Tennessee Titans safety Kevin Byard had two interceptions against Dallas to secure the Titans-era career record with 27.
-- Photo By Wade Payne | ApSix-game losing streaks have a way of overshadowing positive achievements, but safety Kevin Byard continues to show up in a big way, trying to will the Tennessee Titans to the postseason.
Despite injuries and long odds, Byard had two interceptions against Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott last week. The two picks allowed Byard to pass Michael Griffin as the interception leader for the Titans era of the franchise with 27.
That total ties him with three other players for fourth all-time when you add in the Houston Oilers time frame, and has him just four behind Cris Dishman for second place with 31. Jim Norton, whose jersey has been retired by the club, is the all-time leader with 45 picks.
While it is appropriate that Byard, who has been a Titan since 2016, has the record, it was what he did Thursday night while all around him was collapsing that was most impressive.
The Titans fielded a roster against the Cowboys that probably wouldn’t win in the USFL, but there was Byard out there doing everything he could in a hopeless situation, intercepting Prescott twice in a row to help put two Randy Bullock field goals on the scoreboard before halftime, and giving Tennessee a needed boost to stay in the game.
“People had questions, said some stuff like, ‘Oh, you should sit out,’ or whatever,” Byard says. “I play this game for three reasons. I play this game to glorify God, I play this game for my family and then I play this game for the people in this room right here.
“If I’m healthy and I’m ready to go, I’m a go. Because like I said, these guys are busting their behinds out here every single week,” Byard continues. “Some of these guys aren’t a hundred (percent) either, but they go out there and fight. I’m going to do the same exact thing, and that’s my job as a leader.”
Titans coach Mike Vrabel was appreciative of the veteran safety’s mindset and his efforts for trying to keep the team afloat.
“I thanked him countless times for his leadership throughout the week and his performance,” Vrabel says. “We need our best players to play well for us to win. It was a winning performance, the ball production, he tackled well, he communicated, and he gave us a presence there not only in the game but throughout the week.”
Byard says his mission this week is to make sure that the Titans are doing everything they can do to find a way into the postseason by winning at Jacksonville.
“I can guarantee you this, I’m going to make sure that everybody, and we’re going to have a couple of days off, but (has) the mind mentally, physically, to get prepared to go win a playoff game,” Byard says. “That’s pretty much what it is, a playoff game. You win, you keep playing. You lose, we all go home.”