Banged-up 巨人s have nothing at 火刑/賭ける but health vs. Dallas

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - The Tennessee 巨人s have 絶対 nothing on the line Thursday night except pride and the chance to build some 勢い by snapping a five-game skid.

Getting as healthy as possible for their 正規の/正選手-season finale in Jacksonville (7-8) with the AFC South 肩書を与える on the line 事柄s much more.

The 巨人s (7-8) are fighting for their fourth straight プレーオフ 寝台/地位 because of the franchise's longest skid since 2015 after a 19-14 loss to the NFL's worst team in Houston. Now they 直面する a quick turnaround hosting Dallas (11-4) with the Cowboys needing to 勝利,勝つ out to 勝利,勝つ the NFC East.

As much as coach マイク Vrabel might want to 残り/休憩(する) every starter and 扱う/治療する this as an 展示, he also has the NFL's most banged-up team having used a league-high 82 players. That comes a year after setting the league 記録,記録的な/記録する with 91 players in a 非,不,無-strike season.

His message Monday was simple and short: "Say いっそう少なく and do more." Vrabel also calls this a 広大な/多数の/重要な 適切な時期 for players taking advantage of the chance to play.

"We´ll just keep having to find guys that want to do that," Vrabel said.

Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel, right, congratulates players as the leave the field after a touchdown during an NFL football game against the Houston Texans, Saturday, Dec. 24, 2022, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)

Tennessee 巨人s 長,率いる coach マイク Vrabel, 権利, congratulates players as the leave the field after a touchdown during an NFL football game against the Houston Texans, Saturday, Dec. 24, 2022, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)

WHAT´S WORKING

The 弁護. Yes, as banged up as this 部隊 is and にもかかわらず giving up 10 points in the fourth 4半期/4分の1 of their loss to Houston, the 巨人s held their 10th 対抗者 to 20 points or いっそう少なく. Twice, they held Houston to field goals after getting inside the 巨人s 10.

But the banged-up 第2位 has 許すd 対抗者s to throw at will against Tennessee, and the 巨人s gave up three of their four biggest plays in the fourth 4半期/4分の1 on pass plays, 含むing a 37-yarder that 始める,決める up the winning touchdown.

WHAT NEEDS HELP

The 罪/違反. Malik Willis 得点する/非難する/20d his first NFL touchdown on a 14-yard run with an 補助装置 from 不快な/攻撃 lineman Jordan Roos. But the 新人 quarterback had as many throws (23) as Derrick Henry had 急ぐing 試みる/企てるs. Henry ran for 126 yards and 普通の/平均(する)d 5.5 yards per carry with a 48-yard touchdown run.

Willis was 解雇(する)d four times by halftime behind the patchwork 不快な/攻撃 line. He finished 14 of 23 for 99 yards passing with both interceptions in the fourth 4半期/4分の1, the last on the final play in the end zone with Treylon Burks manhandled with no 旗.

The 巨人s got Burks 支援する from a concussion that cost him two games. Willis threw to him late in the first 4半期/4分の1 for a 20-yard 完成 wiped out by a 持つ/拘留する on 新人 権利 取り組む Nicholas Petit-Frere. Burks was 的d 公式に three times with no catches, though he did have one carry for 15 yards.

STOCK UP

退役軍人 wide receiver Robert 支持を得ようと努めるd. He caught all four passes thrown to him for a team-high 30 yards, and he leads the 巨人s with 44 歓迎会s for 448 yards. His best 資産? He's been 利用できる every game にもかかわらず the left ACL 涙/ほころび that ended his 2021 season.

STOCK DOWN

Derrick Henry. Yes, he's the NFL's second-主要な rusher has 1,429 yards and 13 TDs, but he also has five fumbles in the 巨人s' five-game skid. The three-time プロの/賛成の Bowler and two-time NFL 急ぐing leader (機の)カム into this season with a 連合させるd 11 fumbles over his previous six seasons.

"That´s three games in a 列/漕ぐ/騒動 I´ve fumbled the ball and no excuse," Henry said. "I need to be better."

INJURED

The 巨人s may need to reach the プレーオフs just to have a chance for quarterback Ryan Tannehill to return from an 負傷させるd 権利 ankle. They put two starting 不快な/攻撃 linemen on 負傷させるd reserve last week after losing their three-time プロの/賛成の Bowl left 取り組む in September.

They have 18 現在/一般に on 負傷させるd reserve with one 位置/汚点/見つけ出す left to bring a player 支援する this season. LB Zach Cunningham, 活動させる/戦時編成するd off 負傷させるd reserve Friday, couldn't finish the loss to Houston with another 傷害 to his 肘. 巨人s OLB Bud Dupree also 傷つける his chest and was 限られた/立憲的な to 28 snaps.

Petit-Frere, who (機の)カム in with an 負傷させるd ankle, was 取って代わるd by Le'Raven Clark in the second half. That left the 巨人s with only left guard Aaron Brewer from 開始 week as the only starting 不快な/攻撃 lineman still 利用できる.

KEY NUMBER

6 - This franchise 現在/一般に has a six-year streak of winning 記録,記録的な/記録するs at 火刑/賭ける. The 巨人s also 港/避難所't lost six straight games since the skid that cost coach Ken Whisenhunt his 職業 after a 1-6 start to his second season in 2015.

NEXT STEPS

傷をいやす/和解させる up as much as possible for Week 18 in a game whose date and kickoff has yet to be 始める,決める. Having a 分割 肩書を与える on the line could 押し進める the game against Jacksonville to the NFL's final game of the 正規の/正選手 season on Jan. 8.

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Follow Teresa M. Walker at www.twitter.com/teresamwalker

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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/中心/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL

Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry (22) is upended by Houston Texans safety Jalen Pitre (5) during an NFL football game Saturday, Dec. 24, 2022, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)

Tennessee 巨人s running 支援する Derrick Henry (22) is upended by Houston Texans safety Jalen Pitre (5) during an NFL football game Saturday, Dec. 24, 2022, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)

Tennessee Titans quarterback Malik Willis (7) is pushed over the goal line by guard Jordan Roos (70) as he is tackled by Houston Texans defensive tackle Maliek Collins, bottom, during an NFL football game Saturday, Dec. 24, 2022, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)

Tennessee 巨人s quarterback Malik Willis (7) is 押し進めるd over the goal line by guard Jordan Roos (70) as he is 取り組むd by Houston Texans 防御の 取り組む Maliek Collins, 底(に届く), during an NFL football game Saturday, Dec. 24, 2022, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)

Tennessee Titans linebacker Jack Gibbens (50) celebrates after making an interception against the Houston Texans during an NFL football game Saturday, Dec. 24, 2022, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)

Tennessee 巨人s linebacker Jack Gibbens (50) celebrates after making an interception against the Houston Texans during an NFL football game Saturday, Dec. 24, 2022, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)

Houston Texans quarterback Davis Mills (10) 試みる/企てるs a pass against Tennessee 巨人s linebacker Bud Dupree (48) during the second half of an NFL football game, Saturday, Dec. 24, 2022, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/John Amis)

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