Breaking down the Titans offensive matchup vs Steelers defense
By Brady Akins
A deep dive into the Titans’ Week 7 defensive foe
Week 7 will be a matchup of two undefeated goliaths, two AFC teams sitting at 5-0 going head-to-head for pole position in the conference playoff race– but how did we get here?
For the Tennessee Titans, the journey to 5-0 has been defined by leaning on one of the best offenses in the NFL. As we approach Week 7, Tennessee’s offense has been head and shoulders above any other group in the league (a sentence that is still shocking to type). Second in points per game, second in yards per game, fourth in yards per play, and the only team to be ranked in the top five in all three of those categories.
Even the advanced numbers back up the Titans’ brilliance. Football Outsiders’ DVOA metric has Tennessee ranked as the league’s third-best offense, only behind heavy-hitters like Seattle and Kansas City, while the man under center himself, Ryan Tannehill, ranks tied for third in ESPN’s EPA rankings.
The Pittsburgh Steelers’ story is similar, although on the defensive side of the ball. While the Titans are ranked second in points and yards per game on offense, the Steelers’ defense ranks top three in the league in points and yards allowed. By most metrics, the talented defensive roster of the Steelers is backing up their wealth of defensive play-makers on the stat sheet.
Between the greatness of the Titans offense and that of the Steelers defense, this Week 7 showdown could be one of the most entertaining games of the season, and one riding on a handful of individual matchups and performances.