The Tennessee Titans struggled to get anything going through the air in preseason Week 2, but the rushing attack was on the opposite side of the spectrum.
Thanks to some great blocking upfront, Titans running backs Tyjae Spears and Julius Chestnut shined, with the pair combining for 155 yards and two scores on the ground on Saturday night.
Quarterback Malik Willis chipped-in, also, tallying the second-most rushing yards with 91.
Spears finished with seven carries for 57 yards and ripped off a 33-yard run for a touchdown that saw him hurdle a defender in the process. He noted that’s something his dad tells him not to do.
HE GONE 🏃♂️💨@tyjae22 with a 33-yard touchdown run
📺: Watch #TENvsCHI on @WKRN / NFL+ pic.twitter.com/APo0AL1HI5
— Tennessee Titans (@Titans) August 20, 2023
“I don’t think (the hurdle) was planned because my dad always tells me ‘don’t jump off the ground,’ so it was more of a reaction,” Spears said, according to Jim Wyatt. “Everybody was congratulating me, but first thing I did was shoutout to the O-line.”
That’s definitely sound advice from Mr. Spears, as leaving the ground leaves players open for serious injury. However, sometimes you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do.
Chestnut, who also added a receiving touchdown, entered training camp in a very different spot than Spears, as the 2022 undrafted free agent was on the roster bubble coming in.
However, his 98-yard performance, which included an explosive 55-yard run, no doubt improved his chances of making the cut — and it may have cemented his spot entirely.
JULIUS CHESTNUT BREAKS LOOSE!
📺: Watch #TENvsMIN on @WKRN / NFL+ pic.twitter.com/hAaxUauUA1
— Tennessee Titans (@Titans) August 20, 2023
“Watching Tyjae run and hurdling the guy and then scoring, that was obviously a beautiful site to see from him,” Chestnut said. “We kept rolling after that, from everybody. Malik was running the ball and everybody was getting into it.”
“In the second half, we got to it,” he added. “Physical upfront, the O-line kept fighting and fighting, so we were able to come out there and compete in the second half.”
