Countdown to Kickoff: 83 Days

The countdown to kickoff continues.

The Tennessee Titans will open the 2020 regular season Sept. 14 at Denver. That is 83 days away. So, today we look at one way the number 83 figures into the team’s history.

There was a time when it seemed the Tennessee Titans never would lose at Nissan Stadium … or whatever it was called at particular times.

Then came the Baltimore Ravens. Since then, the Titans have won 83 regular-season home games, which is almost as many as they have lost.

Tennessee set an NFL record when it won its first 12 games in the stadium, which opened in 1999, the same year the franchise was rebranded as the Titans. That streak began with a come-from-behind victory over Cincinnati (the Bengals led by nine in the fourth quarter) and included in three-point triumph over St. Louis in what turned out to be a Super Bowl preview.

Not a part of that run was the 16-15 victory over Buffalo in the wild card round of the 1999 playoffs. The Music City Miracle, as that game is known, contributed heavily to the early aura of the place, however.

It all ended on Nov. 12, 2000. That’s when the Baltimore Ravens snuck out of town with a 24-23 victory. The Ravens took the lead on a field goal with 25 seconds to play, but the Titans got into position to attempt a 43-yard field goal with three seconds to go. Al Del Greco’s kick missed to the right and the streak ended.

Tennessee won its final three home games that season but came out on top in three of eight the next season. Since 2003, the Titans have finished with a winning record at home just seven times, and four of those were with 5-3 records.

All-time, the team is 95-73 at the stadium (a .565 winning percentage), which also has been known as Adelphia Coliseum, The Coliseum and LP Field. Since that first defeat, though, the record is 83-72 (.535).