Tennessee Titans, Minnesota Vikings: Game preview, betting odds, injuries
By Ravi Konjeti
Vikings and Titans preview.
The Tennessee Titans are off to their best start since 2008 after outlasting the Jacksonville Jaguars last week.
With a 2-0 record, the Titans sit atop the AFC South as they face the reeling Minnesota Vikings. The Vikings are coming off another loss as they start the season 0-2 after losing to the Indianapolis Colts 28-11.
Tennessee looks to take a big step towards playoff contention by securing a third consecutive victory as they head to the U.S. Bank Stadium at 12:00 P.M. CT on CBS.
The Titans have been riding the continuing hot hand of quarterback Ryan Tannehill, who tossed four touchdowns last week. Despite missing starting receiver A.J. Brown, the offense has found success in the air, particularly with Jonnu Smith‘s 4 catches, 84 yards and 2 touchdown game.
While the Titans passing game has been strong, the run game has continued to be slow to start the season. While running back Derrick Henry had 84 yards, he needed 25 touches, averaging only 3.4 yards a carry. Henry, who generally explodes in the second half, only got 41 yards in the second half despite getting 12 carries.
Similarly, the Titans defense has been struggling to match expectations. The Jacksonville Jaguars easily moved the ball up and down the field through the air and on the ground despite the lack of top-tier talent on the field. The Titans have one sack in two games and have struggled to pressure the quarterback even with EDGE Jadeveon Clowney in the lineup.
The Vikings, on the other hand, have gotten beaten by large margins in each game, and even the point differential of their best game in a little misleading. After going down 28-3, the Vikings got a late touchdown last week against the Colts. Quarterback Kirk Cousins has thrown four picks and only two touchdowns while running back Dalvin Cook has totaled only 113 yards on the ground.
The Vikings have seen a significant shakeup in the roster in the offseason, losing star power on both sides of the ball. If Minnesota can find a way to slow down opposing offenses, the team still has enough firepower to score points with Cook and wide receiver Adam Thielen.