The Titans rode their defense as far as it would take them against the Chiefs, and for three quarters-plus it looked like it would be enough to bring home a win from Kansas City before falling short in overtime. Now, they have the Denver Broncos coming to Nissan Stadium for a chance to get back on track.
First down
Ride Derrick Henry. Like the Titans have any other choice, but for some reason Sunday night, Henry was on the sideline far too often and had only 17 carries. He still had 112 yards, but Henry needs 25 touches per game between rushing and pass receiving because he is far and away the best threat the offense has.
Second down
Don’t get disheartened. Win as a team, lose as a team. That’s the mantra, and Mike Vrabel has been excellent at building a team-first culture. The Titans defense certainly has held up its end of the bargain the past few weeks, and they will likely have to continue pulling a heavier portion of the load in order to keep winning games.
Third down
Make Russell Wilson prove it. This would have sounded crazy a few years ago with the “Let Russ Cook” slogan in Seattle. But the Denver version of Wilson is not the same as the QB who starred for a decade with the Seahawks. The Titans pass rush can harass him into mistakes, and that could help turn this game in Tennessee’s favor.
Fourth down
Dictate the tempo. The Titans forced the Chiefs to play their style of football, turning the Sunday night game into a street fight type of game. That’s probably the way this version of the Titans are going to have to play every week, with the offensive line taking over games with run blocking and a physical defense winning at the line of scrimmage.