Game day live: Updates, analysis of the Titans as they battle the Bills

PRE-GAME

The Tennessee Titans have been tough to figure thus far in 2019.

They have been really good (Cleveland, Atlanta) and they have been really bad (Jacksonville) with not much in between (Indianapolis).

Typically, they have shown more consistency through the first quarter of the season.

This is just the third time during the Titans era (1999-present) that this franchise has started 2-2. The others were in 2010 and 2017 and in each case what happened in Week 5 was not a sign of things to come. In 2010, they got to 3-2 with a victory at Dallas, which started a three-game win streak but ultimately missed the playoffs. In 2017, they went to Miami and lost in Week 5 but ultimately ended their decade-long playoff drought.

So whatever happens in this one, it is not likely to be a season-defining performance.

Need to know

Through the first four weeks of the 2019 season, four NFL quarterbacks have rushed for more than 100 yards and two of them will be playing in this game. Buffalo’s Josh Allen is second with 131 yards (three touchdowns) on 31 carries and Tennessee’s Marcus Mariota is fourth with 112 yards (zero touchdowns) on 17 carries. The other two are Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson (36-238, 1 TD) and Arizona’s Kyler Murrary (18-113, 1 TD).

Buffalo’s defense has held six of its last seven opponents, dating back to last season, to 17 points or fewer. Under Mike Vrabel, the Titans are 2-7 when scoring 17 or fewer. That could be the line that determines the difference between victory or defeat in this one.

Tennessee’s defense has four interceptions in its last three home games, dating back to last season. The Titans picked off two against Washington on Dec. 22, 2018, one against Indianapolis on Dec. 30, 2018 and another one against the Colts in Week 2 of this season.

Buffalo has won the last two meetings, each by one point, 14-13 in 2015 and 13-12 in 2018. Tennessee leads the all-time series (including playoffs) 28-18.

Pre-kickoff reading

In case you missed it during the week …

• Reasons to believe the Titans will/won’t win against Buffalo: click here.

• A look at the most surprising Titans (good and bad) through the first quarter of the season, click here.

• Marcus Mariota does not fret about the fact that his fumble numbers continue to add up, click here.

• Taylor Lewan’s return from a four-game suspension is an emotional time, click here.

Inactives

Tennessee: OLB Cameron Wake, OL Kevin Pamphile, OL Aaron Stinnie, OL David Quessenberry, OL Hroniss Grasu, CB Tye Smith and DL Brent Urban.

Buffalo: WR Robert Foster, LB Corey Thompson, T Ty Nsekhe, CB Taron Johnson, G Ike Boettger, TE Tyler Kroft and RB Devin Singletary.

Words of wisdom

Titans safety Kevin Byard discusses how much last season’s loss to the Bills will motivate the Titans this time:

TV/Radio

Television: CBS. Spero Dedes play-by-play, Adam Archuleta analyst.

Radio: WGFX-FM 104.5, Nashville (104.5TheZone.com). Mike Keith play-by-play, Dave McGinnis analyst.

FIRST QUARTER

Tennessee loses the toss (Bills called tails), Buffalo defers its option. The Titans will get the ball. They are 1-1 when they 1-1 the coin toss this season.

It rained intermittently for two and a half hours leading up to kickoff. It’s overcast and cool with no precipitation at the moment, but the playing surface is likely to be slick.

Taylor Lewan at left tackle following his four-game suspension. Rookie Nate Davis makes his first start at right guard. This is the offensive line coaches, team officials planned for all offseason.

Welcome back Lewan. He is called for holding on the first snap, which negates a 26-yard pass to Delanie Walker.

Titans go three-and-out on their first possession.

Defense has allowed opponents to score on their first drive in three of the first four games. Not this time. Forces a punt that results in a touchback. Titans ball at their own 20, 9:38 to play in the quarter.

Titans go three-and-out again. Brett Kern is now two-for-two in getting punts out of bounds and not allowing Buffalo's Andre Roberts a chance to return. Bills ball at their own 25.

Logan Ryan has 6 1/2 sacks since the start of last season. He had 2 1/2 in five full seasons prior to 2018. Buffalo overcomes his latest and gets a first down with a quarterback sneak on fourth-and-1. Bills are the first offense to cross midfield.

Defense holds as Bills try to convert again with a quarterback sneak on fourth-and-1. Titans' opponents are 3-for-10 on fourth down this season.

Derrick Henry starts the drive with a season-long 24-yard run. His longest in the first four games was 18 yards (Cleveland and Indianapolis).

Officials miss a facemask penalty as Mariota is sacked. First quarter ends with Titans ready to attempt a 50-yard field goal.

For the first time this season, it's 0-0 at the end of the first quarter.

SECOND QUARTER

And it's still 0-0 one play into the second quarter as Cairo Santos misses a 50-yard field goal attempt to the left.

Adam Humphries mishandles a punt but LeShaun Sims recovers. Titans ball on their own 10.

Buffalo has crossed midfield on two of its three possessions (the Titans on one of their three) but it's still scoreless.

The Titans announce that OLB Sharif Finch is questionable to return due to a shoulder injury. They're already down one at that spot because Cameron Wake is setting out with a groin injury. Going to be a lot of Harold Landry and Reggie Gilbert from here.

Tennessee goes backward on a negative run by Henry (first down) and sack of Mariota (third down). Kern punts from deep in his own end zone. ... Titans get a break with a Buffalo penalty on the return (holding). Bills take over their own 39.

Buffalo is winning the field possession battle thus far. Titans need a turnover or something of the sort to change it.

With just over eight minutes to play in the second quarter, Buffalo has the game's first third-down conversion. Bills are 1-5. Titans are 0-4.

Adoreé Jackson with a pass defensed to ensure that Buffalo doesn't convert another third down. Bills punt for the third time, which is as many times as Atlanta punted all last week.

Field position still favors the Bills as Adam Humphries fair catches the ball at the Tennessee 12. Titans' starting field position thus far: It's own 25, 20, 30, 10 and 12.

Derrick Henry starts the drive by running out of the wildcat. Gains 2. He has five carries for 27 yards overall.

Mariota sacked for the third time today. Titans punt for the fourth. ... Big possession for the defense here. Still scoreless with 5:22 to play in the half. Buffalo gets the ball to start the second.

Mariota has now been sacked 20 times in four and half games. By comparison, in 2017 -- when he attempted a career-high 453 passes -- he was sacked 27 times the entire season.

Buffalo 7, Tennessee 0: Bills draw first blood with an 8-yard touchdown pass from Josh Allen to tight end Lee Smith. Scoring drive: 6 plays, 60 yards, 2:46.

Titans are 1-2 this season when the opponent scores first.

It's the two-minute warning in the first half and the Titans' offense has run five plays on Buffalo's side of the 50. It has three first downs and 62 total yards.

Titans finally on the move: a 23-yard completion to Corey Davis coupled with a roughing the passer makes it first down at the Bills 13 with 1:09 to go.

A sack. A quarterback hurry (nearly intentional grounding) and a Dion Lewis drop turns the best threat into a field goal attempt.

Santos misses again. Kick was wide right. Ryan Succop's placeholder now 4-for-7 on the season.

Bills content to head to the locker room ahead 7-0. Halftime.

Stats: Mariota 7-12, 76 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT, sacked four times. Henry 5-27 rushing. Davis 2-28, Humphries 2-15 receiving.

THIRD QUARTER

Harold Landry with his team-leading fourth sack of the season and the defense starts the second half with a three-and-out, its first of the day. A big punt (64 yards) forces the offense to start on its own 13. Did coaches figure out something at halftime to get this moving?

On third down, Dion Lewis targeted for the third time today. He has one catch, and this was not it. Brett Kern with his fifth punt of the day.

Bills establishing a field position advantage early in this half. They start at their own 30.

Titans announce special teams star Chris Milton is out with a calf injury. He had a team-high four special teams tackles coming into this game.

Tennessee forced to burn a timeout with 10:42 to play in the first half due to defensive confusion. No one was lined up anywhere as the Bills broke the huddle and got over the ball.

There's the play the Titans needed. Kevin Byard interception after Jurrell Casey forced Josh Allen from the pocket and Harold Landry pressured the throw.

That is Byard's 14th career interception. He is the 26th player in franchise history with at least that many.

With eight and half minutes to play in the third quarter, the rain has started. ... It only lasted a couple minutes.

Officials rule Marcus Mariota scores his first rushing touchdown of the season when he rolls left and dives for the pylon on second-and-goal from the 5. Video review determined he was half a yard short. Third-and-goal, 7:31 to play in the third quarter.

Tennessee 7, Buffalo 7: Derrick Henry scores on the one-yard drive. It's his fourth rushing touchdown of the season -- all four have been from the 1-yard line. Scoring drive: 7 plays, 38 yards, 3:28.

That was the first time since Week 1 at Cleveland the Titans offense scored a touchdown off a takeaway. In the previous three games, three takeaways led to two punts and a field goal.

The defense has allowed one first down on three third-quarter series. It's the Titans' ball again with 3:55 to play in the quarter.

A screen to Jonnu Smith turns into the offense's second-longest gain of the season -- 57 yards. Titans now at Buffalo's 21.

End of quarter with Tennessee at the Buffalo 20 (third-and-9). First time since 2017 the Titans have been tied at the end of the third quarter.

FOURTH QUARTER

Derrick Henry has a seven-yard touchdown run negated by a penalty -- holding on Jack Conklin.

On third-and-goal from the 6, another penalty -- false start on Taylor Lewan.

Flags keep flying. Mariota scrambles and finds A.J. Brown for a touchdown but alas ... he was beyond the line of scrimmage. Illegal forward pass means five yards and a loss of down. Santos time.

Call stands following video review.

Santos is now 0-for-3 on field goal attempts. This one was blocked.

Buffalo 14, Tennessee 7: Bills make the Titans pay with a 6-play, 77-yard touchdown drive (it lasted 2:37) that included another costly penalty (unnecessary roughness on Jurrell Casey) and a 46-yard catch-and-run by Isaiah McKenzie.

Tennessee has 9:46 to find a way to win this thing.

Sack. It's a four-letter word. That's five ... and counting.

The offense overcomes this one with a completion to A.J. Brown and an option pitch to Derrick Henry. Add 15 yards for a horse collar tackles. Titans in business at the Buffalo 8:41 with 8:17 to play.

Henry's numbers starting to add up. He is at 18 carries for 75 yards. He has carried at least 15 times in every game this season.

With 6:36 to play, Vrabel elects to have Santos try a 53-yard field goal. Titans fans are not happy.

0-4. Wide left.

6:31 to play. Buffalo ball.

Defense holds with another three-and-out. Titans' ball at their own 20 with 5:27 to play. ... Offense? Buehler? Buehler?

Three-and-out. Ball back to Buffalo with 4:12 to play. Remember: Titans have two timeouts.

T.J. Yeldon runs for 11 yards on second-and-11. Time (3:26 remains) is now officially of the essence.

Frank Gore finally makes his presence felt. Gains of 11 and 19 yards on consecutive plays gets Buffalo to the Tennessee 31 and takes the clock down to the two-minute warning.

Timeouts are gone. This is the game: Buffalo has it third-and-3 from the 24 with 1:50 to play. A first down ices it.

Josh Allen fakes the handoff, sweeps left and gains five yards. All that remains is to take a couple knees.

Titans fall to 2-3 on the season, 1-3 against teams from the AFC.

CLOSING THOUGHT

To paraphrase the great fictional philosopher, Forrest Gump: These Titans are like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're going to get but you can bet that it easily could be something that it hard to swallow.