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Titans vs. Bills: Live Updates, Analysis

Tennessee's COVID-19 outbreak has created a rare NFL Tuesday night contest.
David Boclair|
Titans vs. Bills: Live Updates, Analysis
Titans vs. Bills: Live Updates, Analysis

After more than two weeks of uncertainty and a rash of positive tests for COVID-19, the Tennessee Titans are finally back in action Tuesday against the Buffalo Bills at Nissan Stadium.

SERIES HISTORY

The Titans lead the all-time series 28-19. Buffalo was won the last three (2015, 2018, 2019), which matches its longest win streak against Tennessee/Houston. The Bills are 2-0 against Mike Vrabel, having won 13-12 in 2018 and 14-7 in 2019.

A RARE OCCURRENCE

Postponed two days because of Tennessee’s issues with the coronavirus, this game is just the NFL’s second in 70 years to be played on a Tuesday night. The other was a 2010 matchup between Vikings and Eagles, which was rescheduled because of a blizzard that was bearing down on Philadelphia.

INACTIVES

Tennessee: Kristian Fulton, CB; Kamalei Correa, OLB; Derick Roberson, OLB and Daniel Munyer, C. Buffalo: Jake Fromm, QB; John Brown, WR; Zack Moss, RB; Tre’Davious White, CB; Matt Milano, LB; Quinton Spain, G; and Lee Smith, TE.

WORDS OF WISDOM

“The game hasn't changed but it's been a little bit of time. We've been away a little bit. Going to have to jump right back in and really take advantage of every opportunity that we get. … We've been through a lot to get here, but we're excited to be back and excited to have the opportunity to go play.” – Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill

And now, the game.

FIRST QUARTER

Buffalo will get the ball to start things, and Andre Roberts returns the kickoff to the 20.

The Bills test the Titans’ defensive front – which is without Jeffery Simmons tonight – with runs on the first two snaps, a pair of three-yard runs by Devin Singletary.

(13:41) The Titans end Buffalo’s first possession. Malcolm Butler with an interception off a deflected pass. He returns it 29 yards to the Buffalo 16.

That’s the Titans’ fifth interception of the season. All five from different players.

(12:50) Welcome back A.J. Brown. After missing the previous two games with a knee injury, he scores on a 16-yard touchdown reception on the Titans’ second play of the night. Scoring drive: 2 plays, 16 yards, 0:44. TENNESSEE 7, BUFFALO 0

That’s Tennessee’s third touchdown of the season after a takeaway. There also has been one field goal, one punt and two that came at the end of a game.

(7:26) An illegal shift penalty negates a 23-yard touchdown pass for Buffalo, makes it third-and-15 from the 28. The Bills convert with a 16-yard completion. A long drive continues.

(6:02) The Bills respond to the turnover with a touchdown drive of their own, one that included four third-down conversions. Titans came into the game with the NFL’s second-worst third-down defense. Scoring drive: 15 plays, 76 yards, 6:43. TENNESSEE 7, BUFFALO 7

The Titans have allowed at least one touchdown drive of 10-plus plays in every game this season.

(4:07) The Titans go three-and-out when Ryan Tannehill is forced to throw it away under pressure on third-and-5. So, the defense has to get right back out on the field.

(2:14) Kalif Raymond’s 40-yard punt return sets of the offense at the Bills’ 30. That is the longest punt return by the Titans under Mike Vrabel, and the longest since Adoreé Jackson returned one 46 yards in 2017.

(0:00) End of the first quarter. Titans driving, they will have it second-and-8 from the Buffalo 18 at the start of the second.

Buffalo had the ball for 10:08 of the first 15 minutes, outgained the Titans 91-55 and had twice as many first downs (6-3).

SECOND QUARTER

(13:57) The Titans go back on top with Derrick Henry’s third touchdown run of the season. All three have been 1-yard runs. Scoring drive: 7 plays, 30 yards, 3:05. TENNESSEE 14, BUFFALO 7

That’s already more points than the Titans scored against the Bills either of the previous two years.

(8:35) Once again, the Bills respond to a Titans’ touchdown with points of their own. This time it’s a field goal -- 43 yards by Tyler Bass -- that caps another lengthy drive. Scoring drive: 10 plays, 50 yards, 5:19. TENNESSEE 14, BUFFALO 10

(4:01) A Brett Kern punt forces Buffalo to start at its own 9-yard line.

The Titans get the ball at the start of the second half. So, this is a real opportunity to create some cushion with a quick stop here, points before the half and points right out of halftime, if they can do it, of course.

(3:09) The defense does its part with a three-and-out … but a 74-yard punt and a holding penalty against Tye Smith means Tennessee’s offense will start at its own 10.

(0:16) Ryan Tannehill scrambles for 10 yards and a touchdown, and the Titans are in position to really take control of this thing coming out of halftime. A pass interference penalty against Buffalo’s Josh Norman on third-and-4 from the Buffalo 35 kept the drive going. Scoring drive: 12 plays, 90 yards, 2:39. TENNESSEE 21, BUFFALO 10

That is Tennessee’s longest scoring drive of the season, in terms of yards. The previous long was 85 yards against Jacksonville, which also ended inside the final two minutes of the first half.

(0:00) Halftime.

Titans now have a 194-141 edge in total yards, a 14-9 advantage in first downs and – most importantly – the lead.

Ryan Tannehill is 13-18 for 135 yards. He has completed passes to six different receivers led by A.J. Brown, who has four catches for 55 yards and one touchdown. Derrick Henry has 24 yards on nine carries, half of which came on one run.

THIRD QUARTER

(9:58) The offense crosses midfield and takes time off the clock, but the Titans have to punt. And Brett Kern does what Brett Kern does. His 41-yard punt is downed by Chris Milton at the Buffalo 3.

(3:18) Malcolm Butler with his second interception of the night, and he returns it 68 yards to the Buffalo 12. The Bills had the ball for 14 plays, drove 64 yards, took 6:45 off the clock – and got nothing to show for it.

This is the second multi-INT game of Malcolm Butler’s career. The other was Dec. 24, 2016 with New England (a 41-3 victory over the Jets). He also has set a career-high with 97 INT return yards. His previous best was 56 yards, Dec. 22, 2018 with Tennessee vs. Washington.

(1:49) For the second time tonight, a Malcolm Butler INT leads to a touchdown. This time it is a 4-yard reception by Jonnu Smith. The score comes one play after a roughing-the-passer call after an incomplete pass on third-and-6 from the Buffalo 8 extended the possession. Scoring drive: 3 plays, 12, yards, 1:16. TENNESSEE 28, BUFFALO 10

FOURTH QUARTER

(10:00) Buffalo puts together another long drive. This one reaches the end zone with T.J. Yeldon’s 22-yard touchdown reception. The Bills go for two to try and cut the deficit to 10 but are unsuccessful. Scoring drive: 14 plays, 90 yards, 6:49. TENNESSEE 28, BUFFALO 16

Four of the Bills’ offensive possessions, not counting the one play before halftime, have lasted 10 plays or more.

(4:54) The Titans have their third rushing touchdown of the night, and Derrick Henry has his first rushing touchdown of longer than one yard when he goes nine yards around the right side. It’s going to take something pretty spectacular for the Titans to lose this one. Scoring drive: 11 plays, 75 yards, 6:03. TENNESSEE 35, BUFFALO 16

The Titans have scored more than 30 points in eight of the 14 regular-season games since Ryan Tannehill became their starting quarterback.

Buffalo fumbles the ensuing kickoff and Kareem Orr recovers at the Bills’ 18.

(2:04) Tannehill starts to run, decides to throw and Jonnu Smith has his second touchdown reception of the night, his fifth of the season. The rout is one. Scoring drive: 6 plays, 18 yards, 1:50. TENNESSEE 42, BUFFALO 16

(1:52) Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen gets the rest of the night off. It’s just a matter now of letting the clock run.

(0:00) Ballgame. The Titans are 4-0.

Ryan Tannehill finished 21-28 for 195 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions. A.J. Brown caught seven passes for 82 yards and a touchdown. Jonnu Smith had five catches for 40 yards and two touchdowns. Derrick henry finished with 57 yards and two touchdowns on 19 carries.

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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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