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Burks beginning to become bigger part of Titans offense




Treylon Burks makes a leaping catch for 52 yards against Cincinnati on Sunday.ANGIE FLATT

Treylon Burks makes a leaping catch for 52 yards against Cincinnati on Sunday.ANGIE FLATT

The silver linings were few and far between in Sunday’s 20-16 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, but one that was certain is that rookie receiver Treylon Burks appears to be steadily improving and building weekly toward being a playmaker that the Titans passing offense desperately needs.

Burks followed up his first career 100-yard receiving game last Thursday in Green Bay with a four-catch, 70-yard performance on Sunday against the Bengals. Burks had 52 of that on one catch, a play that set the Titans up at the Bengals’ 12-yard line and led to a field goal.

“I’m just taking advantage of my opportunities and taking it personally every time I get a chance to make a play and just keep doing it,” Burks said.

The rookie first-round pick also scored his first NFL touchdown, albeit not via a reception, but instead when he recovered Derrick Henry’s fumble, following a 69-yard catch and run, in the end zone to give the Titans a 10-3 second quarter lead.

“Honestly, it’s just effort and finish — finish longer than the guy that’s got the ball. It just so happened that I was in the right place at the right time,” Burks said.

Burks and fellow rookie Chig Okonkwo, who had 79 yards Sunday on three receptions, are starting to give the Titans the explosive plays in the pass game that are necessary to provide some balance to their run-heavy attack.

Both are quickly earning the trust of quarterback Ryan Tannehill as the season wears on. Burks now has 24 receptions for 334 yards, while Okonkwo has 207 yards on just 11 receptions this season.

“I have a ton of confidence in both of those guys,” Tannehill said. “…The more those guys start to make plays, the more as a quarterback it gives you confidence to put the ball in their direction. I have faith that they’re going to make a play for me.”

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