MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (WSMV) – The Murfreesboro Fire Rescue Department is one of many agencies in Middle Tennessee sending crews to help with recovery efforts following deadly floods in East Tennessee.

According to Public Safety Information Director, Larry Flowers, agencies in Rutherford County sent a team to East Tennessee on Monday night. The crew left from the Rutherford County EMA building on West College Street around 8:30 p.m.

The Murfreesboro Fire Rescue Department sent five people to Unicoi County. The Murfreesboro Police Department sent one of their personnel as part of the All Hazards Management Team on Friday.

According to TEMA, there have been eight “weather-related” deaths confirmed so far. Officials said they expect that number to climb. There are also more than 100 people still missing amid the Helene aftermath.

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The Tennessee Titans earned their first win of the season in a 31-12 romp of the Miami Dolphins on Monday at Hard Rock Stadium.

Tennessee scored 31 points despite just 102 passing yards and 244 total yards due to a suffocating defense and ball control. Mason Rudolph did not commit a turnover in the three-plus quarters in relief of Will Levis, who injured his shoulder while diving for a first down in the first quarter.

Miami’s offense struggled to 184 total yards in Tyler Huntley’s first start with the team.

Here are the three key moments in Monday’s Titans victory:

Scenario: Titans 9, Dolphins 3 at halftime after Nick Folk’s 47-yard field goal

Tennessee led just 6-3 with 16 seconds left following a bad Dolphins punt near midfield, and the Titans had no timeouts.

Mason Rudolph found Tyler Boyd over the middle for a 27-yard gain, and the Titans offense hustled to the line to clock the ball with one second left.

Because of that hustle, Nick Folk was able to successfully kick a 47-yard field goal to push the lead out to six points in a game starved for explosive plays and points. Folk finished the game with five field goals, including three from longer than 50 yards.

GENTRY ESTES: The Titans win a game! (And it was without Will Levis)

Scenario: Titans 16, Dolphins 6 with 6:00 left in third quarter after first TD of the game

Tony Pollard finally gave the Titans an explosive spark with a 41-yard run down the left sideline to set up 1st and goal midway through the second quarter. It was the longest play of the game for either team.

One play later, Tyjae Spears made a nifty move out of the wildcat formation and scored galloping into the end zone on a 7-yard touchdown run.

GOOD AND BAD: Winners and losers from Tennessee Titans absolute beatdown of Miami Dolphins

Scenario: Titans 22, Dolphins 12 with 3:36 left fourth quarter after failed two-point try

Miami had its best drive of the game midway through the fourth quarter on a 7-minute drive that was capped off by a Tyler Huntley 1-yard TD run in a 16-point game. Down by 10 now, Miami opted to go for a two-point conversion. But Huntley’s pass was intercepted by Quandre Diggs.

Tennessee held onto its two-score lead and cruised to its first victory of 2024.

Tennessee has had a nearly perfect start to the season so far.

The No. 4 Vols are coming off a bye week and are getting ready to face the Arkansas Razorbacks in what will be another tough test on the road. Given the Vols’ 4-0 start, including two wins over ranked teams, Tennessee is getting a lot of love and playoff hype at this early point in the year.

ESPN recently updated its bowl projections courtesy of writers Kyle Bonagura and Mark Schlabach. Here is where they both had Tennessee positioned in the 12-team playoff as well as how far they expect the Vols to advance.

Bonagura has Tennessee as the No. 6 seed in the field and facing No. 11 Clemson in Neyland Stadium in the first round of the College Football Playoff. Schlabach also has the Vols facing the Tigers, but he has Tennessee as the 7-seed and Clemson as the 10-seed. This game would also be played in Knoxville.

Both also predicted the Vols to win their first-round matchups and advance to the CFP quarterfinals. Bonagura had Tennessee facing off with No. 3 Miami in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl in Atlanta, Georgia. Schlabach has Tennessee playing Ohio State in the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. That is as far as he had the Vols advancing as he is projecting they lose to the Buckeyes. Meanwhile, Bonagura has the Vols advancing to the semifinal before falling to Ohio State. Both writers have Tennessee losing to the Buckeyes, just at different points in the bracket.

The Vols are certainly in an advantageous situation to make the 12-team playoff field. These projections are assuming the Vols continue to pick up big wins along the way during the season. The first step toward making the playoffs is beating Arkansas on Saturday, which is what head coach Josh Heupel and his team are focused on this week.

“First of all, I know it’s going to be a great environment there,” Heupel said Monday. “This is a really good football team. They’re a couple plays away from being undefeated. You look at the way that they played this past weekend, they’re playing extremely physical, both sides of the line with scrimmage. Defensively, one of the best teams in in the country.”

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