Titans Insider: Guess who's back

For three-fourths of the season, the Tennessee Titans have waited for their running game and Chris Johnson to carry the load. For the second week in a row, the running game and Johnson stepped up in a big way, putting the offense on his back and helping lead the Titans to a 23-17 victory over the Buffalo Bills. Johnson's 153-yard effort wasn't as much as his 190-yard performance the previous Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but in many ways it might have been more impressive, especially in the first half. That's because the burst and elusiveness that Johnson had displayed routinely in his first three seasons with the club was back. For evidence, you need only look at Johnson's first-half performance, which included a 48-yard touchdown that is his longest run from scrimmage this season. Johnson made defenders miss, cut back and demonstrated the type of explosiveness that many wondered whether it was gone for good. How good was Johnson on Sunday? It only took him eight carries to reach 100 yards, as he had 106 yards on his first eight rushing attempts of the game. "I think some of it is momentum and having things go well," Titans coach Mike Munchak said after the victory over the Bills. "In the last three out of four weeks, we've run the ball much better. I think the blocking is better. I think he's getting more clean looks, more opportunities, and he's getting some nice yards after contact." Johnson had come under heavy scrutiny and criticism because of his ineffectiveness immediately after holding out and signing a 53.5 million extension in September. But now, he may be turning the corner in more ways and not just on sweep plays for the Titans. It may be too late to salvage the season individually - as Johnson has 852 yards through 12 games - but Johnson might be able to attain something more, something that has been absent the last couple of seasons: the playoffs. Tennessee has not been to the postseason since Johnson's rookie year, when the Titans went 13-3 and held the AFC's No. 1 seed. The past two years, for all of Johnson's individual glory, have not been good team-wise, going 8-8 and 6-10. Johnson and the Titans probably need to run the table with their remaining games to have a chance to catch the 9-3 Houston Texans in the AFC South (they meet in Houston to close the season), but are still in the thick of the AFC wild-card chase at 7-5. Tennessee is currently tied with Oakland, Cincinnati and the New York Jets, who also are 7-5 currently. "We know we've got to continue to win if we want to stay in the playoff hunt," Johnson said. "Houston right now is in control (at 9-3 in the AFC South) and in order for it to be a showdown in the last game of the season, we've got to handle our business." NOTES, QUOTES TRENDING After struggling for much of the season, Chris Johnson now has 100-yard rushing games in three of his past four contests. BY THE NUMBERS The Titans converted just 2-of-11 chances on third-down conversions Sunday vs. the Bills. STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL CB Jason McCourty left the game in the first half with a concussion and did not return to the game. CB Chris Hawkins, who has split his Sundays between being inactive and being on special teams, had to play in the nickel package on the outside after Jason McCourty went out with a concussion. RT David Stewart managed to make his start, overcoming a calf injury, and performing well enough for Chris Johnson to rush for 153 yards and two scores. LB Colin McCarthy continues to have a banner rookie season since being inserted into the lineup. He had two fumble recoveries Sunday, including one he himself forced. TE Jared Cook, Tennessee's top receiving tight end, had no catches Sunday against the Bills. CB Tommie Campbell, who suffered a shoulder injury, was held out of Sunday's game after he had been limited in Friday's practice.