Last year, the Tennessee Titans’ defense was best described as “opportunistic.” Despite finishing with a bottom-10 defense that allowed 5.9 yards per play, the Titans led the league with a +11 turnover differential.
Tennessee has given up their fair share of big plays through the first three weeks in 2021, but a few adjustments in the second half of their Week 2 matchup against the Seahawks showed remarkable improvements before heading back home to face an 0-2 Indianapolis Colts squad.
The Titans surrendered just 265 total yards on Sunday and held Indianapolis to a 25 percent (3-of-12) third-down conversion rate.
Quarterback Ryan Tannehill threw two interceptions and Nick Westbrook-Ikhine fumbled, marking the second time already this season that the Titans have turned the ball over three times in a game.
The Colts scored 10 points off Titans turnovers, but Tennessee’s defense avoided the big plays downfield that plagued them through the first two weeks.
“It doesn’t really matter what the offense does. You know, of course, we want them to score points every time they get the ball, but we understand it’s not going to happen,” Titans safety Kevin Byard admitted following the Titans’ 25-16 win. “But when [the opposing defense] gets a turnover, we have to go on the field and expecting, ‘OK, what are we going to get? We’re gonna shots, screens, and stuff like that.’ But we understand that just because they got a turnover when they got the ball, you don’t have to score no matter where they get the ball out on the field. So, I’m pretty proud of the defense [with] how we handled those turnovers.”
The Titans’ defense is yielding 6.1 yards-per-play, seventh-most in the NFL through the first three weeks. However, Tennessee gave up just 4.6 yards per play to the Colts on Sunday.
The Titans’ pass rush played an important role in limiting the Colts’ offensive production. Harold Landry had a career day with 12 quarterback pressures, and the Tennessee defense sacked Carson Wentz twice. While they didn’t create any turnovers, the defense did their job in disrupting the Colts’ offense.
“It was super important – it was one of our team keys is affecting the quarterback,” Byard noted. “If it was getting into the pocket forcing him to run or whatever or also just mixing disguise and coverage [and] changing the looks on him. Like I said, I think we did pretty well but still some stuff to clean up, but overall standpoint, I think we did pretty good today.”
The Titans’ defense will look to continue building confidence next Sunday against a New York Jets passing attack that ranks fifth-worst in the league.
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