Bills-Titans: Week 10 Preview and Keys to the Game

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This Sunday, the Buffalo Bills (3-5) travel to the Tennessee Titans (2-6) in a game that involves two teams with a losing record and defenses that rank dead last in a number of categories.

The Bills enter the week 10 contest coming off of their bye week. As a result, the team is rested and is a little bit healthier than they have been in quite some time. Look at the list of Bills who are expected to return: 

QB Trent Edwards

returning from his concussion and is expected to start

Tackle Jonathan Scott

returning from his ankle sprain and is expected to start

Tight End Shawn Nelson

returning from migraine headaches and is expected to play

Safety Bryan Scott

returning from his ankle sprain and is expected to play. He could either return to safety or possibly at linebacker, where he has been taking reps in practice.

Satety Donte Whitner, linebacker Keith Ellison, safety Jairus Byrd, cornerback Terrence McGee, defensive tackle Kyle Williams, and defensive end Aaron Schobel, were all suffering from injuries and there is no word as of now how many players from this group are playing for sure on Sunday.

You figure that Jamon Meredith's knee sprain will be keeping him out, so Jonathan Scott's return is timely indeed.

Bills fans have been treated to an amazing stretch by rookie safety Jairus Byrd, who has now had at least one interception in the last four consecutive games. Byrd has at least two picks in three straight games.

He has seven total interceptions in the last four games and under normal circumstances would think that facing an inexperienced quarterback in Vince Young would pad his total.

However, Young is not putting the ball up in the air very often, as was the case last Sunday, when he went 12-of-19 for 172 yards against the San Francisco 49ers.

Byrd went to visit a specialist in Philadelphia during the bye week regarding his July hernia surgery, so we will know more about his availability as the week unfolds.

These teams have some striking similarities

For starters, both teams have won two of their last three games, so the victor will see that trend rise to three wins out of the last four. The two wins were created when each team made a quarterback change.

The Titans replaced Kerry Collins with Vince Young (performance issues) while the Bills replaced Trent Edwards with Ryan Fitzpatrick (due to injury).

Since both teams have been having trouble this year at the quarterback position, the loser of this game will take another step towards a favorable draft slot in the upcoming 2010 draft.

It would not be a surprise if both teams are looking for quarterback help with their first selection in the draft.

You would like to see your quarterback have a passer rating of at least 100. Look at the current rating of the four quarterbacks involved in this game: Young (83), Edwards (73), Collins (62) and Fitzpatrick (57). As we said, both teams need QB help.

Tennessee's defense is last in number of points allowed per game (29.8) and in average passing yards allowed per game (278).

Titans defense ranks next to last in yards allowed per game (390); only Cleveland's defense gives up more (409).

The Bills defense on the other hand is last in the NFL in average rushing yardage allowed per game (173). The Bills defense leads the NFL in tackles at 399, but that also means that the defense has been on the field for more plays than any other unit in the league.

I believe that the Bills also lead the league in defensive starters injured and in games missed due to injury, but I have not been able to confirm that as fact.

If the Bills defense wants to be off the field more, they need to start forcing more three-and-out drives. That would be a good way to start the second half of the season.

What are the keys to this week's game? 

WHEN TENNESSEE HAS THE BALL

In the past 40 years of the NFL, care to take a guess as to who has the highest average per carry after nine weeks of the season? Time is up.

The answer is: Titans starting running back Chris Johnson. Johnson is averaging 6.7 yards per carry and that is the best average for nine weeks since 1970; pretty impressive.

Johnson said coming in to the year that his goal was to be a two thousand yard rusher. Ex-Bills O.J. Simpson was the first rusher to hit that level, but he won't be the last.

What does Johnson need to do to accomplish his goal? So far, Johnson has gained 959 yards after eight games, so he is almost half way there. 

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