Titans-Broncos: Live Updates and Analysis

The Tennessee Titans and Denver Broncos conclude Week 1 of the 2020 NFL schedule with their intra-conference matchup, which is the second half of a Monday Night Football doubleheader.

Empower Field at Mile High is the NFL’s sixth-largest stadium with a capacity of 76,125, but there will be no fans in the stands due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Broncos were 5-3 at home last season, including a 16-0 victory over the Titans in Week 6.

The Titans have lost three of their last four season-openers but managed to finish with a winning record every time (9-7 in each of the last four years).

The teams have met 39 times in the regular season, and Tennessee leads the series 22-16-1, but the Broncos have a 12-7-1 edge for games played in Denver. Since the Titans relocated from Houston, the Broncos have won five of seven (both Tennessee victories have been at Nissan Stadium).

WORDS OF WISDOM

A.J. Brown on the idea of celebrating a touchdown without fans in the stands: “Just celebrate with the team. That’s what it comes down to. We play a team game, playing the game with our teammates, for our loved ones. Unfortunately, there are no fans right now. So, just celebrate with your teammates because they helped you get to the end zone anyway.”

INACTIVES

Tennessee: WR Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, RB Darrynton Evans, OLB Vic Beasley, OLB Derick Roberson, G/C Jamil Douglas, TE Geoff Swaim and DT Larrell Murchison.

Denver: WR KJ Hamler, WR Courtland Sutton, ILB Mark Barron, G Netane Muti, OLB Von Miller, TE Albert Ogwuegbunam and DT McTelvin Agim.

And here we go …

FIRST QUARTER

Tennessee gets the ball to start the game. Kalif Raymond gets 19 yards on the kickoff return and the Titans start at their own 20.

Right guard Nate Davis commits the first Tennessee of the penalty of the season. He is called for a false start prior to the second snap of the contest (Ryan Tannehill ran for 11 yards on the first). Davis was called for eight penalties last season as a rookie. Five of them were false starts.

The Titans’ first drive ends after six plays, which netted 28 yards. Tight end Jonnu Smith accounted for 22 yards on a screen pass. Derrick Henry gained just five yards on two carries.

Jadeveon Clowney makes two tackles for the Titans on Denver’s first three plays. The defense forces a punt after five plays and 26 yards by the Broncos.

The offense had two penalties on its first possession. Special teams called for holding (Amami Hooker) on the season’s first punt return. Tennessee’s second drive will start from its own 13.

(5:27) The more things change the more they stay the same. An eight-play, 58-yard drive ends with no points when kicker Stephen Gostkowski misses a 47-yard field goal attempt to the right. Corey Davis had two catches for 36 yards on the drive.

(1:25) Rashaan Evans kicked out for unsportsmanlike conduct. The play not only takes away last season’s leading tackler. It gives the Broncos a first-and-10 at the Tennessee 12.

(0:33) Denver takes advantage of the Evans penalty and scores two plays later on a 9-yard pass from Drew Lock to Noah Fant. Scoring drive: 10 plays, 63 yards, 4:47. DENVER 7, TENNESSEE 0

Fant has three receptions for 34 yards. The rest of the Broncos have three receptions for nine yards.

End of the first quarter: Titans trail 7-0, but have 98 yards to Denver’s 77. Broncos have six first downs to the Titans’ five. The big difference? Penalty yards: 33 against Tennessee, 0 against Denver.

Derrick Henry had seven rushes for 29 yards in the quarter. He had 28 yards on 15 carries last year against Denver. This is an improvement.

SECOND QUARTER

(14:15) The Titans have their first three-and-out when Ryan Tannehill misses Kalif Raymond on third-and-4 from the 31. Tannehill is 4-for-9 for 62 yards – so far, he does not look much like the guy who kept the offense rolling through the final 10 games of the 2019 regular season.

(11:51) Kevin Byard strips running back Melvin Gordon after a two-yard reception and Jeffery Simmons recovers. Byard has intercepted 17 passes in his career. This is his first forced fumble. Tennessee has the ball at the Denver 23.

(9:27) If you predicted MyCole Pruitt would score the first Titans touchdown of the season – you are a winner. Tennessee converts its first takeaway of the season into its first points when Pruitt scores on a 1-yard reception. Scoring drive: 5 plays, 23 yards, 2:21. TENNESSEE 7, DENVER 7

(3:25) The Broncos elect to go for it on fourth-and-goal from the 1. Jeffery Simmons and DaQuan Jones stop tight end Jake Butt for no gain on a shovel pass. It remains 7-7 with 3:17 to play.

Last season, the Titans were eighth in the NFL in fourth-down defense when opponents converted 40 percent of the time (10-for-25).

At the two-minute warning: Corey Davis leads the Titans with three catches for 59 yards. That is already more yards than he had in his final eight regular-season games of 2019.

(1:17) Adam Humphries caught 14 passes on third down in 2019 and 11 were for first downs. His first catch of 2020 goes for nine yards on third-and-4 from the Tennessee 33. First down.

Corey Davis’ fourth catch comes with the help of a video review, which overturns the on-field officials’ decision that he did not get both feet down inbounds. He is now at four receptions for 71 yards and the Titans are on the move, looking to get points before the half.

(0:27) Jurrell Casey, remember him? He knocks down Ryan Tannehill’s pass for Jeremy McNichols. Casey also has two assisted tackles thus far.

(0:12) Another video review. This one overturns a 12-yard reception by Kalif Raymond and leaves the Titans with a fourth-and-12 from the Denver 26. Stephen Gostkowski on for a 44-yard field goal attempt.

Where’s Greg Joseph? Gostkowski’s kick is deflected at the line and it misses short and left. That’s 0-2 on field goals tonight.

Halftime: Tennessee 7, Denver7. Denver leads in total yards (201-193) and first downs (12-11) The Broncos are also better in third downs (3-5 as opposed to Tennessee’s 2-6). Perhaps most notably, Denver has an edge in time of possession (16:16-13:44). Given the altitude and the fact that the Broncos get the ball to start the second half, that could be important.

THIRD QUARTER

(14:17) Titans’ defense forces a three-and-out on the opening possession of the second half. That is Denver’s first three-and-out of the contest.

(12:29) Broncos bail out Titans with a personal foul penalty that negates what would have been Ryan Tannehill’s first interception of the season. It’s first-and-10 Titans at their own 49.

(7:38) Jurrell Casey’s second batted pass of the contest forces a 42-yard field goal attempt.

(7:32) And … Gostkowski misses to the left. One more miss and he can match Cairo Santos for the worst performance by a #Titans kicker since the start of 2019. The score remains 7-7.

Now in his 15th season, this is the first time Gostkowski has missed three field goals in a game.

(4:02) Left tackle Taylor Lewan is down on and trainers are on the field to see him and his right knee. To state the obvious: It would be bad for the offense, if he can’t return.

(2:12) Corey Davis with his sixth reception for 92 yards. His last 100-yard game was Nov. 11, 2018 against New England (7-125).

End of the third quarter, it’s still 7-7. Titans dominated that period, however, with 26 plays for 131 yards to Denver’s six plays for three yards.

The Titans are 2-1 when tied after three quarters in two seasons under Mike Vrabel.

FOURTH QUARTER

(13:53) Rather than kick a short field goal, the Titans go for it on fourth-and-goal from the 1. Ryan Tannehill connects with Jonnu Smith for the touchdown. But the kicking woes continue as Stephen Gostkowski misses the PAT. Scoring drive: 15 plays, 82 yards, 7:02. TENNESSEE 13, DENVER 7

The Titans' first two touchdowns of the season are scored by tight ends (Pruitt, Smith). It's reminiscent of the days of Frank Wycheck and Jackie Harris.

(9:08) Melvin Gordon’s 1-yard touchdown run – followed by a successful PAT – gives the Broncos the lead for the second time. Gordon had a 25-yard run and Jerry Jeudy had a 21-yard run on the next play to get Denver’s offense going. Scoring drive: 9 plays, 75 yards, 4:41. DENVER 14, TENNESSEE 13

Ryan Tannehill led the Titans to two fourth-quarter comebacks last season. He is going to need to lead one early in 2020.

(7:29) Tannehill is stopped for no gain on third-and-1 from the 34. Titans have to punt it back to Denver.

(5:11) The defense forces a three-and-out, but the 51-yard punt rolls out of bounds at the Tennessee 4-yard line. Long way for the offense to go just to get in field goal range … and who feels good about the prospects for a game-winning kick?

(4:21) A Derrick Henry run for no gain and two incomplete passes – and this drive, which might be the Titans’ last, is finished.

(3:20) Titans dodge a bullet when Drew Lock overthrows an open receiver in the end zone on third-and-8 from the Tennessee 42. Broncos punt it back. Kalif Raymond with a fair catch at the 10.

(0:17) Stephen Gostkowski redeems himself (to a point) with a 25-yard field goal that puts the Titans on top. Scoring drive: 12 plays, 83 yards, 2:48. TITANS 16, BRONCOS 14

Tannehill completed passes to his top three receivers – A.J. Brown, Corey Davis, Adam Humphries – as well as Derrick Henry on that drive.

(0:00) Denver makes it as far as its own 42-yard line but Drew Lock’s pass as time expires falls incomplete.

FINAL SCORE: Tennessee 16, Denver 14

Derrick Henry rushes for 116 yards on 31 carries. Ryan Tannehill completes 29 of 43 passes for 249 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions. Corey Davis has 101 yards on seven receptions. Kevin Byard is credited with a team-high nine tackles.