Bengals-Titans live blog: Derrick Henry returns for divisional round matchup
3:00 p.m. ET — Welcome to the Divisional Round!
The primary of the 4 NFL playoff matchups kicks off Saturday afternoon at 4:30 p.m. ET when the top-seeded Titans (12–5) welcome the AFC North champion Bengals (11–7).
Tennessee is a 4-point favorite at SI Sportsbook, and the sport has an over/below of 48.5. SI Betting previewed this recreation and provided a finest guess.
This must be an enchanting matchup, particularly with the Titans welcoming again famous person operating again Derrick Henry to the lineup. Tennessee activated Henry from injured reserve Friday, placing him in place to play.
Henry hasn’t performed since Week 8 resulting from a fractured foot and his significance to this offense can’t be overstated. Whereas the worth of operating backs throughout the league has appeared to say no, Henry is the piece that makes the Titans able to beating anybody. He amassed 937 yards and 10 dashing touchdowns earlier than his damage and performed a essential function in Tennessee’s wins over the Payments and Chiefs earlier within the 12 months.
There are clearly questions on how a lot of a workload Henry will obtain in his return and the way efficient he can be after such a protracted layoff. However his return ought to assist A.J. Brown and Julio Jones, because the Bengals should focus extra on stopping the run than they might the Titans needed to depend on secondary choices like D’Onta Foreman.
Henry has -175 odds to attain a landing Saturday.
But Cincinnati is stout towards the run, rating fifth in dashing yards allowed per recreation, however shedding beginning defensive sort out Larry Ogunjobi is a troublesome blow. The Bengals completed 26th in passing yards allowed per recreation, so there must be possibilities for Brown and Jones via the air.
Quarterback Ryan Tannehill’s passing yards over/below is 235.5 yards.
Cincinnati enter this recreation using excessive after its first playoff win in 31 years, and wish to attain the AFC convention championship for the primary time since 1988.
Cincinnati’s receiving trio of Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd is nearly as good as any within the league, and quarterback Joe Burrow could need to lean on his receivers towards a Titans protection that ranks second within the NFL in dashing yards allowed per recreation (84.6).
Chase introduced his presence within the wild-card win over the Raiders by catching 9 balls for 116 yards, and he might be in line for one other huge day towards a Titans protection that ranked 25th in passing yards allowed per recreation. Chase’s reception over/below is 6.5 and his receiving prop is 80.5 yards, whereas Higgins’ props are sitting at 4.5 catches and 62.5 yards.
Chase has +115 odds to attain a landing, whereas Higgins has +175 odds.
Burrow’s passing yards over/below is 279.5 yards and operating again Joe Mixon’s dashing yards props is simply 60.5, indicating that the expectation is the Bengals will air it out.
The MMQB’s Conor Orr is on website in Nashville as the primary of the 4 convention championship spots can be secured. Observe alongside and let’s have some enjoyable!
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