Countdown to Kickoff: 21 Days

The Titans scored 21 rushing touchdowns in 2019, which made them one of the NFL's best in that regard.

The countdown to kickoff continues.

The Tennessee Titans will open the 2020 regular season Sept. 14 at Denver. That is 21 days away. So, today we look at one way the number 21 figures into the team’s recent history.

Derrick Henry tied for the league lead in rushing touchdowns last season and in so doing led the Tennessee Titans to one of their best seasons in that regard.

Tennessee tied for second in the NFL with 21 rushing touchdowns in 2019.

That was the franchise's second-highest total of the Titans era (1999-present) and made it one of 11 teams with more than 20 rushing touchdowns in a season over the last decade. Those 11 did it a combined 13 times, nine of them in seasons that ended with winning records.

In the Titans’ case, it was not a product of contributions from numerous players. Only three crossed the goal line on run plays.

Henry did it a career-high 16 times. Quarterback Ryan Tannehill did it four times, also a career-high. The only other one came from wide receiver A.J. Brown, who scored on a 49-yard run against New Orleans in Week 16.

By comparison, San Francisco led the NFL with 23 rushing touchdowns – from six different players. Baltimore, which tied the Titans with 21, had four different players score on runs.

The only time the Titans had more rushing touchdowns was 2008 when they got 24 -- all from running backs Chris Johnson (15) and LenDale White (nine).

Oddly, the Titans were 1-2 in games when Tannehill scored a rushing touchdown and 0-1 when Brown did it.

Henry scored at least one rushing touchdown in 10 games, six of which Tennessee won. The four contests in which he scored more than one were all Titans victories.