The Titans defense was missing a lot of pieces for Sunday’s game against the Broncos, but that didn’t prove to be a major obstacle for them.
Five starters — defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons, edge rusher Bud Dupree, linebacker Zach Cunningham, cornerback Kristian Fulton and safety Amani Hooker — were ruled out with injuries ahead of the game, but the Titans still produced six sacks and shut the Broncos out in the second half of a 17-10 win.
After the win, safety Kevin Byard said that he was happy to see how backup players stepped up to fill the holes and get the Titans to 6-3 on the season.
“It definitely makes me proud,” Byard said, via the team’s website. “I say it all the time: Guys get an opportunity to go out there and ball out when other guys are down. It’s the way this league goes: When one guy goes down, ‘Are you going to take advantage of your opportunity? Or, ‘Are you going to let it slip away?”
The Titans haven’t played the most attractive football this season, but they keep winning games and they’re hitting the back stretch of the season with a roster filled with players who have contributed to those victories. That should make it easier for them to deal with future bumps on the road to the postseason.