The Tennessee Titans released their final injury report for Week 8 and see multiple starters questionable for the meeting with the Detroit Lions.
The Tennessee Titans will head north to the Motor City on Sunday afternoon to take on the Detroit Lions at Ford Field
Coming off an embarrassing loss against the Bills, the Titans are banged up and could see multiple starters on the sideline against the Lions.
Cornerback L’Jarius Sneed (quad) did not practice and is out this week. He will be joined on the sidelines by tackle Jaelyn Duncan (hamstring) who was injured against the Bills.
Newly acquired LB Jerome Baker (NIR/rest) will join QB Will Levis (shoulder), RB Tyjae Spears (hamstring), DT T’Vondre Sweat (hip) and CB Jarvis Brownlee, who was a late addition to the injury report and limited on Friday with an ankle injury as questionable for Sunday.
Full injury reports for both the Titans and Lions can be found below.
The Tennessee Titans practiced Thursday in preparation for their Week 8 match-up with the Detroit Lions and see two starters sit out.
The Tennessee Titans were back at it Thursday, continuing their preparation for their Week 8 game with the Detroit Lions.
CB L’Jarius Sneed (quad) and WR Calvin Ridley (foot) missed practice for a second day in a row due to injury, and little information has been given on their status. Newly acquired LB Jerome Baker was in the building Thursday but was given the day off.
The biggest news on the day centered on LB Kenneth Murray (shoulder) and DT T’Vondre Sweat (hip). Both players were full participants on Wednesday, but limited in the Thursday session.
DT Jeffery Simmons, DT Keondre Coburn, and RB Julius Chestnut returned as full participants.
The Titans’ Thursday injury report can be found below:
Did not participate: CB L’Jarius Sneed (quad), OT Jaelyn Duncan (hamstring), WR Calvin Ridley (foot), LB Jerome Baker (NIR/rest)
Limited participants: QB Will Levis (shoulder), RB Tyjae Spears (hamstring), LB Kenneth Murray (shoulder), DT T’Vondre Sweat (hip)
Full participant: LB Cedric Gray (shoulder), Keondre Coburn (knee), RB Julius Chestnut (calf), Jeffery Simmons (NIR/rest)
The Tennessee Titans have been named one of the worst teams of 2024 but it gets worse as the futility is predicted to be long-term.
The Tennessee Titans are coming off their worst loss of the season after falling, 34-10, to the Buffalo Bills on Sunday afternoon.
Yet again, the Titans failed to make adjustments and were overwhelmed in the second half of the game. This was the third time in their five losses that they have faltered, a trend that points both at deficiencies in the offense and coaching staff.
At 1-5, it may be time to turn the page and start looking forward to 2025. At least that is what ESPN analyst Bill Barnwell suggests, although he paints a dismal portrait moving forward, listing Tennessee as one of the worst teams of 2024 and beyond.
The Titans are better than their record, although it might take a better quarterback for them to reveal their strengths by stopping the turnovers. Playing in a weak division will help. But this team might not have a single star currently on a rookie contract, with Latham and Sweat as the team’s best hopes. Heck, their only stars on offense or defense might be Simmons and cornerback L’Jarius Sneed. They can be more of a blank slate than most, but other franchises have more upside and top talent.
While he does point out that the Titans do have some positives moving forward with defensive line talent, a young roster and cap room, he does reinforce the sentiment that Will Levis isn’t the guy. He points out the deficiencies within the organization at quarterback and the offensive infrastructure, which are glaring and valid.
A solid quarterback that is less turnover-prone would help, but without improvements along the offensive line and developing home-grown skill position players, the Titans will almost certainly continue to be mediocre. Especially when being led by a coaching staff that cannot adjust on the fly.
The Titans have a solid roster, maybe even a touch above average, but they don’t have enough foundational talent to build a consistent winner. There is no excitement or signs that they can turn the corner and a major rebuild could be on the horizon.
Causes for concern as the Bills face the Titans in Week 7
The Buffalo Bills will host the Tennessee Titans in Week 7 at Highmark Stadium.
The Bills (4-2) and Titans (1-4) have largely trended in different directions in the first six weeks of the NFL season.
The Bills are favored by nearly double digits (-9.5) but the Titans shouldn’t be taken lightly. Anyone can beat anyone in the NFL. And, the Titans currently have the league’s number one defense. The Titans haven’t had to face a contender on the road so it will be a big test for first-year head coach Brian Callahan.
Still, the Bills need to execute to come away with the win. To improve to 5-2 on the year, they will need to be wary of these three things from the Titans on Sunday:
Interior defensive line
The Titans’ defensive tackles are nothing to mess with. Jeffery Simmons is a veteran who has caused havoc in the middle of the trenches over his six-year career. And, rookie T’Vondre Sweat is following in his footsteps at 366 pounds.
They are disruptive in the middle, and both have a top-25 PFF defensive grade among NFL interior defensive linemen. Simmons grades as the 23rd-best while Sweat grades as the 19th-best just six weeks into his career. The Bills would be wise to find ways to either combo-block these guys or attempt to avoid them.
Titans running game
While the Titans’ passing game has struggled to find its rhythm so far in 2024, the running game is averaging over 118 yards per game. With Tyjae Spears ruled out with injury, the backfield will be led by Tony Pollard who has averaged 90.5 rushing yards in his last two outings. On the flip side, the Bills have struggled at defending the run. They give up over 140 yards per game.
When Pollard runs for over 60 yards, the Titans have either lost by one score or won the game. In the one game he was shut down, the Green Bay Packers beat them by 16.
Titans still have playmakers
Despite being ranked second-to-last in the NFL in pass yards per game, the Titans still have excellent skill players. They can make a chunk play at any given moment. Things haven’t connected between quarterback Will Levis and first-year offensive coordinator Nick Holz. If things do click, they have the pieces around Levis to do something.
Calvin Ridley, DeAndre Hopkins, and Tyler Boyd are one of the better receiving trios in the league. Tight end Chig Okonkwo, along with Pollard in the run game, have the talent to make a big play or two. Bills have to be disciplined or these guys can make you pay. That’s if Levis can get the ball to them.
The Manchester High School product is ranked as the second-best defensive lineman in Georgia and the second-best player in the state
When the Texas Longhorns take on the Georgia Bulldogs on Saturday, one of the top recruits in the 2025 class will be in attendance. Five-star defensive lineman Justus Terry will reportedly be in Austin for his official visit with the Longhorns. The Manchester High School product is ranked as the second-best defensive lineman in Georgia and the second-best player in the state by 247sports.
While Terry is expected to land with Bulldogs, the Longhorns will have their chance to make their pitch this weekend. Due to his potential, Terry has also received offers from some of the top programs in the country, such as Alabama, Florida State, and Georgia.
If the Longhorns were to add Terry to the mix, they would have one of the best 2025 classes in the country. He also fits the mold of who the Longhorns have targeted under Steve Sarkisian. In recent years, Texas has excelled at developing defensive linemen. That list includes Bryon Murphy and T’Vondre Sweat,
Although the Longhorns face an uphill battle, getting Terry on campus is a big win. A victory over No.5 Georgia could also help their case as the Longhorns look to continue this undefeated 2024 campaign. Top-rated recruits Riley Pettijohn and Kevin Wynn will also be in attendance.
The Longhorns 2025 recruiting class currently consists of 21 commits, including four five-star prospects.
The Tennessee Titans released their second Week 7 injury report and see a prized rookie on the sideline with an injury.
After making news early Thursday with the release of S Jamal Adams, the Tennessee Titans returned to the field for a padded practice.
After watching multiple starters miss practice on Wednesday, the team did see many return to action in at least a limited fashion. The big news of the day was watching rookie DT T’Vondre Sweat miss practice due to a knee injury after being a full participant on Wednesday.
Wide receiver Treylon Burks was also held out after being limited early in the week with a knee injury. Sweat and Burks were joined by CB L’Jarius Sneed (quad), DT Keondre Coburn (knee), and RB Tyjae Spears (hamstring) as non-participants.
LB Ernest Jones (illness) returned to practice but was limited. DeAndre Hopkins (NIR/rest), LB Kenneth WalkeMurray (NIR/rest), QB Will Levis (shoulder), Jeffery Simmons (NIR/rest), and Cedric Gray (shoulder) were full participants.
The Titans’ Thursday injury report can be found below:
Heading into Monday night, the Tennessee Titans knew they would need a big effort up front to stop the high-powered Miami offense from playing without star DT Jeffery Simmons. That is exactly what they got from DT T’Vondre Sweat and his running mates in the 31-12 victory.
Sweat was dominant and announced his presence to the NFL in primetime. The mammoth rookie was a rock in the middle of the defense. He recorded six tackles (three solo) and two for a loss in his best game as a pro.
When asked about the loss of Simmons and the loss of his impact on stopping the run, he seemed unfazed when asked about the comments that “no one runs on the Titans.”
“We set standards in our room, yeah, Jeff said that, but we set standards in our room, and that’s the standard.”
That is what Sweat and linemate Sebastian Joseph-Day did, holding dynamic RB Devon Achane to 15 yards on 10 carries. They stifled the Dolphins’ rushing attack with Simmons on the sideline with an elbow injury and forced them to rely on newly signed QB Tyler Huntley to beat them—something Huntley could not do.
The Titans have an outstanding defense and played a tremendous game against the Dolphins without multiple starters. Led by players like Sweat, they will only get better as the year moves forward.
The Titans defeated the Dolphins 31-12 in Miami on Monday Night Football, and there’s one player who earned Player of the Game honors.
The Tennessee Titans went to Florida and earned their first win of the 2024 season by defeating the Miami Dolphins 31-12.
In a game in which starting quarterback Will Levis went down with an injury, so many players stepped up that it was difficult to single out one player. However, defensive tackle T’Vondre Sweat has earned this week’s Player of the Game honors.
Sweat recorded six tackles (three solo) and two for a loss. This is his most productive game thus far, and his energy is so infectious that everyone around him plays that much better.
Sebastian Joseph-Day recorded six tackles (three solo), one sack, one tackle for a loss and two quarterback hits.
Kenneth Murray Jr. had nine tackles (six solo) and one tackle for a loss.
But Sweat’s energy kept the defense going, allowing Joseph-Day and Murray Jr. to break through and make tackles. He is fast cementing himself as the foundation for this defense’s future. His play on the field, his energy, and his larger-than-life personality are all things we will see a lot of going forward.
The Tennessee Titans take on the Green Bay Packers in Week 3 and here are three reasons for optimism in Nashville.
The Tennessee Titans are preparing to face the Green Bay Packers in Week 3 action on Sunday at Nissan Stadium. The Titans (0-2) again failed to get over the hump and fell to the Jets in a competitive game that they could have easily won.
The Packers (1-1) rallied around backup quarterback Malik Willis and got their first win against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 2.
There is a lot on the line and this should be an interesting game the Titans have three reasons to be optimistic that they can finally get into the win column.
The defense is better than advertised
The Titans’ defense again answered the bell and did a good job holding the Jets in check. It wasn’t quite the dominant performance from Week 1, but the Jets have a better offense than the Chicago Bears. The Titans’ defense is ranked first in total defense after Week 2 and should present a challenge to the Packers, regardless of who takes the snaps. The Packers do have a strong running game, but they haven’t faced a tandem like Jeffery Simmons and T’Vondre Sweat in 2024.
Green Bay’s quarterback situation
With starter Jordan Love battling a knee injury, the Packers may again turn to Willis. For the Titans, that shouldn’t matter. If Love plays, he will be limited from a mobility perspective, which could impact play-calling. If Willis is the man, the former Titans quarterback has only been in the system for a few weeks and will face a defense that understands his tendencies. Yes, he does add a mobility element that Love doesn’t have at the moment, but he is nowhere near as accomplished as a passer. This has to favor the Titans.
The kicking game
Not the punting unit, that’s a whole other topic, but Nick Folk vs. Brayden Narveson. Narveson, who was also in training camp for the Titans, is young and inexperienced and a return to Tennessee should add a little tension during his attempts. In a game that is likely going to be a low-scoring affair, a missed field goal or extra point could change the entire complexion of the game. Folk may not have the biggest leg, but his experience could pay dividends in this match-up.
The Titans have many reasons to be optimistic, but we will have to wait until Sunday to find out if that optimism was warranted.
Tennessee Titans DC Dennard Wilson “loved the way” his defense played in Week 1 but that comes with one major “but…”
Tennessee Titans defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson liked much of what he saw from his defense in Week 1.
The Titans lost the game but the Bears didn’t score a single touchdown on offense. The unit allowed Caleb Williams to throw for just 93 yards in his NFL debut but failed to force any turnovers.
“That’s the one thing that you come out of the game and say, we didn’t take the ball away,” Wilson told reporters on Thursday. “That’s a huge emphasis for us, and that’s a huge emphasis going into this game (in Week 2).”
The Titans did recover a fumble. but it came on special teams.
“If you wanna be a good defense in the league, you gotta take the ball away,” Wilson declared.
The first-year DC also praised rookie defensive lineman T’Vondre Sweat.
Sweat didn’t light up the stat sheet, collecting two pressures on 38 snaps. However, the massive Sweat dominated on the interior and helped stifle the Bears’ ground game.
Sweat received a stellar 77.7 PFF grade in his debut and earned a shoutout from Brian Baldinger.