Titans vs. Bills: 5 Things We Learned from Tennessee's 23-17 Win

The Tennessee Titans took one step closer to the NFL postseason with their Week 13 win against the Buffalo Bills, 23-17.

Tennessee (7-5) moved into a tie with three other teams for the final wild card position in the AFC with the win, while Buffalo (5-7) all but dropped out of the playoff race with the loss.

Ahead are five things we learned from Tennessee's critical victory in Buffalo.

1. Chris Johnson Is Back

It's easy to look back and say Tennessee Titans running back Chris Johnson simply wasn't the "old" CJ early in the year.

Johnson looked bored with the game at points, missing blocks or willingly going down behind the line of scrimmage. As the season has progressed, Johnson has become more decisive and again looks to have the burst he once had.

For the first time since Weeks 10 and 11 of 2009, Johnson rushed for more than 150 yards in consecutive weeks, as he rushed for 190 and 153 yards respectively.

Johnson has a golden opportunity against the No. 17-ranked run defense, as Tennessee will try to stay on par in the AFC playoff race with the New Orleans Saints.

2. Colin McCarthy Is the Answer at Middle Linebacker

Rookie Colin McCarthy has been arguably the most valuable member of the Tennessee Titans defense over the span of three wins in the four games he's played in.

In his most recent start, McCarthy led the team in tackles (nine), had one tackle for a loss, forced one fumble and recovered two fumbles.

The first-year player out of the University of Miami has been all over the field for Tennessee and has helped to shut down the run—something the Titans have struggled in throughout the second half of the year.

McCarthy led the team in tackles in all four games he has played and the Titans will need consistent production from the rookie if they hope to continue their push toward the playoffs.

3. Karl Klug Will Continue to Make Noise for Tennessee

While Colin McCarthy is making plays all across the field, Tennessee Titans rookie defensive tackle Karl Klug is making plays in the backfield.

The 6'3" 275-pound lineman had a huge game for Tennessee and was vital in the win over Buffalo. The rookie recorded one tackle, one sack and a pass deflection.

Klug has had limited playing time throughout the year, but has recorded 16 tackles and leads the team with three sacks and two forced fumbles.

The fifth-round pick out of Iowa will continue to make a name for himself on the no-name defense that is beginning to turn the corner.

4. Tennessee Is Turning the Corner at Forcing Turnovers

The Tennessee Titans are undefeated on the year when they win the game's turnover battle.

Tennessee continued the trend from last week, allowing their defense to do the work and taking advantage of field position to put them in a position to win. The Titans forced two fumbles, one leading to a touchdown and the other a field goal.

Tennessee has now beaten the Baltimore Ravens, Indianapolis Colts, Cleveland Browns, Carolina Panthers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and now Buffalo Bills on their way to a 7-5 record.

The Titans will look to continue their stellar turnover ratio against the New Orleans Saints in Week 14 action.

5. Tennessee's Defense Can Close out Games

The Buffalo Bills started a drive at their own 20-yard line with 8:55 left in the fourth quarter, trailing the Tennessee Titans 23-10.

The Bills drove the ball down the field, but Tennessee forced Buffalo into the middle of the field, running down the clock.

Buffalo had the ball inside the Tennessee red zone, with 4:37 left, but Tennessee continued to play bend-but-don't-break defense, running the clock down to just under three minutes as the Bills scored a touchdown to bring them within six points.

Tennessee forced Buffalo to run off 5:57 in the fourth quarter, which mattered only because the Bills attempted to drive the field for a game-winning score with 1:02 left in the game. The Titans stopped Buffalo on a key fourth-down attempt, securing the Titans' second straight victory.

The Titans will need an even better performance on offense and defense down the stretch if they plan to make the playoffs.