Steelers vs. Titans: Game Preview, Odds, Injuries
By Ravi Konjeti
Battle of the Unbeatens
The matchup Titans fans have circled before the start of the season is here and it’s come with more fireworks than maybe originally anticipated. The undefeated Tennessee Titans are facing the unbeaten Pittsburgh Steelers for sole control of the AFC.
For old school Tennessee fans, the Steelers are a rival from the early days of the franchise in Nashville as old division rivals. The bad blood has carried over from matchup to matchup since the realignment in 2001, most notably a heated matchup in 2008.
While these two franchises have shifted and changed greatly in the years, this is a matchup that fans want to see. Very few matchups bring the kind of excitement and joy, especially when the Titans pull out victories.
The Titans are coming in full force. Quarterback Ryan Tannehill has the Titans rolling with four touchdowns while running back Derrick Henry ran for over 200 yards and two touchdowns just last week. Tennessee’s offense is one of the most electric in the NFL and is only getting more and more potent.
With consecutive 40-point games, head coach Mike Vrabel and offensive coordinator Arthur Smith has this offense ready to make a Super Bowl push. On the other side of the ball is where the Titans concerns lie. The Titans defense has regressed from last year. Despite the weaker level of competition, the Titans have struggled to keep opposing teams from the endzone.
A surprising regression from the linebacking corps is truly hurting Tennessee. Linebackers Rashaan Evans and Jayon Brown were arguably the best linebacking duo last year with their ability to play the run and cover the pass with ease last season. This year, the defense has not gotten that elite production from the linebackers.
For Tennessee to win, we will need to see more production from the Titans linebackers. The Steelers offense relies heavily on short passes and the middle of the field. Newcomer wide receiver Chase Claypool has developed a good chemistry with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. In recent weeks, running back James Conner seems to have found his footing as well.
The Titans keys to victory rely on their ability to stop touchdowns. I expect the Steelers to move up and down the field with relative ease, however, the Titans red zone defense has been their one bright spot in the past few seasons. If they can keep Big Ben out of the end zone and settle for field goals, it’ll help keep the Titans in this game.
On the offense, Tennessee must keep the Steelers secondary honest. That will require getting Tannehill some easy throws and keeping the secondary from packing the box. Against this pass rush, the offensive line must hold. The Steelers pack power and size with T.J. Watt and Cameron Heyward that can stop the run and get after the quarterback.
Tennessee has honestly not slowed down at any point since Tannehill took over the team. If we see the Steelers slow them down, it would be for the first time this year. This victory will come from the brilliance of Arthur Smith and how he can get the Titans playmakers the ball.