Chiefs vs. Titans: Demarco Murray sits out practice

The Tennessee Titans were without veteran running back DeMarco Murray when they suited up for practice on Tuesday in preparation to face the Chiefs.

The timeline will reach two weeks for DeMarco Murray when the Tennessee Titans take the field at Arrowhead Stadium to face the Kansas City Chiefs to kick off the postseason. That’s two weeks removed from a third-degree MCL tear, first suffered by Murray back in Week 16.

If that sounds like a serious injury, it is. If that sounds like Murray should be out, well, that’s entirely possible. But Murray and his coach were both bullish on taking the default choice, instead believing that alternate treatments and time could actually allow Murray to play in the playoffs. That’s why Murray has yet to hit Injured Reserve and why the Chiefs have to plan, in some ways at least, for the Titans two-headed rushing attack.

Titans head coach Mike Mularkey and certainly Murray’s teammates would never say so in public, but perhaps it’s a good thing he could be sidelined with a good excuse that no one could question. The reason is simple: this was Murray’s worst season, statistically speaking, to date. He tied his career worst rushing average this season in 15 starts with a 3.6 yards/carry rate. In 184 carries, he also has 659 rushing yards on the season, a career low total as well for Murray, to go with 3 touchdowns.

Derrick Henry will undoubtedly be the bell cow, so to speak, for Tennessee’s offense, and they’re going to need to force the Chiefs to respect the run in order to allow Marcus Mariota to really keep the Chiefs defensive backs on their heels. Henry has 176 carries this season for 744 rushing yards and 5 touchdowns, good for a 4.2 yards/carry average.