Tennessee Titans Week 1 Players of the Game: Delanie Walker, Cameron Wake

Tight end Delanie Walker and edge rusher Cameron Wake were the Tennessee Titans’ Players of the Game in Week 1.

There were so many possible candidates to choose from for a Tennessee Titans Player of the Game in Week 1, so we’re going to spread it around a bit on both sides of the ball.

The two big winners on offense and defense were both veterans, with tight end Delanie Walker and edge rusher Cameron Wake taking home the honors.

Offensive Player of the game: Delanie Walker

The Tennessee Titans went out and made a statement to the rest of the NFL with their Week 1 annihilation of the Cleveland Browns. There were a variety of candidates for the offensive Player of the Game, however I leaned towards Delanie Walker since this was his first game since week one of 2018 season.

Walker let the Browns – as well as the rest of the NFL – know that he is still the same Delanie Walker. He was a consistent target for Mariota throughout the game, and he bailed out Mariota on crucial third downs on a consistent basis, while also being the same Walker in the red zone that we all know and love. Walker finished the game with five catches for 55 yards and two touchdowns.

Offensive Honorable Mention: Marcus Mariota

Quarterback Marcus Mariota put on a performance that should excite Titans fans going into the rest of the season. He didn’t exactly light up the stat sheet, but what he did do was take advantage of every opportunity that presented itself throughout the game.

Mariota showed a confidence that I’m not sure I have seen from him since 2016 throughout the game. He was unafraid to be aggressive when necessary, while also being smart and trusting his playmakers to make a play when nothing was open downfield.

He took advantage of an overly aggressive defense after he hit Henry on a screen pass that went 75 yards for a score, which was the first of many daggers on the day.

The sky is the limit for this Titans team if Mariota is able to play the way he did in Cleveland on a consistent basis.  Mariota finished 14-of-24 for 248 yards and three touchdowns through the air, while also adding three caries for 24 yards on the ground.

Defensive Player of the Game: Cameron Wake

Cameron Wake, along with the rest of the Titans defense, made his presence known almost immediately against the Browns. Wake was a constant presence in the backfield as he was consistently in Baker Mayfield’s face throughout the game. Wake abused Browns starting tackle Chris Hubbard as he bent around the edge for an easy two points right before halftime.

Wake finished with an impressive three tackles and 2.5 sacks on a day in which he mostly played in passing situations only. This Titans defense will be on another level in 2019 if this is what Wake is going to provide as a situational pass rusher throughout the year.

Defensive Honorable Mention: Kevin Byard

The Mayor of Murfreesboro let the rest of the league know that his record-setting contract was not a fluke. Kevin Byard came up with the game-sealing play as he read Baker Mayfield beautifully by baiting him into thinking he was fooled.

Byard finished the day with two tackles, constant disruption, and the game-sealing interception that ultimately helped lift the Titans to a 1-0 start.