Reasons to believe: Titans at Broncos
For the first time this season, the Tennessee Titans face a team coming off a victory.
Sunday, Tennessee is in Denver to play the Broncos, fresh off a 20-13 triumph over the L.A. Chargers that snapped a four-game losing streak. That means the Titans (2-3) have to contend with positive momentum in addition to the other challenges that arise on a weekly basis. And they must do so while dealing with their third defeat of 2019.
“The quality of life goes down when you lose, right?” cornerback Logan Ryan said (hear more from him in the above video). “I’m a little shorter with my kids. My wife … I roll my eyes a little more at my wife after a loss. It just is what it is.”
After the season-opening victory at Cleveland came games against Indianapolis (off a loss to the Chargers in Week 1), Jacksonville (defeated at Houston in Week 2), Atlanta (topped by the Colts in Week 3) and Buffalo, which was beaten by New England in Week 4.
This is a new challenge.
Three reasons to believe the Titans will win Sunday
• Running on: Since the start of the 2018 season four running backs have rushed for more than 200 yards in a game. One was Derrick Henry, who rolled to 238 last year against Jacksonville. The other three, Isaiah Crowell and Todd Gurley in 2018 and Leonard Fournette in 2019, all did so against Denver’s defense. The Broncos are one of seven teams that has allowed multiple runs of 40-plus yards this season and Henry is as much of a big-play threat as any back in the league. This could be his opportunity for a breakout.
• Pocket protection: Denver was the last team to register a sack this season and through five games it has a mere five, tied with two other teams for the fewest in the league this season. One of the other teams with five is Atlanta, the only one of the Titans’ first five opponents who did bring down Marcus Mariota at least once as he attempted to pass. This offensive line needs to get its act together and build some confidence in the passing game – and this just might be the opponent that allows that unit to do so.
• Up for grabs: Tennessee’s defense is among the NFL’s top 10 with five interceptions. It has picked off at least one pass in three of the first five games and three different players have at least one. Broncos quarterback Joe Flacco has thrown an interception in each of the last four games and ranks 22 in the league in interception percentage (2.4, on pace for his highest in five years). Turnovers are always big, even bigger on the road. One or more interceptions would greatly enhance the chances of winning this one.
Three reasons to believe the Titans will lose Sunday
• Kicking in: Last week’s loss to Buffalo provided a vivid reminder to the Titans of how precious every scoring opportunity is. After kicker Cairo Santos missed four field goals they replaced him with Cody Parkey, who is now with his fifth team in five seasons and whose last kick was a miss that cost Chicago a playoff victory. Denver has managed to keep it close in most of its games (it has two losses by two points each), which might be all it takes if Parkey can’t put the ball between the uprights.
• Von the man: Von Miller is the only member of Denver’s defense with multiple sacks thus far. The outside linebacker has had 10 or more in seven of his first eight seasons and two weeks ago became the 34 player ever with at least 100 in his career. Tennessee’s biggest issues in pass protection this season have been because of individuals, not schemes. For example, Jacksonville’s Calais Campbell had three sacks in Week 3 and Buffalo’s Jordan Phillips had three last Sunday. No player on any team is more capable of a big game than Miller, who has had a sack and forced fumble in two of three career meetings with the Titans.
• Two for one: Denver has two running backs, Phillip Lindsay and Royce Freeman, among the AFC’s top 12 rushers and two wide receivers, Courtland Sutton and Emmanuel Sanders, among the conference’s top 15 in receptions. Tennessee’s defense has shown it can focus on one weapon to great effect (see Julio Jones, Atlanta) but the Broncos present secondary options in both the run and pass game that will challenge the ability to gameplan and to execute.
The bottom line
The Titans are the better team but the Broncos have more individuals with the ability to dominate. The first quarter, therefore, should be telling. Tennessee can’t afford to fall behind, which would create the need to take chances and allow Denver’s stars to flourish. Conversely, an early lead would make Denver predictable and less likely to turn loose its playmakers.
The team that ends up on top almost certainly will be the one that starts fast.
