Countdown to Kickoff: 43 Days

The countdown to kickoff continues.

The Tennessee Titans will open the 2020 regular season Sept. 14 at Denver. That is 43 days away. So, today we look at one way the number 43 figures into the team’s recent history.

The Tennessee Titans are not ones to go for two too often, relatively speaking.

In the 21 seasons of the Titans era (1999-2019), the Titans have attempted 43 two-point conversions. That ties them for 20th among the NFL’s 32 franchises and is less than two-thirds the number of the league leader, Detroit, which has tried for two 67 times.

The league adopted the two-point conversion in 1994 and in the first five years, as the Houston Oilers and Tennessee Oilers, the franchise attempted 20, an average of one every four games. As the Titans, they have gone for it once every 7.8 games.

Sixteen different players have scored two-point conversions for the Titans. Quarterback Steve McNair, with four, delivered the most. The only others with more than one were wide receivers Kenny Britt and Drew Bennett (two apiece).

Their 21 conversions in the last 21 years are tied for 16th in the league.

Tennessee is one of four NFL teams that has attempted 43 two-point conversions over that span but has been successful more than the other three. Buffalo and Denver each were good on 20 of their tries and Carolina converted 17 times.

Of those attempts, 27 (62.8 percent) have come in losses. The Titans are 11-for-27 in games when they came up short. Perhaps most notable was Mike Vrabel’s decision to try it with 31 seconds remaining against the L.A. Chargers in London. Marcus Mariota’s pass to Taywan Taylor was tipped away, and Tennessee lost 20-19.

In wins, the Titans are a salty 10-for-16. Only two of those successful attempts have come in the past decade.

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