIVE IT TO HENRY
The Titans have been shut out in the first half four times this season — all losses. A bigger issue in Carolina was that Henry ran only twice before halftime, though he still finished with 99 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns thanks to a big drive to open the third quarter.
Now Tennessee has another chance to run against a Chiefs’ defense that ranks 29th against the run. Kansas City has allowed at least 180 yards rushing four times this season, though the Chiefs have held their last three opponents to 118 yards or fewer. Still, running Henry early and often would give the Titans a chance to get their offense back on track.
“We want to get him carries, get him going early, set the tone that way, and then play off of that,” Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill said.
REID VS. TITANS
Only Bill Belichick has more wins than Reid among active coaches, yet Reid is 1-7 all-time against the Titans, including 0-4 with Philadelphia. He’s 1-3 with the Chiefs, and his lone win came in 2013. Reid has lost three straight to two different Titans coaches. This will be his first game against Titans coach Mike Vrabel, who played his last two seasons in the NFL with Kansas City.