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Titans at Falcons: Live Updates and Analysis

The familiarity between the coaching staffs for the preseason opener will create a situation in which players will have the opportunity to showcase themselves.
David Boclair|
Titans at Falcons: Live Updates and Analysis
Titans at Falcons: Live Updates and Analysis

The Tennessee Titans open the preseason Friday against the Falcons in Atlanta.

It is a good first step toward the regular because it will present – schematically speaking – familiar challenges on both sides of the ball, albeit with different personnel. Atlanta’s head coach and offensive play-caller is Arthur Smith, the Titans’ offensive coordinator. The Falcons’ defensive coordinator is Dean Pees, who served in the same role with Tennessee in 2018 and 2019.

It also will be an opportunity for everyone to get a better picture of some the more interesting battles for roster spots such as those among depth wide receivers, backup quarterback and kicker. Many of Tennessee’s proven players, i.e. Derrick Henry, Julio Jones and the like, will not play, which means those further down the roster will be on the field right from the outset.

Who wins will not be the story. Which players stand out – for good and for bad – is what will have people talking Saturday morning.

Now, on to kickoff.

FIRST QUARTER

(15:00) The Titans get the ball first. Darrynton Evans is the return man, and if all goes well it will be his job during the regular season as well. Evans returns it from the goal line to the 20, which is where the opening drive starts.

Logan Woodside is the quarterback and is expected to play the entire first half.

(14:55) Evans takes a handoff, bounces right for a 15-yard gain behind an offensive line that features none of the five expected starters. It is Christian DiLauro at left tackle, Ross Reynolds at left guard. Daniel Munyer at center, Dillon Radunz at right guard and David Quessenberry at right tackle.

(13:10) The first penalty of the preseason is a big one: Quessenberry called for clipping, which makes it first-and-25 from the Tennessee 31.

(12:05) The penalty ultimately is no problem. On second-and-17, Woodside connects with Chester Rogers for 17 yards for the third first down of this drive. 

(9:43) The first third down of the day is unsuccessful. On third-and-14 from the Falcons’ 48, Woodside can’t find a receiver and is sacked for a loss of nine yards. 

(8:48) Atlanta’s first drive starts at its own 18 with A.J. McCarron at quarterback. 

In stark contrast to the offense, most of the starters on defense are on the field, including the entire secondary of cornerbacks Jackrabbit Jenkins and Kristian Fulton, and safeties Kevin Byard and Amani Hooker. 

(6:56) The defense gives up a 16-yard completion on third-and-9 (2020 flashbacks, anyone?) but the play is negated by an illegal formation penalty against the Falcons.

(6:27) On third-and-14, coordinator Shane Bowen dials up heavy pressure that forces McCarron to throw it away and the Falcons punt without having picked up a first down. Chester Rogers gets the first chance as Tennessee’s punt returner. 

(6:07) Darrynton Evans pulls up at the end of a 3-yard gain. Probably means the end of his night. He has four carries for 26 yards.

(5:33) Woodside is sacked again on third down as he stands in the pocket looking for a receiver. 

(3:30) The Falcons go three-and-out, with help from a holding penalty, and are forced to punt.

(3:24) Chester Rogers with a 57-yard punt return to the Atlanta 14. Rogers is the most experienced punt returner on the roster, and that is probably his best path to a spot on the 53-man roster.  

The Titans report that Darrynton Evans’ issue is with a knee.

(3:06) With Evans on the sideline, the offense goes with three straight handoffs, one to Jeremy McNichols (no gain) and two to Mekhi Sargent (three yards each). That sets up a field goal attempt (by design, perhaps?) and the first big moment for the most talked-about roster battle of camp.

(1:11) Tucker McCann gets the first kick, and makes a 26-yard field goal for the first points of the game. TENNESSEE 3, ATLANTA 0. Scoring drive: 4 plays, 6 yards, 1:59. 

(0:00) End of the first quarter. Titans have outgained the Falcons 51-21 and have a 3-0 edge in first downs. Rogers’ punt return was the biggest play of the period, though, and his lone reception was the longest play for either offense.

SECOND QUARTER

(14:55) A defensive holding call on cornerback Maurice Smith negates another big pass rush and gives the Falcons a first down when they should have been punting from deep in their own end.

(13:50) Here comes the pass rush again as rookie Rashad Weaver and Trevon Coley split a sack to make it third-and-16 from the Atlanta 14.

(13:10) Linebacker David Long gets deep in coverage and intercepts a pass that gives the ball to the offense at the Falcons’ 34. The defense already has two sacks and one takeaway.

(10:55) The offense quickly turns the interception into a touchdown as Woodside connects with Cameron Batson for 15-yard touchdown reception. Sam Ficken gets his first chance in the kicker competition. His PAT is good. TENNESSEE 10, ATLANTA 0. Scoring drive: 4 plays, 34 yards, 2:11.

Batson becomes the first Titans player targeted twice. Woodside is 4-5 for 41 yards and one touchdown. 

(9:47) Defensive lineman Trevon Coley, who was signed in early June and has been noticeable throughout much of camp, is injured and needs attention from the trainers on the field. 

(9:31) Atlanta punts for the third time. The Tennessee defense has allowed just one first down, and that was because of a penalty.

(9:17) The Titans’ offense starts its next drive at their own 41. 

(6:22) The offense goes for it on fourth-and-6 from the Atlanta 45. Woodside connects with wide receiver Mason Kinsey. Big moment for Kinsey, a Georgia native who played at nearby Division III Berry College.

(3:35) Tucker McCann gets another field goal attempt. This one is from 42 yards, and it is good. TENNESSEE 13, ATLANTA 0. Scoring drive: 11 plays, 35 yards, 5:47. 

(2:18) A video review overturns what looked like the second interception by the defense, this one by Breon Borders. Replay showed he did not catch the ball cleanly.

(2:00) Free-agent outside linebacker Ola Adeniyi gets a sack a forces a punt, which means Woodside and the offense will get a chance to run the two-minute offense. They will have two timeouts.

The drive starts at the 24-yard line with 1:47 to play following a 14-yard punt return by Batson.

Safety Brady Breeze, the last of this year’s eight draft picks, is injured on the return and trainers are looking at his right leg while he is down on the field. 

(0:37) A sack on second down and a 7-yard completion on third-and-20 from the 38 means the Titans have to punt. The Falcons get the ball at their own 29 with 25 seconds to play. Linebacker B.J. Bello is injured on the play.

(0:00) Halftime.

Tennessee outgained Atlanta 132-46 and had the ball for 19:02 in the first half. On the downside, the offense converted just once in seven tries on third down.

Woodside is 10-15 for 84 yards and one touchdown. Sargent (9 carries, 29 yards) and Evans (4 carries, 26 yards) each have more rushing yards than the Falcons (15). Defensive linemen Larrell Murchison and Trevon Coley each have three tackles to lead the defense.

THIRD QUARTER

(15:00) Sam Ficken starts the half with a kickoff. It goes to the goal line, and the Falcons get a 38-yard return, which means their best starting field position of the contest. Five of their six drives in the first half started inside their own 25. 

(9:55) The Falcons’ best drive yet (it is the first time they crossed midfield), with help from neutral zone infractions by nose tackles Kyle Peko and Anthony Rush, ends with a 42-yard field goal attempt. It’s good. TENNESSEE 13, ATLANTA 3. Scoring drive: 10 plays, 38 yards, 5:08.

Atlanta had almost as many yards on that possession (38) as it did the entire first half (45).

Matt Barkley is in at quarterback, and his first drive in charge of the offense starts at the Tennessee 21.

(8:18) It’s a three-and-out when a botched exchange between Barkley and center Cole Barnwart leads to a no gain by running back Brian Hill on third-and-1.

(7:18) Atlanta’s second drive of the first half starts with a handoff to former Titans running back D’Onta Foreman, who signed with the Falcons earlier in the week. The gain was four yards. 

(6:42) A holding penalty (Atlanta has been flagged nine times for 74 yards) negates a third-down conversion. On the ensuing snap, the defense forces an incomplete pass and a punt.

(4:13) Barkley’s first pass is a completion to tight end Jared Pinkney for 10 yards on second-and-14 from the 33.

(2:51) With two receptions for 29 yards in a span of four plays, Mason Kinsey is now the game’s leading receiver. He has four receptions (on four targets) for 51 yards. 

(0:21) Kicking competition alert: Sam Ficken’s first field goal attempt is good from 44 yards. The Titans lead by 13 again. TENNESSEE 16, ATLANTA 3. Scoring drive: 10 plays, 37 yards, 5:11.

(0:00) End of the third quarter. The teams have combined for just 267 total yards and four third-down conversions.

FOURTH QUARTER

(13:49) The biggest gain of the night for the Falcons – the biggest gain for either team – is a 52-yard scramble by quarterback Felipe Franks. He reached the Tennessee 37 before he ducked out of bounds.

(12:27) The defense does not allow another yard, and Chris Jones breaks up a pass on third-and-10.

(12:22) The Falcons miss a 55-yard field goal attempt. The lead remains 13 points. 

(9:19) Tucker McCann is now 3-for-3 on field goals when he connects on one from 47 yards. The Falcons are called for roughing the kicker on the play, and McCann spends some time on the ground holding his right (kicking) leg before he limps off the field. The Titans accept the penalty and send the offense back on the field.

(8:38) Barkley connects with undrafted rookie tight end Miller Forristall for a 12-yard touchdown. Sam Ficken comes on for the PAT and makes it. TENNESSEE 23, ATLANTA 3. Scoring drive: 8 plays, 55 yards, 3:47. 

This is now just the second time in nine preseason games under Mike Vrabel that Tennessee has scored at least 20 points.

(2:00) The Titans run 4:50 off the clock in seven plays, before they are forced to punt when Barkley is sacked on third-and-5 from the 45. At this point, getting to the end of the game is the most important thing.

(0:00) End of the game.

Titans win 23-3. It is the first time under coach Mike Vrabel that they have won a preseason game by at least 20 points. Their previous best was 17 points (27-10) at Philadelphia in their 2019 preseason opener. 

Mekhi Sargent is the leading rusher with 58 yards on 16 carries. Mason Kinsey is the leading receiver with four catches for 51 yards, but Woodson and Barkley connected with nine different receivers.

Woodside and Barkley each finish with passer ratings better than 100. Woodside was 10-15 for 84 yards and one touchdown (103.2). Barkley was 5-8 for 54 yards and one touchdown (121.9).

Outside linebacker Wyatt Ray and safety Justin March-Lilliard led the defense with six tackles apiece. Rookie Rashad Weaver had a sack and a half. 

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David Boclair
DAVID BOCLAIR

David Boclair has covered the Tennessee Titans for multiple news outlets since 1998. He is award-winning journalist who has covered a wide range of topics in Middle Tennessee as well as Dallas-Fort Worth, where he worked for three different newspapers from 1987-96. As a student journalist at Southern Methodist University he covered the NCAA's decision to impose the so-called death penalty on the school's football program.

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