'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Unfortunate injury luck for A.J. Brown and the Tennessee Titans continues. No team in the NFL has dealt with more injuries than the Titans this season.
Derrick Henry was placed on injured reserve after Week 8. Julio Jones was placed on short-term IR ahead of Week 11.
As of Saturday, A.J. Brown is also on short-term injured reserve. Brown has dealt with knee and hamstring injuries this season.
But this week, he was dealing with a chest injury. The Titans have their bye week after this, so they'll only be without their rising star at wide receiver for two games.
A.J. Brown's injury puts him on IR with the chance to return in Week 15
NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport reported Saturday that Brown's stint on injured reserve should be a short one. Before COVID, the injured reserve list would knock out a player's entire season.
Players are now eligible to return to the active roster after three weeks.
A.J. Brown has been banged up with injuries all season long. This three-week break gives him a chance to get his body right before the final three weeks of the regular season.
The 24-year-old hasn't been the same dynamic athlete we've seen in his first two seasons. He's scored only three touchdowns this year and has had to work much harder to get separation from defenders to make catches.
Brown, Jones, and Ryan Tannehill haven't received enough reps to gather much chemistry with one another. Even in the offseason, Jones was hurt and unable to practice with his teammates.
The Titans await A.J. Brown's return for the final stretch of the season
The Titans have a 8-3 record and are in second place in the AFC playoff race. But they face the New England Patriots in Week 12.
The Patriots are 7-4 and can jump into the second seed with a win over Mike Vrabel's Titans.
Bill Belichick should have a field day coaching the Patriots against the depleted Titans team. Entering Week 12, 17 players are on injured reserve for Tennessee.
A.J. Brown's timetable has him returning in Week 15 against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Meanwhile, Tannehill will be throwing to players like Chester Rogers, Dez Fitzpatrick, and Nick Westbrook-Ikhine.
The Titans face the Patriots and Jacksonville Jaguars as they wait on Brown to return to the lineup. If Brown can return to his 2020 Pro-Bowl form and Jones can be a complementary second option, the Titans could still be a threat in January.
If Henry makes a miraculous postseason comeback as well, this team could still have a high ceiling.
