Titans Fans Finally Get to See Treylon Burks Arkansas Knew All Along

Former Razorback receiver puts up huge numbers against Packers just nine days off Tennessee's IR list

Author:
Kent Smith
Publish date:
Nov 18, 2022 1:59 AM EST

In this story:

It felt different. Perhaps it was the snow flurries.

However, when Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill noticed the safety didn't provide help and he dropped a 44-yard bomb into the hands of a streaking Treylon Burks, it all looked strangely familiar.

As for Burks, who has dealt with frustration after frustration since leaving the warm confines of Razorback Stadium for the NFL, it all came rushing out. The second his knee touched the ground around the 36-yard line, Burks popped up and immediately flexed, followed by am emphatic fist pump while the flakes fell around him.

There was an energy around the receiver that Razorback fans easily recognized from his final two games against Alabama and Missouri where Burks hauled in 15 catches for 308 yards. He was about to be unstoppable.

It's not a look Tennessee fans had seen before. That single first quarter catch nearly topped his season high of five catches for 55 yards against New York in the season opener.

In the third quarter, on a swing pass to former Alabama running back Derek Henry, Burks could be seen blocking 40 yards downfield trying to spring Henry for the final 10 yards. It was something Burks was known for in college that greatly raised his value when draft time rolled around.

Then, in the fourth quarter with Tennessee needing to ice the game around the two-minute warning, Burks got the slightest jump on fifth year cornerback Jaire Alexander down the left hash.

Tannehill found his plow-horse of a receiver at the 25 for a heavily contested catch and then watched as Burks drug Alexander 20 yards before going down. As for Alexander, he immediately grabbed his leg in pain after taking the brunt of the punishment while trying to ride the former Warren, Arkansas native to the ground.

As for Burks, there were no signs of a lingering toe injury that kept him shelved for weeks.

The reception allowed Burks to close the night with seven catches for 111 yards, his most since logging 129-yards on seven catches in his final game in a Razorback uniform against Missouri last year.

The Thursday night performance more than doubles his season high by a single yard.

For Tennessee head coach Mike Vrabel, the production is a sign of maturity developing in his rookie receiver.

He's only been out there for a little bit," Vrabel said. "We haven't had that much practice. It's just the way the week came.

"I would say the mistakes that were made during the week were corrected and that's the most important thing for me about Treylon is he put a lot of time in from the time we left Nashville until the game started of working with [wide receivers coach Rob Moore] on making sure those things that came up throughout the week were corrected. Give him all the credit for fixing those things and understanding that mistakes are OK in practice as long as you get them corrected.

Next up for the Titans, who have won seven of their past eight since starting the season 0-2, will the the Cincinnati Bengals on Nov. 27. The last time these two teams hooked up, Joe Burrow and company produced a shocking upset of the No. 1 seeded Titans, 19-16, in the divisional round of the playoffs.