What We Know Following the 42-16 Victory Over Buffalo
NASHVILLE – The entire football world learned a little something about the Tennessee Titans on Tuesday.
Their 42-16 rout of the Buffalo Bills at Nissan Stadium showed that they can handle adversity, patch holes in their roster and that they do not need a lot of practice time in order to play good football.
Undeniably, they are one – at 4-0 – of the NFL’s last four unbeaten teams this season, just as they were one of the last four still alive in last season’s playoffs.
Here are some other things we know to be true, at least for now, based on what happened against Buffalo:
• Turnovers matter: The Titans forced the only three turnovers of the contest, two interceptions by Malcolm Butler and a fumble return after a kickoff.
All three led to touchdowns, which accounted for half of their point total in this contest. It helped that all three gave possession to the offense inside the Buffalo 20. Butler (pictured) returned his picks 29 and 68 yards, respectively and Kareem Orr recovered the fumbled kickoff at the 18.
“I'm proud of our guys the way we were able to capitalize on those great opportunities given to us by the defense,” quarterback Rya Tannehill said. “(Butler) made a couple huge plays.”
For the season, Tennessee is now plus-8 in turnover ratio, which is the product of nine takeaways (six interceptions, three fumble recoveries) and one giveaway (an interception). Seattle (5-0) and Cleveland (4-1) are tied for second with plus-6 ratios. Green Bay (4-0) is the only other team with fewer than three giveaways. The Packers have none.
• Third-down defense needs to be better: On the downside, the defense allowed Buffalo to convert 13 of 17 third-down opportunities (76.5 percent). The Bills tied the game at 7-7 with a 15-play drive that included four third-down conversions. Their final touchdown drive included three more conversions. Four of Buffalo’s first seven possessions (not counting one play at the end of the first half) lasted 10 plays or more.
Tennessee came into the game with the league’s second worst third-down defense at 51.5 percent. Now, that figure is 60 percent (30 out of 50).
“Going to have to get better on third down,” coach Mike Vrabel said. “… We played well defensively, but that all got overshadowed on third down.”
• Vrabel thinks ahead: The game was well in hand after the Titans recovered a fumbled kickoff with 3:49 to play. What followed was a six-play touchdown drive that featured four runs from Jeremy McNichols, who had never carried more than two times in his NFL career. He finished with nine rushes for 28 yards, easily his single-game highs.
“I thought he did a great job,” starter Derrick Henry said. “Any time (McNichols) gets in there he plays hard. He knows what to do. He plays fast. When he runs, he runs physical.”
Henry finished with 57 yards on 19 carries, which equaled his fewest in his past nine games (playoffs included).
With the next game just five days away, Sunday against Houston, Vrabel seized an opportunity to be judicious with Henry, who is one of three backs with more than 100 carries even though the Titans have played just four games.
McNichols benefited from the fact that rookie Darrynton Evans left the contest with a hamstring injury. Either way, though, somebody was going to get some carries that typically belong to Henry.
• Mr. Smith goes to the end zone: Jonnu Smith is going to be a prime red zone target all season.
The fourth-year tight end never scored more than one touchdown in a game during his first three NFL seasons. Now, twice in the last three contests he has scored two. His 4-yard reception late in the third quarter gave the Titans a 28-10 lead. Then he capped the scoring with 7-yard reception with 1:59 to play.
After four games, Smith has five touchdown receptions, already a career-high and one off the NFL lead shared by wide receivers Mike Evans (Tampa Bay) and Adam Thielen (Minnesota) and tied for the most by a tight end. By comparison, Delanie Walker’s high during his seven seasons with Tennessee was seven in 2016.
“It feels great to continue to be a contributor to this offense, team, and organization,” Smith said. “I’m just going to keep doing what I’ve been doing and continue getting better. I’ve got a lot of things I need to clean up.”
• Well-balanced attack: Through their first three wins, the Titans made it to the end zone one way, not another.
Not so against the Bills. Their six touchdowns were divided equally between runs (two by Henry, one by Tannehill) and receptions (two by Smith, one by A.J. Brown).
The last time Tennessee scored at least three rushing and receiving touchdowns in the same game was Oct. 11, 2004, a 48-27 victory over Green Bay on a Monday night.
“We're here to compete as a unit and go out and do it as a unit,” Brown said. “… As long as we get the win, we do what needs to be done, all that matters. That's the only thing that matters.”
