Previewing the Tennessee Titans
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Now at 0-2 after collapsing against the Arizona Cardinals, the Las Vegas Raiders enter their next game in a must-win situation.
They'll be playing another 0-2 team in the Tennessee Titans after they got blown out in their game on Monday Night Football against the Buffalo Bills, 41-7.
Earning the AFC's number one playoff seed last year with a 12-5 record, the Titans didn't look like that same team in their Week 1 loss to the New York Giants.
After missing the last half of the season due to injury, star running back Derrick Henry looked mortal, finishing with only 82 rushing yards on 21 carries.
It's only one game, but now at 28 years old, Henry is reaching the point where you often see running backs start to break down.
It could cause more of the offense to be put on quarterback Ryan Tannehill's shoulders, which has led to mixed results in the past.
Without the support of Henry for much of last season, Tannehill threw 14 interceptions, which was more than he had thrown in the past two seasons combined.
What really drove the Titans to the AFC's best record last season was having the sixth-best scoring defense last season.
Tennessee was able to hold high-powered offensive teams like the Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Rams to some of their worst outputs of last season.
That comes from having a front-seven led by defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons that can cause consistent pressure and a secondary that features one of the best defensive backs in the NFL in Kevin Byard.
Entering this season, though, the Titans don't appear to have quite the same depth as they did last year.
They traded Pro Bowl wide receiver A.J. Brown in the offseason, and lost their best edge rusher in outside linebacker Harold Landry for the whole season due to injury.
It puts the emphasis on players like Henry and pass rusher Bud Dupree to have bounce-back years to make up the difference.
Otherwise, the Titans could be in for a fight to contend in the AFC South and make the playoffs for the fourth straight season.
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