Schedule allows Titans to enjoy off day on Christmas

“A win,” the Tennessee quarterback said.

The Titans (4-10) can try and take care of that Saturday when they visit the Miami Dolphins (7-7), then they get to fly home and actually enjoy a day off on Christmas to be with their families. It’s a nice change after playing on Christmas night last season. They also played on Christmas night in 2000.

“I’d take Christmas Eve over Christmas Day in that sense of what we’ve gotten the last couple years,” left tackle Brad Hopkins said. “I’ve played I don’t know how many times, more so than I can count. I’ll take Christmas Eve over Christmas Day, so that we can be home with our families on Christmas Day.”

Coach Jeff Fisher said the holidays always offer potential distractions and thinks the NFL did a great job scheduling most of its games on Saturdays to allow players to enjoy Christmas.

“Our guys have known what the schedule is well in advance. There is an advantage to going on the road. We’ve played around Christmas before. You can imagine those that are playing on Christmas Day probably benefit from being away rather than trying to manage both the holidays and the ballgame at home,” Fisher said.

Some of the Titans’ plans are simple. Those with families will be watching the children rip open presents. Those who remain single have different designs.

“Sleep and wait for some presents to arrive down the chimney that night,” receiver Drew Bennett said.

Asked about his plans for his significant other, linebacker Keith Bulluck laughed.

“Who said there is one?” he said. “I’ll get them very special gifts because the significant others are dear to my heart: my mom, my grandmother and my aunt.”

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HEALING HENRY:@ Titans running back Travis Henry plans on playing Saturday against Miami after sitting out last week with a sprained right ankle. He has been able to practice this week, but he admits the injury was frustrating.

“I felt like I was finally getting in a rhythm, running hard, breaking tackles,” he said.

The running back who was picked up in a trade from Buffalo in July is second on the team in rushing with 59 carries for 222 yards, most of that coming in the three games before he was injured Dec. 11 against Houston. His best game was in a victory over San Francisco Nov. 27 when he ran 13 times for 86 yards.

But he has not played in six games this season with four coming in October because of a suspension for violating the league’s substance abuse policy. He was active but did not play against Jacksonville Nov. 20, then missed the Seattle game with his sprained ankle.

“It’s been down, but I came through all the stuff that happened to me this year, came back and showed my character. I’m going to keep pushing. You’ve got to keep pushing the envelope and finish up strong,” Henry said.

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DEFENSIVE PAIRING:@ If the Titans had kept the vocal Lance Schulters, the trash-talking safety could have helped mentor rookie Adam “Pacman” Jones. Schulters almost sounds regretful that he didn’t get a chance to play with a rookie who also likes to talk.

“They could have had me and Pacman on the same team,” Schulters said.

Schulters likes what he sees in Jones, who still has some areas of his game to improve.

“But he’s a rookie. I really don’t know too many rookie corners that don’t get exposed, even a little bit,” Schulters said. “He’s made some plays. He’s made some bad plays, he’s made some good plays, but like I said, I think he’s going to be a good one.”

Still, the Titans are looking for someone who can provide the emotional spark that Schulters gave them with his personality.

“I’d have to say this year is a wrap on searching for that kind of guy,” Titans linebacker Keith Bulluck said. “We need a few of those kind of guys on the team.”

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EXTRA POINTS:@ The Titans have won two straight against Miami. … Drew Bennett has 10 touchdown catches in his past eight games in December, including two last week. … Ben Troupe needs four catches to notch his first 50-reception season, while rookie tight end Bo Scaife needs three catches to top the team’s rookie tight end reception record set by Troupe with 33 in 2004.