Defensive Line: A
Playing in his first NFL game, rookie defensive end Jeffery Simmons made more of an impact than anyone could’ve imagined.
Simmons, who was finally activated from the Non-Football Injury list after tearing his ACL in February, only played 23 snaps in this game, but he made the most of his limited reps. The first-round pick out of Mississippi State picked up four tackles (two for a loss), and his first NFL sack.
Outside of Simmons, the Titans D-line did its part to keep Melvin Gordon and Austin Ekeler at bay. DaQuan Jones added two tackles, and Jurrell Casey came up with a game-sealing fumble recovery in the end zone with 19 seconds remaining to ensure the Titans victory.
As Simmons continues to develop comfort in playing on his surgically repaired knee, I fully expect him to continue to be more and more of a force on this already solid Titans defensive line.