Three Keys to a Titans Victory at Minnesota

Tennessee will need to take advantage of Vikings' struggles to score early and to defend the pass pretty much anytime.

There are 11 NFL teams that have started the season 2-0, including the Tennessee Titans.

There are 10 others that have opened at 0-2, and the Minnesota Vikings are one.

Sunday’s matchup between the Titans and Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium is one of four in which a 2-0 team will face one that is 0-2.

Here are three keys to a Titans’ victory:

• Throw it around: Sure, Derrick Henry remains the most important piece of the offense, but Minnesota’s cornerbacks are wildly inexperienced. The top four include two third-year players who primarily backups for the past two seasons and two rookies. Granted, two of them were first-round picks, Mike Hughes (30th overall, 2018) and Jeff Gladney (31st overall, 2020), so there is talent among that group, but opponents have completed 73.9 percent of their passes against Minnesota’s defense. Based on that and the way Ryan Tannehill has played through the first two weeks, this is a time for a pass-first approach.

• Start fast: Sure, the Titans have won each of the first two games with fourth-quarter drives, but it is time to try something different. The Vikings have been outscored 37-13 in the first half and have yet to score in the third quarter. However, 32 of their 45 points have come in the fourth quarter. Add to that the fact that Minnesota is winless and likely has a shortage of confidence at the moment, the best thing would be for Tennessee to put points on the board early and put doubt in the minds of Vikings players.

• Contain Cook: If anybody is going to get Minnesota’s offense going, it is running back Dalvin Cook. A second-round pick in 2017, Cook made the Pro Bowl in 2019, when he finished among the top 10 in yards from scrimmage. He was one of three running backs with at least 1,000 rushing yards and 500 passing yards last season (Christian McCaffrey and Leonard Fournette were the others). Tennessee’s defense allowed one Jacksonville running back, James Robinson, to rush for 102 yards on just 16 carries and allowed another, Chris Thompson, to catch a touchdown pass last week. Cook is one guy who can do it all.